Sunday, December 20, 2009

Iahsan By:PirMuhammad Amir Sultan Chishti Qadri Ugalisharif Khushab

Iahsan
By:PirMuhammad Amir Sultan Chishti Qadri Ugalisharif Khushab
The real explanation for Ihsan, is the explanation given by our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Before, having a deep look into the Hadeeth that throws great light on the great aspects of the Dheen (religion), we will have a brief explanation of Ihsan.

The lexical meaning of "Ihsan" is help, aid, support etc. But, to understand the Qur'an and Hadeeth, we have to see what the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) has used to define the same. In the case of Ihsan our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) has said, " It is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state then you must remember that He is seeing you" (roughly worded).

So, we can say that Ihsan consists of two parts --

1. to worship Allah as if we see Him
2. to worship with the thought that He is seeing us

Both the parts comprise of Ihsan and the Sufis have termed the first part as "Mushahada" and the second part as "Muraakhaba". The Sufis have also explained that Mushahada is superior to Murakhaba.

The Sufis have also said that this Hadeeth is the basis of Tasawwuf (Sufism). But for this Hadeeth, people would have totally denied the validity of Tasawwuf (Sufism) and the Sufis.

Another important aspect of the Hadeeth is that it clarifies that Ihsan is very much part of Dheen. The sentence "That was Jibreel who came to teach the people their dheen (religion)", teaches us that Sufism is part of the Religion, Islam.

Islam and Iman can be learnt and practiced from the Ulemas who have studied the Qur'an and Sunnah. But the concept of Ihsan can be learnt only from Ulamaye Billah (Scholars of Allah), Arifeens (The known people) and Murshids (the Guides) who have been gifted with the knowledge of the self and the knowledge of their Rabb (Lord).

Here, we give the whole text of the famous Hadeeth known by the names, "Hadeethe Jibreel" and "Hadeethe Ihsan".

Narrated Abu Huraira:

One day while the Prophet was sitting in the company of some people, (The angel) Jibreel came and asked, "What is faith?" Allah's Apostle replied, 'Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection." Then he further asked, "What is Islam?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah Alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly to pay the compulsory charity (Zakat) and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." Then he further asked, "What is Ihsan ?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is seeing you." Then he further asked, "When will the Hour be established?" Allah's Apostle replied, "The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you about its portents.

  1. When a slave (lady) gives birth to her master.
  2. When the shepherds of black camels start boasting and competing with others in the construction of higher buildings. And the Hour is one of five things which nobody knows except Allah.

From the Hadeeth, it is very clear that it is not possible for all the people to attain the state of Mushahadha (worshipping Him as if seeing Him). If it is possible then the word, 'fa inlam' (if you can't or if you are not able to) would not have been put there by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him). But being in the thought that He is seeing us is possible for everyone.

Before proceeding with the explanations of Muraakhaba and Mushahadha, I want to make one thing clear. Since the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) has used the word, 'Antha'budallaha' (worship Allah), it does not mean that we should try to be in the state of Ihsan only during our prayers. In fact, it is due to our misleading thought that we have confined the term Ibadath (worship) in Salah (the regular prayers). Are not Sawm (fasting), Zakath (giving compulsory alms) and Hajj(pilgrimage to Mecca) also Ibadath (worship)? Is not living according to the Shariath(laws put forth by the Qur'an and Sunnah) Ibadath? In fact, every act of an Abid(slave) is Ibadath (worship). So, it would be incorrect to say, that the state of Ihsan is possible only during a particular period. The state of Ihsan is possible and is required to be present in the Mumins (believers) all through the day, all the time. The Sufis have said and proved that it is possible to be in the state of Ihsan and some sufis have even told that being in the state of Ihsan is Ibadath.

Allah is seeing all of us and our actions irrespective of our religion, caste or creed and actions. This is very much clear from the Qur'an and no body has any doubt over it. But, being in the thought that He is always seeing us, is something which has to be brought into our lives. If this thought gets into our mind, then the chances of trespassing the Shariath is totally ruled out. Allah is not seeing our body alone but also our thoughts. So, a person who has attained the state of always being in the thought that Allah is seeing him, his actions and thoughts will never go against His Lord's wish and will never forget His Lord.

Now comes the question, From where is Allah seeing us and How is He seeing us? Here comes the concept of Allah's omnipresence. Though everyone accepts that Allah sees us all, most of the people don't accept the theory of omnipresence of Allah. Well, I am not going to debate on that and who are we to debate once Allah has made it clear in the Qur'an that ' huwa ma'akum ayna ma kuntum' (He is with you, wherever you are Qur'an 57:4).

Allah is present everywhere and sees us from everywhere. He sees from the person standing opposite to us, He sees from the person behind us, He sees from the chair we are sitting, He sees from the keyboard we are typing, He sees from the computer monitor, He sees from our hands, legs and what not.....

This experience and spirit will come to us once we understand that the Sifathe Basarath (the characteristic of Seeing) that belongs to Allah is 'Zaathy' (His own) and is present where ever He is Present and He is present everywhere. This understanding will come only through the Faizan (blessing) of a Kamil Shaikh. The Sahabas attained this state through the Faizan of their Shaikh, in reality the only Shaikh, Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

May Allah, shower His blessings on us to attain this state of Ihsan.


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