Critique of Self-Centred Charity and the Role of Ihsan in Mystical Conduct

Critique of Self-Centred Charity

Charity derived from one’s own wealth rather than from God’s wealth leads to manifest polytheism and entails the consequences of violating both the rights of God and the rights of people. True charity returns the divine trust to its rightful owner.

The Recipient: The Prophet

The recipient is the Messenger of God, and assistance must not compromise his dignity through humiliation. Benevolence, conducted with respect for human dignity, leads to autonomy and self-respect.

Critique of Document-Centric Epistemology

In matters beyond jurisprudential rulings, reliance on chains of narration is unnecessary, and the indications of reason and the Holy Qur’an serve as the most reliable evidence. Three Qur’anic verses concerning benevolence corroborate the Hadith of Gabriel and strengthen its epistemic value.

The True Benefactor and Divine Grace

The true benefactor is the Truth, which enables humans to surrender. In the phrase “wa huwa muhsin”, the pronoun refers to the Truth, not to humans. Humans can only surrender through divine grace. Key point: the true benefactor is the Truth that grants the servant the capacity to surrender, and benevolence originates from divine grace.

Freedom and Purity in Benevolence

Islamic society achieves freedom, purity, and mastery through benevolence and peaceful surrender. Benevolence is free from pettiness and humiliation, leading to social unity and dignity.

Conclusion

This text elucidates Ihsan as the highest degree of spiritual conduct, inseparably linked with knowledge and divine unity. In the Hadith of Gabriel, Ihsan is introduced as worship performed with heartfelt presence and divine witnessing, and in the Qur’anic verses, it is expressed as surrender to the Truth and liberation from self-centeredness. This concept bridges theoretical wisdom (knowledge and monotheism) and practical wisdom (benevolence), guiding the practitioner from external conformity (Islam) and internal moral refinement (faith) to actualised Ihsan. The true benefactor is one who surrenders entirely to the Truth through divine grace, with the saints serving as exemplars. The Qur’an, in verses such as “Whoever submits his face to God while being a doer of good”, presents Ihsan as the path to divine unity and freedom. Emphasising sincerity, liberation from self-centredness, and surrender to the Truth, this discourse guides seekers towards unity and purity and calls the Islamic community to mastery and independence.

Knowledge and Ihsan in Mystical Conduct

Mystical conduct is a journey into the depths of existence, leading the seeker towards the infinite Truth of God. In this path, knowledge of the Truth serves as a radiant lamp illuminating the way, while Ihsan, like a lofty summit, reveals the ultimate destination of servitude. Following the centrality of the Hadith of Gabriel, this study elucidates these two foundational concepts and beautifully maps the stages of knowledge in forms of verbal, mental, perceptive, and certitudinal awareness. It emphasises that mysticism is not only theoretical knowledge but also a practical, intensive journey that directs the seeker towards witnessing the Truth, dynamic spiritual practice, and the role of Ihsan in Islamic mysticism.

The Hadith of Gabriel and Its Role in Elucidating the Station of Ihsan

The Hadith of Gabriel is a shining gem in the treasury of Islamic knowledge, elucidating the station of Ihsan in mystical conduct. In this hadith, transmitted by authoritative Sunni sources and highly regarded in Shi‘a traditions, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) responded to Gabriel’s question about Ihsan:

“Worship God as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, know that He sees you.”

This definition presents Ihsan as a level of worship in which the practitioner engages in divine worship with a state of witnessing or spiritual mindfulness. Ihsan transcends external acts such as almsgiving; it is a spiritual state that transforms the seeker’s being into a manifestation of divine presence. Its validity in Shi‘a mysticism, due to consonance with the teachings of the Imams, renders it a source of inspiration for explicating mystical conduct.

Critique of Superficial Approaches to Ihsan

Commonly, Ihsan is reduced to a simplistic act such as financial aid to the needy. This view, which instantly comes to mind upon hearing the term Ihsan, neglects the spiritual depth of this station. Ihsan, like a seed rooted in the soil of contemplative worship, bears fruit in the attainment of the Truth. This superficial interpretation is critiqued; Ihsan is a profound and immaterial state that guides the seeker towards divine witnessing or mindfulness.

The Seriousness of Gabriel’s Inquiry

Gabriel’s question of the Prophet is not a mere display or pedagogical act for others; it arises from genuine epistemic concern. Gabriel, a proximate angel and witness to the Prophet’s spiritual vision, sought to comprehend the safe traversal of this path of monotheism. The Qur’an affirms this station: “Indeed, he saw him in the highest horizon” (53:13), confirming the elevated vision of the Prophet and linking Gabriel’s inquiry to the understanding of this lofty station. Gabriel, who stated, “If I advance one step further, I would be consumed by fire,” asks the Prophet about the method by which this path was traversed. This question is neither jest nor display, but a profound exploration of divine unity.

The Infinity and Scope of Knowledge

Knowledge of the Truth resembles an infinite ocean, where each drop embodies a manifestation of divine reality. The infinitude of knowledge presents it as a limitless container with no boundaries. The famous hadith “The paths to God are as numerous as the breaths of creation” beautifully illustrates this diversity. Each being, according to its manifestation, has a path to the Truth, and knowledge reflects the Truth in each manifestation. Key point: the knowledge of the Truth has infinite stages, each seeker connecting according to their capacity and manifestation.

Innate Knowledge

Knowledge of the Truth is a light shining in every human nature, guiding it toward its origin. The Qur’an affirms: “[He] created mankind upon the nature [fitrah] of God” (30:30). This innate disposition forms the essential foundation of knowledge, guiding every human being, even at the lowest stage, toward the Truth. Knowledge is not purely acquired but an innate and inherent process flowing through all creatures.

The Two Faces of Knowledge: Essential and Attributed

Knowledge has a dual aspect: an essential face in which no being is devoid of knowledge of the Truth, and an attributed face, in which human stages are classified as disbelief, Islam, faith, and Ihsan. In the essential aspect, the world is a court wherein divine names and attributes are manifested, and each particle is a mirror reflecting the knowledge of the Truth. In the attributed aspect, knowledge is limited to human stages, and each individual occupies a stage according to their spiritual progress.

Stages of Attributed Knowledge

Attributed knowledge forms a ladder leading the seeker from disbelief to Ihsan. These stages—disbeliever, Muslim, believer, and doer of good—each reveal a manifestation of knowledge. The disbeliever is engulfed in the darkness of denial; the Muslim submits outwardly to the Truth; the believer internalizes faith; and the doer of good engages in worship with witnessing and mindfulness. This hierarchy presents spiritual progression as a structured process where each stage is a step toward perfection.

Stages of Knowledge in Human Conduct

Verbal and Literal Knowledge

This stage resembles a breeze across existence, lacking penetration into its depth. Worship is limited by personal interests. The Qur’an notes: “They worship God upon a word; so if good reaches them, they feel content” (41:11). Such knowledge is conditional and unstable; the seeker is preoccupied with personal gain and turns from the Truth in adversity.

Mental Knowledge

A step beyond verbal knowledge, mental knowledge allows the seeker’s mind to sense the fragrance of the Truth. Like a seed planted in the soil of thought, it has yet to bear fruit. Despite attempts to flee the Truth, the seeker cannot forget it, experiencing inner tension between acceptance and avoidance. This anxiety sparks the journey to higher stages. Key point: mental knowledge is accompanied by inner tension, reflecting the Truth’s penetration into the seeker’s thought.

Perceptive Knowledge

This light illuminates not only the mind but also the limbs and faculties of the seeker. The Truth manifests in the seeker’s being, who becomes a mirror of divine names and attributes. Perceptive knowledge is practical and tangible, guiding the seeker into harmony with divine reality. It is likened to the aroma of food, which pervades the entire being, not merely the hands and mouth.

Certitudinal Knowledge

The pinnacle of knowledge, certitude is where the seeker attains complete assurance of the Truth. It is the shore reached after traversing the stormy ocean of knowledge. Certitude removes doubt and unites the seeker with the Truth, transcending mind and perception.

Diversity of Knowledge within an Individual

Knowledge within an individual resembles a garden with trees from various stages. A seeker may possess verbal knowledge in one dimension, mental in another, perceptive in another, and certitudinal in yet another. This diversity portrays spiritual progression as multilayered and dynamic.

Classification of Knowledge by Relation to Action, Attribute, and Essence

Knowledge flows like a stream towards three objects: divine acts, attributes, and essence. Each of these encompasses stages of verbal, mental, perceptive, and certitudinal knowledge. A seeker may have certitude regarding divine acts, perceptive knowledge regarding attributes, and only verbal or mental knowledge of the essence, indicating the multilayered nature of knowledge.

Certitude of God’s Friends

The friends of God are like lofty peaks who have attained certitude in all stages of knowledge—from acts and attributes to essence. According to the saying of the infallibles, “I have stations with God,” they possess dynamic states aligned moment-by-moment with divine realities. Key point: the saints attain certitude in all stages of knowledge and their states are continually harmonised with divine affairs.

Types of Certitude

Certitude manifests in three modalities: theoretical knowledge, visionary witnessing, and spiritual union. Theoretical certitude remains within intellectual knowledge; visionary certitude perceives the Truth in the world’s manifestations; and union guides the seeker into unity with the Truth. Union is a higher stage than witnessing.

The Station of Comprehension and Practical Mysticism

The station of comprehension is a horizon where the seeker perceives God through all beings. This peak of spiritual conduct leads to existential unity, where the seeker perceives the Truth through the eyes of both disbelievers and believers, through verbal knowledge and certitude. It is a state where the seeker wears the lens of comprehension and perceives God in all manifestations.

Practical and Intensive Mysticism

Mysticism is a path pursued not through books and lectures but through profound effort and personal struggle. Purely theoretical approaches are critiqued. Mysticism is a demanding, practical journey formed in society and reality. The saints’ school was the streets and deserts, and their classroom was existence; they experienced mysticism through interaction with creation and God.

Life and Vitality of the Seeker

The seeker is like a tree that must grow with their time and society. Social vitality, freshness, and dynamism are conditions for spiritual progression. A seeker who does not grow with their era resembles a dead person among the living. The saints, with their vibrant and lively speech, guide the world towards the Truth.

Comprehensive Vision of the Truth and Dynamic Monotheism

The Truth is like the sun, perceivable by every faculty from eyes and heart to hands and feet. Allegorically, God is observable by all organs, and the eye that does not see Him is blind. In prayers and traditions, there is reference to a vision surpassing the “as if you see Him” in the Hadith of Gabriel, guiding the seeker toward immediate witnessing of the Truth. “Blind is the eye that does not see You.”

Monotheism and the Fire

The door of monotheism is a fire that consumes the seeker, yet for the saints, it is a cool and soothing breeze. The Qur’an, in the story of Abraham, states: “O fire, be cool and safe” (21:69). This verse presents monotheism as the reference for mystical transformation, converting hardships for the seeker into tranquility. Monotheism is a fiery portal from which only the saints emerge unharmed.