Exploring Islamic Excellence as A Path to Personal Transformation

Oh, believers! Enter into Islam wholeheartedly and do not follow Satan’s footsteps. Surely he is your sworn enemy— Qur’an 2[Al-Baqarah]:208

Recently, I was invited as a keynote speaker at this year’s Young Adult Summer Retreat YASR 2024 in Phoenix Arizona. It’s a gathering of young professionals seeking an inner connection to Allah and themselves. Besides the city's heat that makes you feel roasted during the day, the event was overwhelmingly successful—many thanks to the participants and particularly the organizers for putting together a stellar occasion. Today, I share with you a formatted text of my speech which I believe will be beneficial to Muslims of all ages who have attained maturity. Let’s savor the piece…

Introduction

In our fast-paced world, seeking personal transformation can be challenging. However, Islam provides a timeless framework for excellence, known as Ihsan. Today, we will explore the concept of Ihsan, its foundations in Islamic teachings, and practical steps to integrate it into our daily lives.

Ihsan, or Islamic excellence, means “to worship Allah as if you see Him; if you cannot see Him, know that He sees you.” This profound concept calls for sincerity and excellence in all actions, both visible and hidden. Ihsan is trying your best to be a truthful servant of Allah. It’s not about perfection, but it’s the sincerity of your action that matters most. Consistency is a key element of Ihsan, so you just have to start and keep improving steadily.

Three Dimensions of Faith

The faith Al-Islam is in levels of greatness as explained to us by Allah’s Apostle ﷺ in the hadith of Jibril. This is where the concept of Islam, Eeman, and Ihsan emanates from.

• Islam: This is the basic state of Submission to the will of Allah and anyone at this level is a Muslim. The basic requirement is the attestation to the shahadah — testimony of faith and upholding the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim is a Muslim so long as (s)he proclaims the shahadah sincerely, and then their reckoning is with Allah. This category is where the vast majority of people fall under.

Sadly, not every Muslim will be admitted into Jannah — paradise straight away, some will be punished first.

For this reason, we all need to up our game and strive to become one of the Mu’meenoon— the true believers.

• Eeman: This is the level of attaining true belief. A Muslim in this state is known as a Mu’meen and is believed to have unshakable faith. The basic requirement after Islam is to believe firmly in the articles of faith: Allah, His Messengers, His Books, His Angels, Destiny either good or bad, Day of Reckoning.

Not every Muslim is a Mu’meen, but a Mu’meen is a better Muslim.

This is where you find many of the companions — may Allah be pleased with them. They are the ones whom Allah described as the successful ones because every single Mu’meen will be an inheritor of the Garden of Bliss.

• Ihsan: This is the state of Excellence, the creme-de-la-creme. A Muslim in this state is referred to as a Muhsin and only a few attain it. The likes of Abubakr and Umar were known to be people of Ihsan. The basic requirement after Eeman is to be mindful of Allah in everything you do. They are the ones whom Allah loves, they will be in the highest of Gardens, close to Allah, the prophets, and the sidiqoon — truthful ones.

Note that not every Mu’meen is a Muhsin, for the Muhsin is the best of the Muslims

What distinguishes them all is that Islam involves the outward actions of faith, such as prayer, charity, and fasting. While eeman deals with the inner belief in the unseen, including faith in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree. Ihsan is the highest level of faith, characterized by perfecting one’s actions and intentions for Allah’s sake while being in a constant state of mindfulness.

Ways of Personal Transformation

1. Transformation Through Vulnerability with the Qur’an:

This has to do with having a connection with the words of Allah. You read, listen, or reflect on the book of Allah, ponder over its meaning, and decide to take action toward personal transformation. Many verses of the Qur’an serve as pointers to this.

A good example from the life of the righteous predecessor is Umar Ibn Khattab. Allah’s Apostle ﷺ had prayed that Allah guides one of the two men — Abu Jahl and Umar — whom you love more to Islam. Before Islam, Umar was a man who loved to consume wine. He became Muslim while intending to go after the Messenger. He then came to the Ka’bah and saw the prophet praying and reciting the Qur’an. He was wondering in his head if this sounded like poetry until he heard the verses:

It is not the prose of a poet as you claim, yet you hardly have any faith. Nor is it the mumbling of a fortune-teller, yet you are hardly mindful. It is a revelation from the Lord of all worlds. — Qur’an 69[Al-Haqqah]:41–43

This was the turning point for Umar and he said: when I heard these words, my heart softened, I cried and the love of Islam fell into my heart. He then followed the Prophet ﷺ after he finished praying and told him I have come to believe in Allah and His Messenger and that which was sent by Allah. The prophet ﷺ made dua’ for him that Allah keeps him steadfast, removes ill feelings from his heart, and replaces them with faith.

Now ask yourself: When was the last time you read a verse of the Qur’an and had deep thoughts over it? Or when last were your eyes filled with tears out of being mindful of Allah? If you don’t, then I’m sorry — that’s a sign of a dead heart.

2. Transformation Through Self Introspection or Reflection:

This has to do with you creating time to reflect on your life. Being in a state of knowledge that tells you Allah is near. Ask yourself: what are you living for? Are you a slave of desire or a servant of Allah? A good example from the life of the righteous predecessors is Fudayl ibn Iyad. Sadly, many of us don't even know him or his story.

Before his repentance, Fuḍayl led a group of bandits, or highway robbers in Syria and Khorasan, raiding caravans and robbing travelers. One night, Fudayl set out to see his girlfriend and scaled through the wall waiting for her to appear before him. Then he heard someone passing by reciting these verses:

Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allāh and what has come down of the truth? — Q57[Hadid]:16

He then realized that he was a hypocrite to claim both submission to Allah as a believer and still be a bandit. So he intended to repent and give up banditry. On moving further through the desert, he overheard two travelers warning each other not to proceed further because Fudayl and his gang may be ahead. Fuḍayl stepped out and introduced himself, acknowledging that he had repented and was no longer a threat.

Owing to his sincerity and dedication in his pursuits toward personal transformation, he eventually became renowned and recognized for his knowledge, wisdom, and piety, during his time and even a good example for the later generation. Many scholars of hadith attributed him to be ‘trustworthy’ (thiqah) — a strict condition and praiseworthy status for narrators of hadith.

Now ask yourself: When are you going to give up your evil ways? When are you going to repent sincerely and be a true servant of Allah? Is it not time to look deep down at your life and change for good? If you’re good, then up your game to be better.

3. Transformation Through The Influence of Others:

This involves having good friends and companions who remind you of your purpose of existence. A good example here is Abubakar — he was invited to Islam by his bosom friend Muhammad ﷺ. After testifying to faith, he asked Allah’s Apostle: what’s my role in this faith? And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told him: ‘Your role is my role — inviting people to the oneness of Allah’.

He came back after his trade that day with Uthman Ibn Affan, AbdurRahman Ibn Auf, Talha Ibn Ubaydullah, and Zubayr Ibn Awwam. These men were from the Ashara mubashireen fil jannah— the team who were given glad tidings of paradise from this world. They were all forerunners accepting Islam at the inception, dedicated to Allah, the Rasul ﷺ, and the Islamic cause.

The beauty of this is that Allah’s Apostle ﷺ told us that the one who guides someone to do a good deed will have a reward like the doer of it, without Allah diminishing any of their rewards. Now imagine how many rewards Abubakar must have amassed from being a trailblazer.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever gives a pair of anything for the sake of Allah will be called from the gate of Paradise: ‘O slave of Allah, this is good.’ Whoever was one of the people of prayer will be called from the gate of prayer. Whoever was one of the people of jihad will be called from the gate of jihad. Whoever was one of the people of fasting will be called from the gate of al-Rayyaan. Whoever was one of the people of charity will be called from the gate of charity.” Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq said: May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah. There is no need for anyone to be called from all of these gates, but will anyone be called from all of them? He said: “Yes, and I hope that you will be one of them.” — Bukhari and Muslim

This shows that only a few people will excel to this level and Abubakr is a pure example of Islamic Excellence — a Muhsin to the core. Be like Abubakar and the rest of the companions.

Now ask yourself: who are your friends, who is influencing you and who are you looking up to?

Practical Steps to Achieve Islamic Excellence

• Spiritual Transformation: Sincerity in worship means performing acts of devotion purely for Allah’s sake. Regular prayers, fasting, and other forms of worship help cultivate a sincere heart and a strong connection with Allah. Everything you do concerning worship has to be for the sake of Allah and in line with the Prophetic methodology
• Moral and Ethical Excellence: Living with integrity means being honest, trustworthy, and kind in all interactions. It involves taking responsibility for our actions and being accountable to Allah and others.
• Continuous Self Improvement: It begins with learning the deen — Allah, Qur’an, Sunnah! Understanding what we learn, Implementing what we understand, and sharing with others the goodness and its sweetness. Above all, never give up repentance while praying to Allah for acceptance, sincerity, and steadfastness.
• Daily Practices: When was the last time you set an achievable personal goal for yourself — based on your spiritual life? Build your time around the five daily prayers. Create time for dhikr — remembrance of Allah daily. Be consistent and you will see progress in your spiritual and moral development.
• Community Involvement: Serving others is a key aspect of Ihsan. Engaging in community service and charitable activities not only benefits others but also enriches our own lives. No one is an island, we all need each other on this journey.

Conclusion

I hope this will encourage us all to implement the principles of Ihsan in our daily lives. By striving for excellence in all we do, we can achieve personal transformation and contribute positively to our communities. We ask Allah, to guide us to the path of excellence, help us purify our intentions, and grant us the strength to live according to His will. May Allah bless us all as we continue to strive on this path of excellence and righteousness. Ameen!

PS: Success comes only by the will of Allah! If you find this piece beneficial, it’s by Allah’s Grace. It’s no scholarly work and we accept our mistakes. Suggestions are welcomed in making this effort better as well. You are free to share by any means for enlightenment purposes. Kindly give a “click-clap” to enable other readers on Medium to see this post. We ask Allah to keep us guided and steadfast upon the right path. Do subscribe to Jum’ah Nugget to get our subsequent publication in sha Allah!

Yaumul Jumah 6th Muharam 1446H // Friday 12th July 2024

• You may join my WhatsApp Broadcast channel called “Islamic Reminders” where you can find some more beneficial stuff.
• You can also check out my faith-based podcast for Muslim Men called Pure Masculinity. It reminds us to become better Muslim Men — husbands, fathers, and brothers. Listen to the latest episode, follow, and share the pages on Apple Podcast, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, and TikTok.
• If you’d like to support a charitable cause, kindly donate to Rafeeqee Foundation