What Is the Difference Between Islam, Iman and Ihsan?
ما الفرق بين الإيمان والإسلام والإحسان؟
First rank is Islam
Higher than Islam is faith
And higher than the faith is Ihsan.
Islam is the apparent acts such as: a testimony that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, prayers, Zakat, Fast, and Pilgrimage and all other physical actions.
Islam in Islamic terminology: it is surrendering to Allah the Almighty with man's heart and being submissive to Him in obedience.
Faith:
Linguistically Iman is: Believing
In Islamic terminology, Iman is: Words said with the tongue and actions done with the limbs. It increases by obedience and decreases by sins.
As mentioned in the hadith of Jibril (as), when he asked the Prophet (PBUH) about these ranks, the Prophet mentioned them from the lowest and then the highest
(˹Some of˺ the nomadic Arabs say, “We believe.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “You have not believed. But say, ‘We have submitted,’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts.) [Al-Hujurat 49:14]
Ihsan (Goodness) in Language: It is the opposite of abuse
Goodness as a term: is to worship the Creator as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, Allah sees you
(Indeed, Allah commands justice, grace, as well as courtesy to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness, and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful.) [An-Nahl 16:90]
المرتبة الأولى الإسلام
وأعلى منها الإيمان
وأعلى من الإيمان الإحسان.
الإسلام هو عبارة عن الأعمال الظاهرة: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله والصلاة والزكاة والصوم وحج البيت وسائر أعمال الجوارح.
والإسلام في الاصطلاح الشرعي: الاستسلام لله بالقلب والانقياد له بالطاعة.
الإيمان
الإيمان في اللغة: التصديق.
أما الإيمان في الاصطلاح الشرعي: فهو قول باللسان وعمل بالأركان، يزيد بالطاعة وينقص بالمعصية.
كما جاء ذلك في حديث جبريل عليه السلام حين سأل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عن هذه المراتب، وقد ذكرها مرتبة مبتدئا بالأدنى ثم الأعلى.
قال الله تعالى: (قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا ۖ قُل لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَٰكِن قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ) [الحجرات 49: 14]
الإحسان
الإحسان لغة: هو ضد الإساءة.
الإحسان في الاصطلاح: هو عبادة الخالق كأنك تراه، فإن لم تره فإن الله يراك.
(إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ) [النحل 16: 90]
1. Jibril Came to Teach You Your Religion | فإنه جبريل أتاكم يعلمكم دينكم
Umar ibn al-Khattab reported that a man with very white clothes and very black hair came and sat before the Prophet and asked him about Islam, then about Iman, then about Ihsan, and then about the Hour; after he left, the Prophet said: O Umar, do you know who the questioner was? He was Jibril, who came to teach you your religion (Sahih Muslim 8). Ibn Kathir notes on 49:14 that Jibril rose in his questions from the general to the more specific, and then to what is more specific still, which is the order of the scholar’s three ranks. The first two are compared in the difference between faith and Islam.
عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه أن رجلا شديد بياض الثياب شديد سواد الشعر جلس إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فسأله عن الإسلام، ثم عن الإيمان، ثم عن الإحسان، ثم عن الساعة، ثم انطلق، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "يا عمر أتدري من السائل؟" قلت: الله ورسوله أعلم، قال: "فإنه جبريل أتاكم يعلمكم دينكم" (صحيح مسلم 8)، قال ابن كثير: فترقى من الأعم إلى الأخص، ثم للأخص منه.
2. Ihsan: Worship as if You See Him | أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه
In the same hadith the Prophet defined the highest rank: Ihsan is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He sees you (Sahih Muslim 8). The scholar’s verse joins ihsan to justice: Indeed, Allah commands justice, grace, as well as generosity to close relatives (16:90). Ibn Kathir explains that Allah commands His servants to be just, which is fairness and balance, and encourages them to ihsan, as He says: But if you patiently endure, it is certainly best for those who are patient (16:126). The ranks within Ihsan are explained in the ranks of ihsan.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ (سورة النحل: 90)
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في حديث جبريل: "أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه، فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراك" (صحيح مسلم 8)، وقال تعالى: (إن الله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان وإيتاء ذي القربى) (النحل 16: 90)، قال ابن كثير: يخبر تعالى أنه يأمر عباده بالعدل، وهو القسط والموازنة، ويندب إلى الإحسان، كما قال تعالى: (ولئن صبرتم لهو خير للصابرين) (النحل 16: 126).
3. Allah Is With Those Who Do Good | إن الله مع الذين اتقوا والذين هم محسنون
The people of Ihsan are promised a special company: Surely Allah is with those who shun evil and who do good deeds (16:128). Ibn Kathir explains: He is with them with His support, His help and His aid, and this is a special companionship, as He told Musa and Harun: I am with you, hearing and seeing (20:46); the general companionship is by His hearing, His sight and His knowledge, which is with all creation.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا وَّالَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ (سورة النحل: 128)
قال تعالى: (إن الله مع الذين اتقوا والذين هم محسنون) (النحل 16: 128)، قال ابن كثير: أي: معهم بتأييده ونصره ومعونته، وهذه معية خاصة، كقوله لموسى وهارون: (لا تخافا إنني معكما أسمع وأرى) (طه 20: 46)، وأما المعية العامة فبالسمع والبصر والعلم.
4. Faith Increases and Decreases | ليزدادوا إيمانا مع إيمانهم
The scholar says that faith increases with obedience and decreases with sins. Allah says: He is the One Who sent down serenity upon the hearts of the believers so that they may increase even more in their faith (48:4). Ibn Kathir explains that when the Companions at al-Hudaybiyah answered Allah and His Messenger and their hearts settled, He increased them in faith upon their faith, and that al-Bukhari and other imams inferred from this verse that faith varies in the hearts. The apparent acts of the first rank are explained in the five pillars of Islam, and the beliefs of the second in the pillars of faith.
هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِيمَانًا مَّعَ إِيمَانِهِمْ (سورة الفتح: 4)
قال تعالى: (هو الذي أنزل السكينة في قلوب المؤمنين ليزدادوا إيمانا مع إيمانهم) (الفتح 48: 4)، قال ابن كثير: وهم الصحابة يوم الحديبية الذين استجابوا لله ولرسوله، فلما اطمأنت قلوبهم لذلك واستقرت زادهم إيمانا مع إيمانهم، وقد استدل بها البخاري وغيره من الأئمة على تفاضل الإيمان في القلوب.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What are the three ranks of the religion?
Islam first, then faith (Iman) above it, then Ihsan above faith, as in the hadith of Jibril (Sahih Muslim 8).
What is Islam in the scholar’s answer?
The apparent acts: the testimony that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, prayer, zakat, fasting, pilgrimage and all the acts of the limbs.
Does faith increase and decrease?
Yes. It increases with obedience and decreases with sins; Ibn Kathir notes that al-Bukhari and others inferred from 48:4 that faith varies in the hearts.
What is Ihsan?
To worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees you (Sahih Muslim 8).