Ihsan means worshipping Allah and treating people well
“When you follow things in the right way, with the right intention, then you are achieving Ihsan.”
Ihsan, worshipping Allah with awareness, sincere intention, correct practice, and excellence toward people, is the believer’s way to respond to Allah’s blessings and build the Hereafter.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Introduces Ihsan through the three levels of Islam, Iman, and Ihsan.
- Connects Ihsan to gratitude by using Allah’s blessings for the Hereafter while enjoying a lawful worldly share.
- Explains that Ihsan requires sincere intentions, following the Sunnah, repentance, and avoiding sin.
- Applies Ihsan to animals, justice, relatives, neighbors, vulnerable people, and everyday relationships.
- Calls listeners to honor contracts and oaths, tell the truth, and accept consequences.
- Emphasizes impartial justice, reconciliation, generosity, forgiveness, and good character.
In the khateeb's words
“So it's not the deed itself that makes it Ihsan. It is what accompanies the deed with your heart.”
“And when you follow things in the right way, with the right intention, then you are achieving Ihsan.”
“You are not allowed to be unjust with them just because you don't like them.”
“a family member maybe they don't want anything to do with you but you would go and reach out back to them and you would reconnect that tie of kinship”
For the dinner table
Today’s khutbah taught that Ihsan means worshipping Allah with the awareness that He sees us, and doing good with sincere intentions and the right method. Allah’s blessings should help us prepare for the Hereafter while we responsibly enjoy our worldly share. We should show excellence and justice toward parents, relatives, neighbors, vulnerable people, animals, and even those we dislike. That includes honoring contracts and oaths, telling the truth, facing consequences, and avoiding sinful behavior. The khutbah encouraged us to reconnect with those who cut us off, give to those who deprived us, and forgive, because good character is a path to righteousness.
- What does being truthful look like when admitting a mistake?
- How could we repair a relationship instead of simply walking away?
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