Ihsaan

What is ihsaan? What is the reward of a muhsin?

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• Literally, Ihsaan means, ‘doing something well’ or ‘behaving in a good manner’
  It also means ‘to do something in a perfect manner’ or ‘in the best way. It is the opposite of doing something in a bad way or treating people badly.
  However, Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ definition of Ihsaan is contained in ‘The Hadeeth of Jibreel’:

قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا الأحْسَانُ قَالَ الإِحْسَانُ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهِ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ فَإِنْ لَم تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ ( رواه مسلم )

He (Jibreel) said: ‘Tell me about ihsaan?’ He said, ‘It is that you worship Allah ﷻ as if you see Him. And if you cannot achieve this state, then know that He sees you. (Muslim)

• When asked about Ihsaan, the Prophet ﷺ said, “It is that you worship Allah ﷻ as if you see Him.”
  If people are aware that Allah ﷻ is watching them, they will try their best not to commit sins. At the same time, they will hope to please Allah ﷻ by doing good deeds. Knowing that Allah ﷻ is watching them, people will have sincerity in what they do and try their best to do everything to the best of their ability.
• Ihsaan is the highest level of religion. Someone who has achieved the state of Ihsaan is called a muhsin. Being a muhsin automatically means that the person is a Muslim and a mu’min.
  The primary level of religion is called Islam, the middle level is Iman and the highest level is Ihsaan. The primary level is where a person carries out the basic requirements of the religion. This person is known as a Muslim. The middle level is where a person does an act and has some sort of feeling that Allah ﷻ is watching everything that he/she does. This person does an act of worship in a better way than a Muslim. A person who is at this level of faith is called a mu’min as well as a Muslim.
  The highest level is where a person does every act to the best of their ability. This is because they know for sure that Allah ﷻ is watching and, because of this, it has a positive affect on how he/she worships Him.
• The word ‘Ihsaan’ also appears in the Qur’aan many times. (For this lesson when translating the word ‘Ihsaan’ in the Qur’aan, the word ‘good’ will be used.) Here are a few examples

لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ( سورة آل عمران : ۱۷۲)

For those who did good among them and feared Allah is a great reward. (Soorah Aali Imraan: 172)

لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌۭ ۚ( سورة النحل : ٣٠)

For those who do good in this world is good. (Soorat an-Nahl: 30)

هَلْ جَزَآءُ ٱلْإِحْسَـٰنِ إِلَّا ٱلْإِحْسَـٰنُ ( سورة الرحمن : ٦٠)

Is there reward for good (anything) but good? (Soorat ar-Rahmaan: 60)

• These three aayaat describe the reward of a muhsin. Allah ﷻ mentions that there is a great reward for people who are at the level of Ihsaan. The reward of a Muslim is the everlasting reward of Paradise. Since Ihsaan is higher than the level of Islam, the reward for a muhsin is better than the reward of a Muslim. Paradise has many levels and the best levels, which are the highest, have been saved for the best people. Because the best of people are the muhsin, this means they will get the highest levels of Paradise.

What we learn from the lesson:

1. Ihsaan means to worship Allah ﷻ as if you see Him. And if you cannot achieve this state, then know that He Sees you.
2. The highest level of faith is ihsaan.
3. The reward for a muhsin is the highest levels of Paradise.

Discussion

1. Why did the Prophet define Ihsaan in the way that he did ?
2. Can you explain why Jibreel asked this particular question?
3. Mention a reason why a muhsin will get the highest levels of Paradise?