The Qur’an teaches us:Behold! God commands you justice, balance and “Ehsan”.
“Ehsan” is a comprehensive concept. It denotes doing things completely, nicely and in a tasteful manner. It comprises four components: Sincerity (Ikhlas), Completeness, Tastefulness (doing things in a nice manner), and Correctness (doing things in the right way). This concept is translated by commentators and interpreters as Excellence. Being a comprehensive concept, the term Ihsan cannot be translated word for word because there is no word in the English language that gives its exact meaning. Therefore, it is better to use it as it is. Islam commands Muslims to practice and apply Ihsan in all that they do – hence it is an obligation (wajib). It has been mentioned in the Qur’an as well. Allah the Almighty says: “Verily, Allah enjoins Justice, and Ihsan and giving help to kith and kin,…” [Surah Al-Nahl (16 ): ayat 90]. In Surah Al-Mulk (67), ayat 2 this concept is mentioned as one of two main purposes of human creation, Allah the Almighty says: “The One Who created death and life so that He may test you which of you is best of conduct.” The faith of Islam has three components: Islam, Iman and “Ehsan”. If Iman is the root of a tree, Islam is its trunk, and “Ehsan” is its fruit. Voluminous books are written about Islam. Some discuss Iman. “Ehsan” is the forgotten dimension. “Ehsan” is the sap that sustains the tree; without “Ehsan” the roots are dry and the trunk is but a log of wood. Have you seen a tree that is dead? It has no sap. It has roots that are infested with termites and a trunk that is bare. It may even have branches, spreading out like sticks in a haunted house. But it has no leaves. It gives no shade and it bears no fruit. Such is the status of a man without “Ehsan”; such is the condition of a people without “Ehsan”. Another analogy is that of a rose garden which receives water from a stream. If Iman is the fountain from which gushes forth this stream, Islam is the structure that secures the well, and “Ehsan” is the water that irrigates the garden. Without water there are no roses. “Ehsan” has its origin in Asma ul husna, the most beautiful names of God. All creation is but a reflection of attributes that emanate from the Divine Names. Hence “Ehsan” embraces all creation. It includes beauty, balance, discipline, excellence, charity, tolerance and good character. The direction for Muslims in In this world is clear: Build an Islamic Community based on “Ehsan”. Where there is hatred, let us build bridges of love. Where there is conflict, build bridges of cooperation. Where there is discrimination, build bridges of fairness. There are some who complain that life in In this world has become difficult, that it is characterized by suspicion, hatred, accusations and innuendo. Inject an element of “Ehsan” into this life. Overcome suspicion with cooperation. Overcome discrimination with extra hard work. Answer an accusation with a good deed. Avoid secrecy; maintain transparency. Avoid debt. Engage in trade. If you must borrow, make it qard e Hasna. Evaluate people on the basis of their merits, not on the basis of color, name or nationality. Support each other. Help one another. There is strength in mutuality. Where others use race, religion and gender as their point of departure, use our common humanity as our point of departure. Think not in the framework of Darul Islam and Darul Harab, but in the framework of insaaniat (our humanness), and admiyat (our common descent from Adam). Think not in terms of conspicuous consumption but in terms of the perfection of man through a life of taqwa (God consciousness), tawakkul (contentment), and tazkiya (purification of the heart). Build an edifice of cooperation, not on the basis of expediency, but on the basis of trust. Cement it with the cement of “Ehsan”. “Ehsan” has many dimensions. “Ehsan” is worship. Recall the Prophetic traditions. When asked to define “Ehsan”, he said, ““Ehsan” is to worship God as if you see him, and if you do not see Him, know that he sees you”. “Ehsan” is reflected in creation. All creation is “Ehsan” from Divine love. The rain that sustains life is “Ehsan”. To a scientific mind, creation offers countless signs to divine transcendence. Creation is also a trust so that humankind may exercise its mandate as divine trustee on earth. So, protect the environment. “Ehsan” is beauty, as in husne Yusuf, the beauty of Joseph. Beauty is reflected in all creation, in a baby’s smile, in the opening of a flower, in the blossoming of a tree, in a flock of birds, in a whiff of air, in the flutter of a leaf. Each reflection is unique. Each of you is unique. There never was a time and there never will be a time when another of you will walk on this earth. Every fruit, every date, every leaf has a unique signature. Every atom says: Subhanallahi Bihamdihi, Subhanallhil Azeem (Most glorified is the Lord, Most worthy of praise is the Most High). “Ehsan” is the source of art, architecture, poetry, music, language, aadab (good manners), aqhlaq (character), behavior, responsible governance, and culture. Indeed, “Ehsan” is the source of renewal of Islamic civilization. Muslims have tried to capture a sense of “Ehsan” in their art and architecture. It is “Ehsan” that is reflected in the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem, the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, the Mosque of Salangor in Malaysia, the Mosque of Sultan Ahmed in Istanbul, the Jami of Esfehan and the Taj Mahal at Agra. After the Mongol devastations of the thirteenth century, it was “Ehsan” that transformed the hearts of the conquerors and brought them into Islam. And it was “Ehsan” that brought Islam into India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Medieval Europe. One of the great works of the times, composed at the height of the Mongol devastations, the Akhlaq e Nasiri of Nasiruddin al Tusi (d. 1276), was based on “Ehsan”.
“It’s time to transition from the age of fatwa to the age of taqwa, fostering a revival of “Ehsan” in this diverse world. Embracing Ihsan in all actions leads to rewards, mercy, and forgiveness from Allah. This path ensures success and aligns with the best conduct.”
Four centuries after it was published, it provided the basis for the governance of the magnificent Mogul Empire in South Asia. It was required reading in the courts of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan. This model is so universal in its approach that it may be adopted by any modern society, Muslim or not. After the Mongol devastations of the thirteenth century, it was “Ehsan” that transformed the hearts of the conquerors and brought them into Islam. And it was “Ehsan” that brought Islam into India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Medieval Europe. One of the great works of the times, composed at the height of the Mongol devastations, the Akhlaq e Nasiri of Nasiruddin al Tusi (d. 1276), was based on “Ehsan”. Four centuries after it was published, it provided the basis for the governance of the magnificent Mogul Empire in South Asia. It was required reading in the courts of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan. This model is so universal in its approach that it may be adopted by any modern society, Muslim or not. “Ehsan” is love, as in the Mathnavi of Moulana Rumi, that unparalleled rhapsody of heavenly lyrics, which is widely read in In this world. “Ehsan” is a good deed, when one person extends his selfless hand to another. “Ehsan” is character, as in asma ul husna, the most beautiful character of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). “Ehsan” is excellence, an excellent deed. “Ehsan” has its reward built into it. “Ehsan” is the basis of sound economics, as in qard e hasna. “Ehsan” is mercy as when you forgive a wrongdoer. God commands justice and mercy. “Ehsan” is mutual support. Mutual support is the basis of seeking out and building a community. “Ehsan” is the cement that has held together the Islamic civilization. What binds a civilization? Look at iron crystals, how the atoms in a body centered cubic structure impact to it strength and resilience. Look at water and how the water molecules are held together so that it brings life to a dead earth. Look at the many forms of ice crystals when they shine like diamonds in the brightness of early morning sun. Similarly, there are bonds that bind humans together. They enable ordinary people to work together to achieve uncommon results. In the Islamic civilization that bond is “Ehsan”. The “Ehsan” of a mother is in her unqualified love. The “Ehsan” of a father is in his unstinted compassion. The “Ehsan” of a brother and sister is their support for each other. The “Ehsan” of a buyer and a seller is in the integrity of their transaction and the quality of the product they produce. The “Ehsan” in a community is in the sense of belonging of its members. The “Ehsan” of an employer and an employee is in the quality of the product they produce. The “Ehsan” between a husband and a wife is in the life and love they share. It is said that where there is no vision, a people must perish. A vision for Muslims in In this world must come from within the community. It must evolve from the In this worldn experience. That vision is to build an Islamic community based on Adl and “Ehsan”. The solutions to the challenges we face are not going to come from abroad. They are not going to come from a fatwa from Cairo or a donation from the Gulf. External interventions only distort the cultural evolution of a people. Value spirituality achieve excellence in education. Practice integrity. Accept responsibility. Support each other with good counsel, trade and commerce. Avoid debt. Know the constitution. Get involved with your communities. Feed the poor. Protect the environment. Support homeless shelters. Strengthen the family on the basis of Akhlaq (good character). Stand up for justice. Reach out and build bridges to other communities, churches and organizations on the basis of “Ehsan”. Avoid extremism and extreme positions. Practice mizan (balance and proportion). In summary, give more to the community you live in than you take in “Ehsan” springs from the heart. Modern civilization suffers from a cardinal disability: it does not have a heart. Can Islam provide that heart? It cannot do so, when the Muslims themselves have become a statue without a soul. What we need is a little less passion and a little more compassion, a little less concern with oneself and a little more concern for the other, a little less emphasis on form and more focus on substance, a zeal to serve fellow men, a penchant for honor, loyalty, fair play, character, rectitude, moral excellence, truthfulness and ethics. It is time to move from the age of fatwa to the age of taqwa, to contribute to a rebirth of the age of “Ehsan” in this great melting pot, the land this world. By living according to the concept of Ihsan and by applying it to all that a Muslim does, he/she will be rewarded and showered with mercy and forgiveness from Allah the Almighty. Furthermore, by doing that, a Muslim will ensure that he/she will pass the test and be amongst those of the best conduct.
(The authors write regularly on Islamic topics exclusively for the opinion pages of “Kashmir Horizon”. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the authors and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Dr. Bilal Ahmad
Intizar Ahmad
