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Ummah

Encyclopedia · Concepts

Ihsan (Excellence in Worship)

الإحسان (الإتقان في العبادة)

Ihsan is a concept in Islam that signifies worshipping Allah as if one sees Him, and if one does not see Him, then knowing that He sees them, encompassing excellence in all deeds.

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Definition of Ihsan

In a hadith reported by Abu Huraira, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ defined Ihsan as worshipping Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then knowing that He sees you.1,2 This definition of Ihsan was given by the Prophet ﷺ in response to a question from a man, identified as the angel Gabriel in some narrations, who also asked about Islam and Iman (faith).2,3

Ihsan in Actions

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated that Allah has decreed proficiency (Ihsan) in all things.4,5 This includes performing actions well, such as killing or slaughtering, where one should sharpen their blade and spare suffering to the animal.4,5

Divine Love for Doers of Good

The Quran states that Allah loves those who do good (muhsinin).6 The reward for good is nothing but good.7

CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sources, not fatwas.