Ihsan

 ( Sufism ) 

Ihsan ( , also romanized ehsan) is an Arabic term meaning "to do beautiful things", "beautification", "perfection", or "excellence" (Arabic: , ). Ihsan is a matter of taking one's inner faith ( iman) and showing it in both deed and action, a sense of social responsibility born from religious convictions.

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Meaning In Islam, Ihsan is the Muslim responsibility to obtain perfection, or excellence, in worship, such that Muslims try to worship God as if they see Him, and although they cannot see Him, they undoubtedly believe that He is constantly watching over them. That definition comes from the Hadith of Gabriel in which Muhammad states, "Ihsan to worship God as though you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then indeed He sees you". (Al-Bukhari and Al-Muslim). According to Muhammad's hadith "God has written ihsan on everything".

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In relation to islam and iman Ihsan is one of the three dimensions of the Islamic religion ():

1. Islam – voluntary submission to God, expressed in practicing the five pillars of islam.
2. Iman – belief in the six articles of faith.
3. Ihsan – attaining perfection or excellence in the deployment of righteousness on Earth. This includes doing good things for the benefit of others, such as supporting the oppressed and vulnerable.

In contrast to the emphases of islam (what one should do) and iman (why one should do), the concept of ihsan is primarily associated with intention. One who "does what is beautiful" is called a muhsin. It is generally held that a person can only achieve true Ihsan with the help and guidance of God, who governs all things. While traditionally have concentrated on islam and Kalam on iman, the have focused their attention on ihsan. Those who are muhsin are a subset of those who are mu'min, and those who are mu'min are a subset of :

Some explain ihsan as being the inner dimension of Islam whereas shariah is often described as the outer dimension. Ihsan "constitutes the highest form of worship" (). It is excellence in work and in social interactions. For example, ihsan includes sincerity during Muslim prayers and being grateful to parents, family, and God.

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Sources

• William C. Chittick (2025). 9781435627703, Oneworld Publications. ISBN 9781435627703
• Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood (1994). 9780340609019, Teach Yourself. . ISBN 9780340609019

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Further reading

• (2025). 9781860640223, I. B. Tauris. ISBN 9781860640223
• The Mysteries of Ihsan: Natural Contemplation and the Spiritual Virtues in the Quran by James W. Morris
• M.A.Muqtedar Khan (2025). 9781137548320, Palgrave Macmillan US. . ISBN 9781137548320

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External links

• Hadith of Angel Gabriel Hadith #2 from An-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths

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