What Are the Ranks of Ihsan?
ما هي مراتب الإحسان؟
Ihsan has three ranks:
1. Feeling the watchfulness of Allah over His servant’s actions.
2. Being modest towards Allah, because He knows all about His servant.
3. Finding intimacy (uns) with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
الإحسان له ثلاث مراتب:
1. مراقبة الله واستحضار اطلاع الله عز وجل على عبده.
2. الحياء من الله لأنه مطلع على عبده.
3. الأنس بالله عز وجل.
1. Watchfulness: He Is With You Wherever You Are | وهو معكم أين ما كنتم
The first rank rests on the Prophet’s words: Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He sees you (Sahih al-Bukhari 50). Allah says: And He is with you wherever you are. For Allah is All-Seeing of what you do (57:4). Ibn Kathir explains: He is watchful over you and a witness over your deeds wherever you are, on land or at sea, by night or by day, at home or in the wilderness; all of it is equally in His knowledge, under His sight and hearing: He hears your words, sees your place and knows your secrets and your private talk. His hearing and sight are explained in what it means that Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ (سورة الحديد: 4)
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في الإحسان: "أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه، فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراك" (صحيح البخاري 50)، وقال تعالى: (وهو معكم أين ما كنتم والله بما تعملون بصير) (الحديد 57: 4)، قال ابن كثير: أي: رقيب عليكم، شهيد على أعمالكم حيث أنتم وأين كنتم، من بر أو بحر، في ليل أو نهار، في البيوت أو القفار، الجميع في علمه على السواء، وتحت بصره وسمعه، فيسمع كلامكم ويرى مكانكم، ويعلم سركم ونجواكم.
2. Modesty Before Allah Who Sees | ألم يعلم بأن الله يرى
The second rank is modesty before Allah, because He knows all about His servant. Allah asks about the one who forbids a servant from praying: Does he not know that Allah sees all? (96:14), and Ibn Kathir explains: did he not know that Allah sees him, hears his words and will repay him fully for what he did? The Prophet counted modesty within faith itself: Faith has sixty-odd branches, and modesty is a branch of faith (Sahih al-Bukhari 9).
أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَىٰ (سورة العلق: 14)
قال تعالى: (ألم يعلم بأن الله يرى) (العلق 96: 14)، قال ابن كثير: أي: أما علم هذا الناهي لهذا المهتدي أن الله يراه ويسمع كلامه وسيجازيه على فعله أتم الجزاء، وقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "الإيمان بضع وستون شعبة، والحياء شعبة من الإيمان" (صحيح البخاري 9).
3. Intimacy With Allah | الأنس بالله عز وجل
The third rank is intimacy with Allah, finding comfort and closeness with Him. Allah describes those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort (13:28). Ibn Kathir explains: their hearts become content and incline to Allah’s side, grow calm at His remembrance and are pleased with Him as Protector and Helper. One place of this intimacy is prayer: the Prophet said: When one of you prays, he is in private conversation with his Lord (Sahih al-Bukhari 531). The three ranks of the religion are compared in the difference between Islam, Iman and Ihsan.
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ (سورة الرعد: 28)
قال تعالى: (الذين آمنوا وتطمئن قلوبهم بذكر الله ألا بذكر الله تطمئن القلوب) (الرعد 13: 28)، قال ابن كثير: أي: تطيب وتركن إلى جانب الله، وتسكن عند ذكره، وترضى به مولى ونصيرا، ومن مواضع هذا الأنس الصلاة، قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إن أحدكم إذا صلى يناجي ربه" (صحيح البخاري 531).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What are the three ranks of Ihsan?
Feeling Allah’s watchfulness over His servant’s actions, being modest before Allah because He knows all about His servant, and finding intimacy with Allah.
What is the root of the rank of watchfulness?
The Prophet’s words: worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees you (Sahih al-Bukhari 50).
Is modesty part of faith?
Yes. The Prophet said: Faith has sixty-odd branches, and modesty is a branch of faith (Sahih al-Bukhari 9).
Where does a believer find intimacy with Allah?
In His remembrance, for in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort (13:28), and in prayer, when the one praying is in private conversation with his Lord (Sahih al-Bukhari 531).