Meaning of al-Ihsaan

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

Then (Jibreel عليه السلام) said: “Tell me about al-Ihsaan.” Al-Ihsaan is a derivative of Ahsan (better) Yuhsan (improve), and it is (exerting efforts in) doing good.

Doing al-Ihsaan in the rights of the Creator (means): The foundation of one’s worship is based on: a) sincerity to Allaah تعالى and b) in accordance with the (Sunnah) of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم. So whenever a person is (more) sincere and (more precise) in following (the Sunnah), the better he gets. 

As for doing al-Ihsaan to the creation: then it is doing good to them by (spending) wealth or having good manners with them and other than that.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “al-Ihsaan is that you worship Allaah…”, and the worship of Allaah is not correct except with two matters and they are: a) sincerely for Allaah (alone) and b) in accordance with the (Sunnah) of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم; i.e. a person should worship Allaah سبحانه as if he is seeing Him تعالى. Worship of seeking and yearning; and the worship of seeking and yearning is when a man finds himself urging for it because he is seeking the One whom he loves. So he worships as if he is seeing Him, worshiping Him alone, repenting to Him and drawing closer to Him سبحانه وتعالى.

“for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you” meaning: Worship Him upon fear and do not oppose Him, because if you oppose Him, He تعالى verily sees you. So, worship Him, like the worship of the one who is afraid of Him, running away from His punishment and retribution. The Ahl al-`Ibaadah (the Worshipers) deem this as a lower level than the previous one.

So al-Ihsaan has two levels: a) the rank of seeking and b) the rank of fleeing.

a) The rank of seeking: that you worship Allaah تعالى as if you are seeing Him.

b) The rank of fleeing: that you worship Allaah تعالى knowing that He عز وجل is ever watching you – so you are cautious. As Allaah تعالى has said:

﴿وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّـهُ نَفْسَهُ﴾

{And Allaah warns you against Himself} [Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 30]

So from this we know that these two sentences are dissimilar and that the first (rank) is more perfect; and that is why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned the second (rank) as latter.

[Sharh al-Arba`een al-Nawawee (1/53) of Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

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Shaikh `Abdul Mohsin al-`Abbaad حفظه الله said:

The statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم regarding al-Ihsaan: “that you worship Allaah as if you see Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you”, meaning: You worship Him as if you are standing in front of Him, seeing Him. Whoever does that (i.e. attains this level), he will worship Allaah upon complete and perfect (obedience). If he cannot attain this level, then he should at least be aware that Allaah تعالى is well acquainted about him and no secret is hidden from him. So the person should beware that He تعالى does not see him doing that which He تعالى has prohibited; and let him do so that He تعالى sees him doing that which He تعالى has commanded him to do.

Ibn Rajab said in the explanation of this Hadeeth in his book “Jaami` al-`Uloom wal-Hikam” (1/126): In the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the explanation of al-Ihsaan: “You worship Allaah as if you are seeing him”, is an indication that the servant should worship Allaah تعالى upon this characteristic, and it is (the way of) attaining nearness to Him تعالى; and that he is standing in front of Him تعالى as if he is seeing Him. This necessitates that one should have al-Khashyah, al-Khauf, Awe and Glorification (of/for his Lord) as has been mentioned in the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: “(Al-Ihsaan implies) that you fear Allaah as if you are seeing Him” [Saheeh Muslim (10)]. It also necessitates sincerity in worship and exerting efforts in beautifying, completing and perfecting it.

And he (Ibn Rajab) further said (1/128-129): And the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: “for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you”, (then there are two opinions regarding it):

a) It is said that the second statement is the explanation of the previous one. If the servant is commanded to seek nearness to Him تعالى in worship till it is as if the servant is seeing Him; if he finds it difficult to attain this level, he should seek help in that through his believe that Allaah تعالى is watching him and He knows all that is secret and open, and all that his concealed and apparent and nothing from his matters is hidden from Him. So if this level is achieved, it becomes easier for him to move on to the higher level – which is the slave’s feeling of being in the presence of Allaah تعالى as if he is seeing Him.

b) And it is said: Rather it is an indication that if it is difficult for the slave to worship Allaah as if he is seeing Him, so let him worship Allaah knowing that Allaah تعالى is seeing him and that He تعالى is ever watching him – so that he should shy away (from committing sins) as his Lord is watching him.

And he (Ibn Rajab) also said (1/130): Many authentic Ahaadeeth have been reported which encourage the slaves in attaining this level of nearness to Allaah. [He then mentioned some of the Ahaadeeth in this regards and then said]: and whoever understands from these scriptural texts that these refer to Tashbeeh (likening Allaah with his creation) or Hulool (Divine indwelling – that Allaah dwells within a particular person) or Ittihaad (Unity of existence – that the Creator and the creation is one) – then this is due to his ignorance, wrong interpretation and misunderstanding about Allaah and his Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. Allaah and His Messenger are free from all that. Glory be to Him, there is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.

[Sharh Hadeeth Jibreel (1/74) of Shaikh `Abdul Mohsin al-`Abbaad]