Attaining Spiritual Excellence (Ihsan)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The state of spiritual excellence (ihsan) is a gift from Allah, normally granted the one who sincerely and consistently strives to perfect and beautify their faith, submission, worship, conduct, character, and dealings, on the footsteps of the
Beloved Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).

Spiritual excellence (ihsan) is the result of true sincerity (ikhlas), which is defined as seeking Allah Most High alone in all one’s actions, in the ways most beloved to Him.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, “Actions are by their intentions,” defining for us that the reality of actions is not in their forms but, rather, in the sincerity of intent underlying them. “And each person shall have whatever they intended,” from which the foremost of his followers realized that the best of what is sought–in every matter–is Allah Himself. This is the essence of the Prophetic concern, and the sum of the Prophet’s way.

Allah Most High tells us,

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَ‌سُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْ‌جُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْءَاخِرَ‌ وَذَكَرَ‌ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرً‌ۭا ﴿٢١

Truly you have in the Messenger of Allah the most beautiful of examples, for whoever seeks Allah and the Last Day, and makes much remembrance of Allah.

[Qur’an, Al-Ahzab 33:21]

This is spiritual excellence: seek Allah in all your affairs; take the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) as your example in all your affairs; uphold that example in the best and most beautiful of ways; and make much remembrance of Allah.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah alone grant success.

Wassallam