Al-Ihsaan is to worship Allaah as if you see Him. And even though you do not see Him, He sees you!

(Muslim) This hadeeth means that man should worship Allaah, mindful of his closeness to Him and his standing before Him just as if he is seeing Him plainly. This state brings about Godconsciousness and love of Allaah and purifies ones acts of worship. Anas bin Malik narrated that a man said, O Messenger of Allaah! Tell me a short word. The Prophet saws replied, Pray as if you are in your farewell prayer, for if you do not see Allaah, He sees you. And the meaning of the phrase if you do not see Him, He sees you is that if one cannot worship Allaah as if one sees Him, he should then worship Him with the conviction that Allaah does see him and that none of his affairs is concealed from Allaah Al-Ihsaan also means striving against ones soul, struggle against Satan, hypocrites and unbelievers. Allaah says, And many a Prophet fought (in Allaahs cause) and along with him (fought) large bands of religious learned men. But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allaahs way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves. And Allaah loves the patient ones. And they said nothing but, Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to you). Establish our feet firmly and give us victory over the disbelieving folk! So Allaah gave them the reward of this world, and the excellent reward of the hereafter. And Allaah loves the gooddoers. (Aal-Imraan 3:146-148). Imm al-Madna al-Munawarrah 'Al Abd-ur-Rahmn al-Hudhaif, AlIhsaan Perfection In Acts Of Worship, www.AbdurRahman.org, available at http://abdurrahman.org/salah/alihsan.html, retrieved January 14, 2011

Papa ISLAM, IMAN, IHSAN (Submission, Faith and Perfect Adoration)

Sidi Ahmed Tijani (May Allah Sanctifies his precious secret) said:

Oh Seeker on the Path to Allah, Oh the One who yearns for Divine Love and Divine Presence, know that this Path has three stations; Islam (submission), Iman (faith) and Ihsan (perfect adoration).

Islam is the worship of Allah, Iman is turning towards Allah and Ihsan is the contemplation of Allah. These three stations represent the various degrees of our pursuit on the Path to Allah, and which correspond to Shariat (the Sacred Laws), Tariqa (the Path) and Haqiqa (the Truth).

Knowledge is the result of these three stations because whoever achieves Haqiqa surely arrives at Allah, and he is called Gnostic/Knower in Allah ('Arif billh).

The word Shariat englobes all stations since it represents every knowledge revealed to us by the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

On this Path, the 1st category of people are those who remains satisfied with the first station and think that it is the only one that exists, thus they are called the adepts of the exoteric dimension (Ahlou dhahir).

The second category are those who reached the 2nd station, and thus combine the practice of the Sacred laws (Shariat) and that of the Path (Tariqa). They are called Sufis.

The third category includes those who reach the 3rd station, after completing the first two, they are called Gnostics/Knower (El' Arifin).

Sidi Ahmed Tidjani (May Allah Sanctifies his precious secret ) when asked on the differences between the Truth (Haqiqa), the Path (Tariqa) and the Sacred laws (Shariat), he answered the following :

The station of truth corresponds to the disappearance of the veils to enable the seeker to contemplate the Divine Presence, which is called contemplation (Mouchahada). His/her knowledge emanates following the contemplation of Allah; the Divine Presence grants the seeker knowledge, secrets, spiritual overflowings, wisdoms, states of certainty and so on.

Sometimes, one can notice the knowledge descending upon the servant that he must have during contemplation, concerning good conduct, science of discussion and what he must avoid, what he must bear during these moments; this is the truth of reality (Haqiqat el Haqiqa).

The essence of the Sacred Laws (Shariat) is the set of all obligations, permissible things, and prohibited ones that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and His Prophet (PBUH) made incumbent upon us in His Book.

Concerning the Path (Tariqa), it is the intermediary station between the sacred Laws (Shariat) and the Truth (Haqiqa). It is essential for those who desire to arrive at the Truth (Haqiqa) and it is different from the Shariat known to the commoners.

The following words summarize this station: The good deeds of righteous (Abrar) are the ill deeds of those who are near (Muqarabin).

The knowledge of the Path (Tariqa) concerns all that strips the servant from his/her passions, it incites him/her to abandon self-centeredness, it distends the seekers animal soul from seduction, and makes he/she repels whatever is annoying for oneself in order to shelter him/her under the Will of Allah (Glorified et Exalted is He).

The Path teaches us all that bring the servant to live in Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and to remain in complete/profound Unicity. It also helps us to overcome the ego and leave all competition between our ego and the Divine Essence by taking the seeker to the station of contentment and surrender (Ridha wa Taslim).

The Path incites the seeker to merge him/herself into the ocean of submission to God; and this defined well the Path and its knowledge.

Then Sidi Ahmed Tijani (May Allah Sanctifies his precious secret) added:

The Pole through the Haqiqa makes the practice of his Sacred Laws (Shariat) infallible/perfect while he hides his Haqiqa with the Shariat. Papa, ISLAM, IMAN, IHSAN: Submission, Faith and Perfect Adoration, Facebook, available at http://es-es.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=102510797727&topic=9929, retrieved January 14, 2011

Papa, ISLAM, IMAN, IHSAN: Submission, Faith and Perfect Adoration, Facebook, available at http://es-es.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=102510797727&topic=9929, retrieved January 14, 2011
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