Ihsan | Highest Status in Islam
This painting portrays the journey to attaining Ihsan: Excellence in faith
This is a print of an Islamic painting by Saleha
Modern Calligraphy: Ihsan
Traditional Islamic Calligraphy: "And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doer of good." 2:195
The Story
Through symbolic imagery, this painting captures the essence of Ihsan, the highest level of belief. The elements convey the profound concept of constantly being conscious of God's presence and striving for excellence in all aspects of life. At the heart of the painting lies the word "Ihsan," intricately embedded within the composition.
Early scholars of Arabic, translated Ihsan as: To do more than what is required, to go above and beyond while expecting less.
The piece features a scroll of the famous Hadith narrated in An-Nawawi's 40 Hadiths, a renowned narration symbolizing the wisdom imparted by Prophet Muhammad PBUH. In this famous narration, in front of the companions, Angel Jibreel AS asked the Prophet, "O Muhammad, tell me about Islam." He then mentioned the three levels of our religion:
1. Islam: Shahadah, obligatory prayers, charity, fasting, Hajj
2. Iman (Faith): Belief in Allah, His angels, His book, His messengers, the last day and to believe in the day of judgement.
3. Ihsan: To strive for excellence. Worship Allah as if you see Him.
The mixture of paint, which slowly drips into a cup, becomes a powerful metaphor for the believers journey toward personal growth and spiritual development. The accumulation of these drops speaks to the incremental progress as the believer gradually adds acts of worship and good habits to his daily routine.
"The best deeds are those done regularly even if they are small." (Ibn Majah)
Our religion is made easy for us. Slow and steady, the believer grows closer to Allah. This painting serves as a powerful reminder that as believers our goal should be to strive for excellence in both worship and worldly matters.