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Ihsan

 

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Ihsan



 
 
Ihsan (Arabic
Arabic language

Arabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages languages such as Hebrew language and Aramaic language....
: ?????), also ehsan or ahsan is an Arabic term meaning "perfection" or "excellence," which is related to the word "goodness" (Ara. husn). It is a matter of taking one's inner faith
Faith

Faith is the confident belief in the truth of or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. It is also used for a belief, characteristically without proof....
 (iman
Iman (concept)

Iman is an Islamic term usually translated as "religious belief" and is often used to refer to the strength of conviction in a Muslim. This refers to faith in Islam requiring a "belief in the unseen," and one who has such faith is called a mu'min....
) and showing it in both deed and action, a sense of social responsibility borne from religious convictions. In Islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
, ihsan is the Muslim responsibility to obtain perfection, or excellence
Excellence

Excellence is the state or quality of excelling. Particularly in the field of business and organizations, excellence is considered to be an important Value theory, and a goal to be pursued....
, in worship, such that Muslims try to worship God (Arabic Allah
Allah

Allah is the standard Arabic language word for God. While the term is best known in the Western world for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabic-speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Christians and Jews, in reference to "God"....
) as if they see Him, and although they cannot see Him (due to the belief that Allah is not made of materials), they undoubtedly believe that He is constantly watching over them.






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Ihsan (Arabic
Arabic language

Arabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages languages such as Hebrew language and Aramaic language....
: ?????), also ehsan or ahsan is an Arabic term meaning "perfection" or "excellence," which is related to the word "goodness" (Ara. husn). It is a matter of taking one's inner faith
Faith

Faith is the confident belief in the truth of or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. It is also used for a belief, characteristically without proof....
 (iman
Iman (concept)

Iman is an Islamic term usually translated as "religious belief" and is often used to refer to the strength of conviction in a Muslim. This refers to faith in Islam requiring a "belief in the unseen," and one who has such faith is called a mu'min....
) and showing it in both deed and action, a sense of social responsibility borne from religious convictions. In Islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
, ihsan is the Muslim responsibility to obtain perfection, or excellence
Excellence

Excellence is the state or quality of excelling. Particularly in the field of business and organizations, excellence is considered to be an important Value theory, and a goal to be pursued....
, in worship, such that Muslims try to worship God (Arabic Allah
Allah

Allah is the standard Arabic language word for God. While the term is best known in the Western world for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabic-speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Christians and Jews, in reference to "God"....
) as if they see Him, and although they cannot see Him (due to the belief that Allah is not made of materials), they undoubtedly believe that He is constantly watching over them. That definition comes from the hadith (known as the Hadith of Gabriel
Gabriel

In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an angel who serves as a messenger from God. He first appears in the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible. In some traditions he is regarded as one of the archangels, or as the angel of death....
) in which Muhammad
Muhammad

Muhammad Patronymic#Arabic Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib , is the founder of the Major religious groups of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as a Rasul and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of prophets....
 states, "[Ihsan is] to worship God as though you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then indeed He sees you." (Al-Bukhari and Al-Muslim).

Ihsan, meaning "to do beautiful things," is one of the three dimensions of the Islamic religion (Ara. ad-din): islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
, iman
Iman

Iman may refer to:* Iman , an Islamic term for religious belief* Iman , an Arabic feminine given name; means "faith"* iMAN , the former name for the software currently known as Teamcenter ...
 and ihsan. 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 Allah
Allah

Allah is the standard Arabic language word for God. While the term is best known in the Western world for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabic-speakers of all Abrahamic faiths, including Christians and Jews, in reference to "God"....
, who governs all things.

Some Islamic scholars explain Ihsan as being the inner dimension of Islam whereas shariah is often described as the outer dimension:

From the preceding discussion it should be clear that not every Muslim is a man or woman of faith (mu'min), but every person of faith is a muslim. Furthermore, a Muslim who believes in all the principles of Islam may not necessarily be a righteous person, a doer of good (muhsin), but a truly good and righteous person is both a muslim and a true person of faith.


Ihsan "constitutes the highest form of worship" (ibadah). 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.

Ehsan or Ihsan is also a male name among Muslims.

External links

  • by Imâm al-Madîna al-Munawarrah 'Alî Abd-ur-Rahmân al-Hudhaifî
  • Hadith #2 from An-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths