Ihsan (Excellence)
The highest level of worship: to worship Allah as if one can see Him.
Ihsan (excellence) is the highest level of religious practice in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) defined ihsan in the Jibril hadith: "That you worship Allah as if you see Him — for even though you do not see Him, He sees you" (Sahih Muslim). Ihsan represents the spiritual dimension of prayer.
Regarding prayer, ihsan is about praying with full awareness of Allah's presence (muraqabah), with humility (khushu), and with complete devotion. It is not enough merely to perform the physical movements of prayer — ihsan requires that the heart be fully present. Imam al-Ghazali dedicated large portions of his "Ihya Ulum al-Din" to describing ihsan in prayer.
Ihsan is the third level in the famous triad: islam (outward practice), iman (inner faith), and ihsan (spiritual excellence). Imam al-Nawawi included the Jibril hadith as the second hadith in his famous 40 Hadith, underscoring its fundamental importance. Striving for ihsan in prayer is a lifelong journey for the believing Muslim.
Related terms
Iqamah (Second Call to Prayer)
The second call to prayer, recited just before the prayer begins.
Makruh (Discouraged)
Actions that are discouraged in Islamic law but not forbidden.
Imam (Prayer Leader)
The person who leads the congregational prayer at the mosque.
Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
The third daily prayer, performed in the afternoon.
Qasr (Shortened Prayer)
The permission to shorten the four-rak'ah prayers to two rak'ah during travel.
Muezzin (Caller to Prayer)
The person who calls to prayer by reciting the adhan.