Ehsan (Sincerity)

Literally the term Ehsan has all meanings as ‘beauty’ ‘excellence’ ‘benevolence’ ‘generosity’. Ibn Manzoor, one of the greatest linguists of the Arabic, in his encyclopedic work ‘Lisaan-ul-Arab’ explains the term with the meanings: sincerity, which is the very first condition for the correctness and perfection of the Iman (Faith) and Islam as religion. The job done without sincerity, in spite of having Iman, never can have the perfection and correctness. For acquiring the zenith of perfection a constant surveillance over someone’s behavior or act to judge the level of the sincerity and spirit behind a task getting accomplished is needed. And actually that is Ehsan.

Islam is a ‘whole’ and ‘all’, a wise collection of incoherent parts. From its Ibadat to its moral and social system all of its teachings have an inner cohesion. For keeping its one aspect in order all the other parts are necessary to be in order. Its system of Ibadat, on one hand brings the spiritual enhancing and on the other hand boosts the moral traits. When the Muslims get morally elevated, a shine appears in its social sphere. The philosophy of Sufism, which mostly deals with purity of the hearts and inner perfection, and is subject to the objections of dividing Deen in parts and keeping all its stress on only one aspect of Isla, is generally thought to be based on the quality of Ehsan.

In the first part of the verse 90 of Surah An-Nahl, has three commandments of Allah, SWT: “Verily, Allah enjoins Adl and Ehsan and giving help to kith and kin…” the term justice concerns with the rights. To give, what is one’s right is justice. Islam goes beyond the legal and formal limits of justice and prepares its followers to create a pleasant and generous society with majority of its members sincere, loving, sacrificing and indebted to each other, all ready to give the others more than their rights and agree to get less than their dues.

This is the highest standard of morality to make the Muslim society a place more than worth living. The community which has the attributes of such a high level is really a paradise on the face of the earth. Allah exhorts us to develop the attribute of ‘Muhsinin' (the best doers) in our persons. He says: “And spend for the Cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction, and do good, for Allah loves those who do good. Truly Allah loves Muhsinin.” (Al-Baqarah: 195)

The people who have developed the quality of Ehsan in their characters are not beneficent only in the case of their fellow-men but they are also effusive in the service of their Creator. They worship and obey Him, as the Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings upon him, has said, in such a way as if they see Him in front of them. They are not heedless. They are aware of being in sight of their Lord, so they guard their thoughts, feelings, acts and behavior with uncommon vigilance. Some of the commentators of the Quran have the opinion that doing good in public is no doubt a big required quality of the character. The one who has developed this quality is rightly counted to be a righteous and noble person. Bringing a marvelous concordance in the public and private life is the significant part of Adl, while making private life finer than that is led in public is Ehsan.