2.2 The Relationship Between Islam, Īmān, and Iḥsān

A Single Path with Three Levels

Islam, īmān, and iḥsān are three closely connected aspects of one path to Allah. They are not three separate religions. They describe the outer actions of submission, the inner belief of the heart, and the excellence that perfects both.

Allah mentions Islam and īmān together, which shows that they are related but not identical. Concerning a group who claimed faith, Allah said:

“The Bedouins say, ‘We have believed (āmanna).’ Say, ‘You have not believed, but say, ‘We have submitted (aslamnā),’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you of your deeds in anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
(Qur’an 49:14)

They had outward submission, but the deep, settled faith had not yet fully entered their hearts. This verse shows that Islam is the apparent submission, while īmān is the firm inner belief.

The Prophet ﷺ clarified the relationship between Islam, īmān, and iḥsān in the famous ḥadīth of Jibrīl. ʿUmar ibn al Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه narrated that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ in front of the companions, sat close to him and asked about Islam, īmān, and iḥsān. At the end, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“That was Jibrīl. He came to teach you your religion.”
(Muslim)

In this one ḥadīth, he described the whole religion as three parts: Islam, īmān, and iḥsān. This shows that the three are different aspects of the same dīn.

Outward Submission and Inner Belief

Islam refers mainly to outward submission and obedience with the body. It includes clear acts such as the testimony of faith, prayer, zakah, fasting, and ḥajj. In the ḥadīth of Jibrīl, when asked about Islam, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish prayer, to give zakah, to fast Ramaḍān, and to perform ḥajj to the House if you are able to find a way.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)

Īmān refers mainly to inner belief and conviction in the heart. In the same ḥadīth, when Jibrīl asked about īmān, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Īmān is that you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and that you believe in divine decree, its good and its bad.”
(Muslim)

From this we see that Islam focuses on what you do outwardly, while īmān focuses on what you hold in your heart. Yet in real life, they are not separated. True īmān appears through Islam in actions, and correct Islam is built upon īmān in the heart.

Allah joined belief and righteous action together many times. He said:

“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds, they will have the Gardens of al Firdaws as accommodation.”
(Qur’an 18:107)

Belief in the heart, which is īmān, is connected with righteous deeds, which belong to Islam. Without īmān, the outward Islam is empty. Without Islam, īmān is incomplete and hidden.

Iḥsān as the Peak of the Path

If Islam is the foundation of outward deeds and īmān is the inner conviction, then iḥsān is the level of excellence that perfects both. In the ḥadīth of Jibrīl, when he asked the Prophet ﷺ about iḥsān, he replied:

“Iḥsān is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)

Iḥsān is the state where the heart is deeply aware of Allah’s presence. This awareness fills the actions of Islam and the beliefs of īmān with sincerity, humility, and love. It is not a separate religion. It is the highest quality of living Islam and īmān.

Allah praised those who reach the level of iḥsān:

“Indeed, Allah is with those who have taqwā and those who are muḥsinīn (people of iḥsān).”
(Qur’an 16:128)

And He promised them His special love:

“Indeed, Allah loves the muḥsinīn.”
(Qur’an 2:195)

By connecting His “being with” and “loving” to the people of iḥsān, Allah shows that this is a higher rank built upon the earlier levels of submission and faith.

One Religion, Different Uses of the Terms

In the Qur’an and Sunnah, the words Islam and īmān can be used in more than one way. Sometimes they are used together, as in Sūrah al Ḥujurāt, and then they carry different, more specific meanings. At other times, one of the words is used alone, and it includes the full meaning of the religion.

For example, Allah says:

“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.”
(Qur’an 3:19)

And He says:

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”
(Qur’an 3:85)

Here Islam means the entire dīn, which includes īmān and iḥsān as well. In other verses, īmān is used in this broad sense. Allah says:

“And Allah brought you out of your mothers’ wombs not knowing anything, and He made for you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks.”
“And Allah brought the believers (al mu’minīn) to account.”
(Qur’an 16:78, 33:24)

When īmān is used in a general way, it includes the beliefs of the heart, the actions of the body, and even the states of excellence. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Īmān has over seventy branches, or over sixty branches, the highest of which is saying, ‘Lā ilāha illā Allah,’ and the lowest of which is removing something harmful from the road. And modesty is a branch of īmān.”
(Muslim)

In this ḥadīth, īmān includes speech of the tongue, action of the limbs, and qualities of the heart.

Scholars explained that when Islam and īmān are mentioned together, Islam refers especially to outward actions and īmān to inner beliefs. When either term is mentioned alone, it refers to the whole religion with its beliefs, actions, and states.

Iḥsān, however, always points to a special level of excellence and presence with Allah. It is consistently used for the perfection of worship and character that grows out of true Islam and īmān.

Levels of the Believers

Not all who enter Islam are at the same spiritual level. The Qur’an recognizes degrees among those who believe and submit. Allah says:

“Then We caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants, and among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by the permission of Allah. That is the great bounty.”
(Qur’an 35:32)

The one who wrongs himself has īmān but falls into disobedience. The moderate one fulfills basic obligations and avoids major sins. The one who is foremost in good deeds has reached higher levels of īmān and approaches the state of iḥsān.

In another place Allah says:

“They are [in varying] degrees in the sight of Allah, and Allah is Seeing of what they do.”
(Qur’an 3:163)

These degrees come from how much a person combines outward Islam, inner īmān, and the excellence of iḥsān. A person may begin only with basic outward Islam, then strengthen īmān in the heart, then gradually rise toward iḥsān.

The Prophet ﷺ described the completion of īmān by the completeness of character and practice. He said:

“The most complete of the believers in īmān are those with the best character.”
(Tirmidhi)

So īmān is not just belief, but belief that grows until it shapes how you behave, how you speak, and how you treat others. At its highest, it becomes iḥsān.

Growth from Islam to Īmān to Iḥsān

These three are best understood as a journey. A person may enter through the door of Islam by pronouncing the shahādah and beginning the outward acts of worship. As they learn about Allah, His names and attributes, His signs and His revelation, their inner faith becomes stronger. They move from basic Islam to stronger īmān.

With time, sincere practice, and remembrance of Allah, the believer begins to worship with deeper awareness. They remember Allah when alone and in public, they feel shy before Him, and they strive for excellence in everything they do for His sake. At this level, their Islam and īmān are touched by iḥsān.

Allah points to this growth when He speaks of those who increase in guidance and faith:

“And those who are guided, He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.”
(Qur’an 47:17)

And He says:

“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts tremble, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in īmān, and upon their Lord they rely.”
(Qur’an 8:2)

Here we see īmān growing through exposure to revelation and through reliance upon Allah. As īmān grows, the person approaches the state described in the definition of iḥsān, worshipping Allah with constant awareness that He sees them.

In this way, Islam, īmān, and iḥsān are not walls separating people into fixed groups. They are steps on one staircase to Allah. The same person moves between these levels over their lifetime.

Unity of Heart and Limbs

The relationship between Islam, īmān, and iḥsān teaches a key lesson. Allah does not only want beliefs without actions, nor actions without beliefs, nor the form of worship without its inner spirit.

Islam without īmān becomes empty habit. The Qur’an speaks of the hypocrites who showed outward Islam but lacked īmān in their hearts:

“And of the people are some who say, ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,’ but they are not believers.”
(Qur’an 2:8)

Īmān without Islam is a claim that has not yet become real in daily life. True īmān naturally leads to obedience. Allah says:

“But no, by your Lord, they will not truly believe until they make you, [O Muḥammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves, then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have decided and submit in full submission.”
(Qur’an 4:65)

Here, true belief is tied to full submission, which is Islam.

Islam and īmān without iḥsān may be correct and valid, but they are still missing their most beautiful form. Iḥsān gives light and sweetness to the actions and beliefs. It is the difference between praying as a duty and praying while feeling close to Allah.

The Prophet ﷺ mentioned that Allah loves that a person perfects whatever he does:

“Indeed Allah has prescribed iḥsān in everything.”
(Muslim)

So every part of the religion, from beliefs to actions, is meant to be done with excellence. That excellence is iḥsān.

The Safety of Islam and the Success of Īmān

In the Qur’an, Allah sometimes promises safety or legal protection based on Islam, and full success and reward based on completed īmān.

Whoever enters Islam by the shahādah, even with weak īmān, outwardly becomes part of the Muslim community. Their life, wealth, and honor are protected by Islamic law. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer, and pay the zakah. If they do that, then their blood and wealth are protected from me except by right of Islam, and their account is with Allah.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)

Here, protection in this world is tied to outward Islam. The inner account, which is īmān, is with Allah.

Full success, however, is promised to those whose Islam is joined with true īmān. Allah says:

“He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who corrupts it.”
(Qur’an 91:9–10)

And He says:

“Indeed, the believers have succeeded.”
(Qur’an 23:1)

He then describes their prayer, their guarding of chastity, their honesty in trusts, and their protection of prayers, showing that their īmān produced visible actions. This is the unity between Islam and īmān.

At the highest, the people of iḥsān are promised Allah’s special reward. Allah says:

“For those who do good (al muḥsinīn) is the best [reward] and more.”
(Qur’an 10:26)

The “best reward” is Paradise, and “more” was explained by scholars as the vision of Allah in the Hereafter based on other texts. So iḥsān is linked with the greatest closeness to Allah.

A Balanced Understanding

The relationship between Islam, īmān, and iḥsān prevents two extremes. One extreme is to say that only outward actions matter and that inner belief is not important. The other extreme is to say that only belief in the heart matters and that actions are not part of the religion.

The Qur’an and Sunnah combine all three levels. Allah orders belief and action together and praises iḥsān. He says:

“Yes, whoever submits his face to Allah and is a doer of good (muḥsin) and he has īmān, then his reward is with his Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
(Qur’an 2:112)

In this verse, submission of the face is Islam, īmān is the inner belief, and being a doer of good is iḥsān. All three are joined as the complete path to reward and freedom from fear and grief.

The ḥadīth of Jibrīl collected all of this into one clear teaching. Islam, īmān, and iḥsān are three parts of “your religion” that Jibrīl came to teach. Every Muslim is called to hold correct beliefs, to perform the obligatory actions, and to continuously work toward excellence in worship and character.