Table of Contents
Striving for Excellence in Everyday Life
To live with iḥsān is to live with excellence in every part of life. Islam does not limit excellence to prayer and the mosque. It is a way of being before Allah at every moment, with every word, and in every relationship. Iḥsān is the highest level of the religion, above Islam and īmān, and it colors how a believer thinks, feels, and acts.
The Prophet ﷺ defined iḥsān clearly in the famous ḥadīth of Jibrīl:
“Iḥsān is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
This definition shows that iḥsān is not only a single act. It is a constant inner awareness of Allah that lifts a person’s behavior from mere correctness to true beauty.
Iḥsān means worshipping Allah with such presence and sincerity that you are always aware He sees you, even though you do not see Him.
The Inner Vision of Iḥsān
At the heart of iḥsān is a special way of looking at the world. The believer trains the heart to remember Allah in all situations. This inner vision is based on certainty that Allah is near, seeing, hearing, and knowing everything.
Allah says:
“And He is with you wherever you are. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing.”
(Qur’an 57:4)
And He says:
“Does he not know that Allah sees?”
(Qur’an 96:14)
When a person truly believes that Allah is watching, intention becomes pure, and actions become careful and thoughtful. Even when alone, a person with iḥsān behaves as if standing in front of Allah in prayer, because in reality Allah is always present and aware.
This inner awareness is not supposed to produce fear alone. It should also bring comfort and closeness. Allah says:
“And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than his jugular vein.”
(Qur’an 50:16)
Living with iḥsān means turning this knowledge into a living feeling, so the believer speaks, works, and rests with the sense that Allah is close and caring.
Excellence in Intention
Every action in Islam begins with intention. Iḥsān transforms ordinary actions into worship by purifying why they are done. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Actions are only by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
A believer living with iḥsān does not only ask, “Is this allowed?” but also, “Why am I doing this?” and “Can I do it for Allah?” Eating can be an act of worship if the intention is to gain strength to obey Allah. Working can be worship if the goal is to earn halal income and provide for the family as Allah commanded.
Allah describes those whose deeds are for Him alone:
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth…”
(Qur’an 98:5)
With iḥsān, the believer tries to make every permitted action a means of pleasing Allah through sincere intention.
This sincere intention protects the heart from showing off and seeking praise. Acts done to impress people lose their value with Allah. The Prophet ﷺ mentioned that on the Day of Judgment some people will be told to seek reward from those for whom they acted, not from Allah, because they sought fame instead of His Face.
Excellence in Worship
Worship with iḥsān is not rushed, careless, or empty. It is focused, humble, and full of presence of heart. Allah praises those who are humble in their prayers:
“Certainly will the believers have succeeded. They who are in their prayer humble.”
(Qur’an 23:1–2)
And He says:
“Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater.”
(Qur’an 29:45)
Iḥsān in prayer shows in careful preparation, proper cleanliness, learning what is said in ṣalāh, and praying as if it is the last prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Pray as if you are saying farewell.”
(Sunan Ibn Mājah)
The same is true for fasting, zakāh, and ḥajj. The person of iḥsān does not perform these acts as a burden to escape from, but as a meeting with Allah. They learn the correct rulings to perform them properly, then they fill them with sincerity, patience, and gratitude, hoping for Allah’s acceptance and fearing rejection.
Allah says about sacrifice:
“Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you.”
(Qur’an 22:37)
It is the inner state of taqwā and iḥsān that makes worship valuable.
Excellence in Character
Living with excellence is very visible in how a believer treats others. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The most complete of the believers in faith are those with the best character, and the best of you are the best of you to their women.”
(Sunan at-Tirmidhī)
He ﷺ also said:
“Nothing is heavier on the believer’s scale on the Day of Resurrection than good character.”
(Sunan at-Tirmidhī)
Iḥsān in character means being truthful, gentle, patient, and fair, even when one has the power to do otherwise. Allah commands:
“Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.”
(Qur’an 16:90)
And He says:
“Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity will become as though he was a devoted friend.”
(Qur’an 41:34)
The person of iḥsān does not only avoid harming others, but actively looks for ways to benefit them. He or she forgives, hides the faults of others, and makes excuses for them, hoping that Allah will forgive and hide their own faults. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever relieves a believer of one of the hardships of this world, Allah will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Good character with people is a direct fruit of iḥsān, and it is a major part of the religion, not something optional or minor.
Excellence in Work and Responsibility
Iḥsān also appears in how a believer fulfills duties at home, at work, and in society. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed Allah has prescribed excellence in everything.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
This ḥadīth shows that excellence is not limited to worship in the narrow sense. It includes the quality of one’s work, care for details, and fairness in all dealings. If a person is a teacher, iḥsān means teaching with patience and honesty. If a person is a worker, iḥsān means doing the job carefully, even if no one is watching.
Allah says:
“And say, ‘Work, for Allah will see your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger and the believers…’”
(Qur’an 9:105)
The person of iḥsān understands that every responsibility is a trust from Allah. This includes positions of authority, money, time, and even knowledge. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
So parents show iḥsān by raising their children with care and fairness. Leaders show iḥsān by serving their people and avoiding injustice. Employees and employers show iḥsān by fulfilling contracts honestly. In all of this, the believer remembers that true success is with Allah, not only with people.
Excellence in Hardship and Ease
A life of faith includes both easy and difficult times. Living with iḥsān means responding to every situation in a way that pleases Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“How amazing is the affair of the believer, for there is good for him in every matter, and this is not the case for anyone except the believer. If something good happens to him, he is grateful and that is good for him, and if something bad befalls him, he is patient and that is good for him.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
In times of blessing the person of iḥsān shows gratitude, not arrogance. Allah says:
“And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.’”
(Qur’an 14:7)
In times of hardship, the person turns to Allah with patience, duʿāʾ, and trust, not with anger or despair. Allah says:
“And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good (al-muḥsinīn).”
(Qur’an 11:115)
The Qur’an often connects patience with iḥsān, showing that those who bear trials beautifully are among the people of excellence. Yusuf عليه السلام, after many years of injustice, said:
“Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good (al-muḥsinīn).”
(Qur’an 12:90)
Iḥsān appears clearly in how a believer responds to tests: with patience, trust, and hope in Allah, without losing good character or giving up obedience.
Excellence in Private Life
A true test of iḥsān is how a person behaves when no one else can see. The Prophet ﷺ spoke of seven types of people that Allah will shade on the Day of Judgment. Among them is:
“…a man who is called by a woman of status and beauty, so he says, ‘I fear Allah’…”
and
“…a man who gives charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand spent, and a man who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes overflow with tears.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
These actions are examples of iḥsān in private: resisting temptation only for Allah, giving charity without seeking praise, and remembering Allah alone until the heart softens. Allah praises those who fear Him unseen:
“Who feared the Most Merciful unseen and came with a heart returning [in repentance].”
(Qur’an 50:33)
Living with excellence means that the believer’s secret life is even better than what people see. They repair their hearts through sincere repentance, secret charity, night prayers, and private supplication, because they value Allah’s sight more than that of any human being.
Continuous Growth toward Excellence
Iḥsān is not a fixed level that a person reaches once. It is a path of ongoing growth. People increase in iḥsān through knowledge, practice, and constant remembrance of Allah. Allah promises His special help to those who strive:
“And those who strive for Us, We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good (al-muḥsinīn).”
(Qur’an 29:69)
The Prophet ﷺ taught practical means to rise in levels. Among them are remembering Allah often, making sincere duʿāʾ, and seeking forgiveness. He ﷺ said that Allah said:
“My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary deeds until I love him…”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
The path to iḥsān begins with fulfilling the obligatory duties, then grows through voluntary acts, constant remembrance, and sincere repentance.
The believer living with excellence does not claim perfection. Instead, when they fall into a sin or mistake, they quickly turn back to Allah, seek forgiveness, and try to improve. Allah says:
“Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.”
(Qur’an 2:222)
Living with iḥsān is therefore a journey of the heart. It is to see the world through the awareness that Allah is near, to treat people with the best of character, to perfect worship in form and spirit, and to respond to every situation in a way that pleases the One who created and sustains all things.