Islam, Iman and Ihsan – The Three Dimensions Of The Religion

It is narrated in the famous ‘Hadith of Jibril’, related by Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim and others, that the Angel Jibril (alayhi salam) appears in the form of a beautiful man and enters a gathering of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his Companions. He asks the Messenger of Allah ﷺ regarding a number of things including the following:

Tell me about Islam

Tell me about Iman

Tell me about Ihsan

From this Hadith the scholars extracted a number of points about how this religion is to be understood and implemented, and the necessary balance required between these three dimensions:

Islam (submission)
Iman (faith)
Ihsan (spiritual excellence)

Islam

Islam has five pillars:

The two testimonies of faith (Shahadatain)
The five daily prayers
Paying the alms (Zakat)
Fasting in Ramadan
Performing the pilgrimage (Hajj)

Islam means submission and it relates to our actions. A person who adheres to the religion of Islam is called a Muslim.

Iman

Iman consists of six main articles. They are to believe in:

Allah Most High
His angels
His books
His messengers
The last day
Destiny (it’s good and it’s evil)

Iman means faith and relates to our beliefs. A person who has Iman is called a Mu’min.

Ihsan

Ihsan is to:

“Worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, to know He surely sees you.”
Hadith Jibril

Ihsan means excellence and refers to the state of our hearts and souls. A person who acts with Ihsan is called a Muhsin.

Fiqh, Aqidah and Tasawuf

The three dimensions of Islam, Iman and Ihsan developed into the sciences of Fiqh (law), Aqidah (beliefs) and Tassawuf (spirituality):

Islam corresponds to the science of Fiqh (Islamic Law)
Iman corresponds to the science of Aqidah (Islamic Beliefs)
Ihsan corresponds to the science of Tasawuf (Islamic Spirituality)

Fiqh

In Islamic law (fiqh) we learn how to live our lives according to the rules set by the Lord Most High. Fiqh deals with how to worship Allah, how to interact with others, what is halal (permissible) and haram (impermissible) in regards to food, clothes and all other actions.

Broadly speaking, Fiqh is divided into two:

1. Worship (ibadaat)

Purification (wudu, ghusl etc.)
Prayer
Fasting
Zakat
Hajj

2. Transactions (muamalaat)

Buying and selling
Marriage
Divorce
Inheritance
Rights of parents
Raising children
Etc.

Aqidah

The science of Aqidah deals with what we believe. Unlike Fiqh, this science is not about our actions but rather our creed i.e. those things we believe as Muslims. Often, the study of Aqidah is split into three sections:

1. Allah and His Attributes (Ilahiyaat)

Who is Allah and what are His attributes? What must we believe about Him and what is impermissible to believe about Him?

2. Prophets and their attributes (Nubuwaat)

What is a Prophet and what is his mission? What are the characteristics of Prophets and what do we believe about them?

3. Transmitted beliefs about the unseen (Sami’aat)

These are beliefs which we have been informed about through revelation such as our belief in angels, the day of judgement, heaven and hell etc.

Other topics are also covered in Aqidah such as the Sahaba, the Awliya, miracles, the barzakh, free will, destiny etc.

Tasawuf

Tasawuf is the science that deals with the inner dimensions of the religion. In Tasawuf, the focus is on the human heart. The heart can have diseases as well as virtuous qualities:

1. Diseases of the heart

Envy
Hatred
Arrogance
Ostentation (showing off)
Stinginess
Love for the dunya
Pride

The heart has many diseases and above are a few examples. In Tawasuf we learn the definitions, causes, and cures for these diseases.

2. Virtuous qualities of the heart

Love for Allah
Reliance on Allah
Sincerity
Humility
Fear of Allah
Gratitude
Patience
Contentment with Divine decree
Love for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

There are also virtuous qualities which the heart can have. We also learn the definitions of these and how to attain them and purify our hearts through them.

Fard Ayn (personally obligatory) Knowledge

Basic knowledge of these three subjects comprises much of what is considered personally obligatory (Fard Ayn) knowledge. Fard Ayn is the term used to describe the beliefs which are an obligation for every Muslim to believe in, the actions which are an obligation for every Muslim to perform, and the states of the heart which are an obligation for every Muslim to attain. For example, it is Fard Ayn for every Muslim to believe that Allah has no partner and that our Master Muhammad ﷺ is His final messenger. Also, it is Fard Ayn for every Muslim to perform the five daily prayers and to fast in Ramadan. Likewise, it is Fard Ayn for every Muslim to rid themselves of spiritual diseases such as envy and stinginess.¹

This therefore entails that it is Fard Ayn for every Muslim to study and acquire basic knowledge of these three sciences. This is mainly the knowledge intended by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he informed us that:

Seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim
Ibn Majah

Other than Fard Ayn knowledge, which every Muslim must seek, there are other types of knowledge also, such as deeper and more advanced studies of the Islamic sciences. Study at this level is not Fard Ayn but rather Fard Kifayah (a communal obligation)². This means that not every Muslim is required to study Islam beyond the basics to an advanced level however there must be some people from the community who do so. There are also forbidden and harmful types of knowledge which have no benefit and learning those is not permitted.

Tasawuf – The neglected dimension

Of these three sciences (or dimensions) of the religion, the most neglected and misunderstood in recent times is arguably Tasawuf. Historically, the scholars of Islam always understood that the aim of Islamic spirituality, namely the purification of the heart, was something commanded by Allah Most High and required for any Muslim to attain true closeness to his Lord. The term Tasawuf of course came later, much like the terms Tafsir, Usul al-Fiqh, Mustalah al-Hadith and Tajwid etc. All of these sciences existed at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ but were given titles and formalised later.

Tasawuf has a number of other titles it is known by, such as Tazkiyah al-Qalb (purification of the heart) or Tazkiyah al-Nafs (purification of the soul) or simply Ihsan (spiritual excellence). In English, Tasawuf is often translated as Sufism³. Regardless of the given name, it is an undeniable fact that Tasawuf, just like Aqidah and Fiqh, is derived from the Quran and Sunnah. The fact that the names of many Islamic sciences were coined later does not detract from the reality of the science itself.

Allah Most High says in the Quran:

يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ
إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى ٱللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ
“The Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit. Only those who come before Allah with a pure heart (will be saved)”.
Surah al-Shu’ara: 88-89

He Most High also says:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا
وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّىٰهَا
Successful indeed is the one who purifies it (their soul)
And doomed is the one who corrupts it!
Surah al-Shams: 9-10

The Prophet ﷺ told us:

…Certainly there is a piece of flesh in the body, if it is kept sound the whole body is sound; if it is corrupt then the whole body is corrupt – indeed it is the heart.
Bukhari and Muslim

He ﷺ also said:

Truly, Allah does not look at your appearance and wealth, but rather at your hearts and your actions.
Muslim

Imam Ali, the cousin of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say:

The disease of the heart is worse than the disease of the body

Addressing one of these diseases, Allah Most High says:

وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be successful
Surah al-Hashr: 9

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ warned us that:

Nobody who has an atoms weight of arrogance in his heart will enter paradise
Muslim

He ﷺ also said:

(Two things) cannot combine in the heart of a slave: Iman (belief) and envy.
Ibn Hibban

In other Hadiths we are told that envy eats away good deeds (Abu Dawud) and that anger and envy destroy a person’s religion (Tirmidhi and Ahmed).

With regards to the praiseworthy qualities of the heart, Allah Most High describes true believers by saying:

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ
And those who believe are more intensely in love with Allah
Surah al-Baqarah: 165

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said

None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children and all mankind.
Bukhari

The true believers are also described as those who have mercy in their hearts, those who rely upon Allah, and those who hold no hatred in their hearts for other Muslims.

The above verses and narrations are a tiny portion of those which relate to this science. It is clear to see that they are referring to an inner dimension of this religion, one which relates to the heart and the soul of a Muslim.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ warned us from being those who outwardly practise the religion but neglect the inward realties of it. Speaking about the Khawarij, an early sect whom apparently were pious and would outwardly follow the Sunnah, he said:

If you were to compare your prayer and fasting to theirs, you would look down upon your own. Yet they will go out of the religion as a hunter’s arrow goes out of the prey he is hunting.
Bukhari

He ﷺ also said that they would recite the Quran but “it would not go past their throats”. There are a number of other narrations where the Prophet ﷺ speaks against the Khawarij very strongly, making clear that whilst they may worship and appear pious, they are anything but.⁴

It is no wonder that the great scholar of Islam, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali clearly stated:

Knowing the definition of these diseases, their causes and their cures, and remedies for how to fix them, is personally obligatory (fard ayn) on every Muslim.

Regardless of what name this science is called by, whether Tasawuf or anything else, it is firmly grounded in the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and something which is imperative for every Muslim to be acquainted with.

Attaining the correct balance

Once we have understood that the Religion has three dimensions, it is imperative that none of them are neglected and that all three are given their right. An imbalance in the study and implementation of these three sciences will have negative effects in a Muslim’s journey to Allah. As for outright denial of any of these three dimensions, then this could lead to severe issues with dire consequences in this life and the next.

Imam Malik would say:

من تفقه و لم يتصوف فقد تفسق و من تصوف ولم يتفقه فقد تزندق ومن جمع بينهما فقد تحقق
Whoever studied Fiqh but didn’t study Tasawuf will become a fasiq (corrupt sinner). Whoever studied Tasawuf but didn’t study Fiqh will become a zindeeq (heretic). But whoever joins between the two will attain the truth.
Imam Malik

Imam al-Shafi said in lines of poetry:

Be a faqih (a person of fiqh) and a sufi (a person of tasawuf): do not be only one of them.
Verily, by Allah’s truth, I am advising you sincerely.
Imam al-Shafi

Imagine a person who knows Fiqh well. He performs his prayers, fasts in Ramadan and avoids the haram as best as possible. However, he doesn’t notice the subtle arrogance in his heart which causes him to think he is better than others. Likewise, he is proud of his good deeds and enjoys people finding out about them. He has animosity in his heart against other believers and is unforgiving towards them.

Or in contrast, a person may read the books of spirituality and learn about the importance of purifying the heart and attaining good character. But he will neglect the five daily prayers, engage in haram actions and be totally ignorant of Islamic Law. All of this will be justified under the dubious principle that ‘having a clean heart is most important’ whilst refusing to acknowledge that Allah has commanded us to perform outward actions.

Or imagine, for example, a person who knows Fiqh and conducts himself correctly but has false beliefs in Aqidah. He unknowingly attributes faults or deficiencies to Allah and imagines Allah to have similarity to created things (wa iyathu billah!). Or he has doubts in the existence of the day of judgement or certain aspects of the afterlife. Or he has wrong beliefs regarding some of the Prophets and Messengers. Such a person will perform the actions of a Muslim yet may fall into heresy, or even worse, unbelief (kufr) due to him not being well versed in Aqidah.

To give some examples of how these three dimensions coexist and interact with each other, we could say:

In Aqidah we learn that there is only One God and only He can be worshipped. In Fiqh we learn how to worship Him as He has commanded. In Tasawuf we learn to worship Him sincerely, with concentration and humility.

In Aqidah we learn that Muhammad ﷺ is the final Messenger sent to mankind. In Fiqh we learn how to follow his law. In Tasawuf we learn to love him ﷺ more than we love our parents, children and all other people.

In Aqidah we learn that Allah has power and control over all things. In Tasawuf we learn to actualise this belief so that we trust Him and rely on Him alone and not on other people.

In Fiqh we learn that fasting is to refrain from eating, drinking and intercourse. In Tasawuf we learn that true fasting also includes guarding the tongue from backbiting and the rest of the limbs from sin. In fact, the best of all fasts according to the scholars of Tasawuf, is the fasting of the heart from anything other than Allah!

In Aqidah we learn what will happen when a person dies. In Fiqh we learn about the rules of the funeral prayer, burials, and shrouding. In Tasawuf we learn how to prepare and be ready for our own death.

In Aqidah we learn that there is a day of judgment. In Tasawuf we learn to actualise this belief until we have no doubt in our mind that this day is a reality.

In Fiqh we learn how to give others their rights and how to avoid harming them. In Tasawuf we learn to love for others what we love for ourselves and to prefer others over ourselves.

In Aqidah we learn to believe in destiny and that Allah has pre-ordained all things. In Tasawuf we learn to be content and pleased with the decree of Allah.

There is much more that could be said on this topic. But for now this should suffice. And Allah Most High knows best.

Footnotes

It should be noted that ‘every Muslim’ here is referring to those who are legally responsible (mukallaf). Three things render a person mukallaf: 1) Being Muslim, 2) Being mature (i.e. he has reached puberty), 3) Being sane.
Study of beneficial disciples such as medicine, engineering etc. would also be Fard Kifayah.
It is a shame that in recent years, some of the most un-Islamic things are done in the name of ‘sufism’ or by those who claim to be proponents of it. Wether they be charlatans under the title of ‘Pir’ or academics under the title of ‘Sheikh’, claims to Tasawuf are now being made from those who have no connection to this path whatsoever. Any claimant to Tasawuf who openly contradicts and opposes the Sharia is nothing short of a fraud. It is for this reason the Ulema say that even if you see a person flying in the air (i.e. he performs an apparent miracle) but he doesn’t conform to the Quran and Sunnah, then throw him against the wall. In other words, he is not a real Sheikh, so stay clear of him.
The Khawarij were an early sect which appeared at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he ﷺ informed us that their ideology would continue to appear in later generations. The Muslim scholars today are in agreement that groups like ISIS are a manifestation of the Khawarij in our time. For more information, read ‘Refuting ISIS’ by Sheikh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi.