In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Milestones on the path to steadfastness.
Excellence (Ihsan).
Among the means of steadfastness:
Excellence in one’s relationship with the Truth and with creation.
Excellence with Allah through His Oneness (Tawhid).
And excellence toward creation.
By offering them benefit for the sake of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.
This is among the greatest of deeds in the sight of Allah.
The Almighty says:
“Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word.” (17:23)
This verse mentions two types of excellence:
Excellence with the Creator,
By worshipping Him alone, with no partner.
And excellence toward creation.
The people most deserving of your excellence are:
One’s parents.
Just as the greatest of sins is wrongdoing:
Wrongdoing through polytheism and disbelief in Allah,
And wrongdoing toward creation.
As in His saying:
“Hast thou observed him who belieth religion?” (107:1)
For that is the one who drives away the orphan,
And does not encourage the feeding of the poor.
He committed wrongdoing against Allah through denial,
And wrongdoing against creation,
By mistreating the vulnerable orphan,
And failing to encourage charity toward the poor.
Thus, his recompense was the great torment on the Day of Resurrection.
The Almighty says:
“But as for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say: Oh, would that I had not been given my book” (69:25)
“But as for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say: Oh, would that I had not been given my book” (69:25)
And I did not know what my account was.
“Oh, would that it had been death!” (69:27)
“My wealth hath not availed me,” (69:28)
My authority has perished from me.
Seize him and shackle him,
Then into the Hellfire drive him,
Then into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him.
“Lo! He used not to believe in Allah the Tremendous,” (69:33)
And he did not encourage the feeding of the poor.
“Therefor hath he no lover here this day,” (69:35)
“Nor any food save filth” (69:36)
“Which none but sinners eat.” (69:37)
Among the forms of excellence toward creation:
Spending in the way of Allah.
The Almighty says:
Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah,
Then do not follow up,
Then do not follow up what they have spent with reminders of generosity,
Nor injury, for them is their reward,
With their Lord,
And no fear will there be upon them,
Nor will they grieve.
“A kind word with forgiveness is better than almsgiving followed by injury. Allah is Absolute, Clement.” (2:263)
And Allah is Free of need and Forbearing.
And He said:
“Those who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly, verily their reward is with their Lord, and their shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.” (2:274)
Secretly and publicly.
Secretly and publicly.
For them is their reward with their Lord,
And no fear will there be upon them,
Nor will they grieve.
The reward for those who excel (the Muhsinin)
Is that Allah is with them,
Granting them steadfastness, guidance, and success.
As the Almighty says:
“Nay, but whosoever surrendereth his purpose to Allah while doing good, his reward is with his Lord; and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.” (2:112)
And no fear will there be upon them, nor will they grieve.
And He said:
“Lo! Allah is with those who keep their duty unto Him and those who are doers of good.” (16:128)
And He said:
“And when he reached his full strength and was ripe, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. Thus do We reward the good.” (28:14)
And He said:
“As for those who strive in Us, We surely guide them to Our paths, and lo! Allah is with the good.” (29:69)
Milestones on the path to steadfastness.