Stations
SECTION I
- 001 Wakefulness - اليَقَظَةُ
- 002 Repentance - التَّوْبَةُ
- 003 Self-Reckoning - المُحَاسَبَةُ
- 004 Returning - الإنَابَةُ
- 005 Reflection - التَّفَكُّرُ
- 006 Remembrance - التَّذَكُّرُ
- 007 Taking Shelter - الاعْتِصَامُ
- 008 Fleeing - الفِرَارُ
- 009 Training - الرِّيَاضَةُ
- 010 Hearing - السَّمَاعُ
SECTION II
- 011 Grief - الْحُزْنُ
- 012 Fear - الْخَوْفُ
- 013 Concern - الإشْفَاقُ
- 014 Submissive Solemnity - الْخُشُوعُ
- 015 Serene Submissiveness - الإخْبَاتُ
- 016 Disinterest - الزُّهْدُ
- 017 Pious Conscientiousness - الْوَرَعُ
- 018 Dedication - التَّبَتُّلُ
- 019 Hope - الرَّجَاءُ
- 020 Desirous Quest - الرَّغْبَةُ
SECTION III
- 021 Caring - الرِّعَايَة
- 022 Observance - المُرَاقَبَةُ
- 023 Veneration - الحُرْمَةِ
- 024 Devotion - الإخْلَاصُ
- 025 Refinement - التَّهْذِيبِ
- 026 Straightness - الِاسْتِقَامَة
- 027 Reliance - التَوَكَّل
- 028 Delegation - التَّفْوِيضِ
- 029 Trust - الثِّقَةِ
- 030 Surrender - التَّسْلِيمِ
SECTION IV
- 031 Patience - الصَّبْرِ
- 032 Contentment - الرِّضَا
- 033 Gratefulness - الشُّكْرُ
- 034 Modesty - الْحَيَاءِ
- 035 Truthfulness - الصِّدْقِ
- 036 Altruism - الإيثَارِ
- 037 Character - الخُلُق
- 038 Humbleness - التَّواضُع
- 039 Pietistic Heroism - الْفُتُوَّةِ
- 040 Affability - الانْبِسَاط
SECTION V
- 041 Intent - الْقَصْدِ
- 042 Resolve - الْعَزْمِ
- 043 Willfulness - الْإِرَادَةِ
- 044 Propriety - الأدَبِ
- 045 Certainty - اليَقِين
- 046 Comforting Intimacy - الْأُنْسِ
- 047 Remembrance - الذِّكْرِ
- 048 Poverty - الْفَقْرِ
- 049 Richness - الْغِنَى
- 050 The Sought - الْمُرَاد
SECTION VI
- 051 Excellence - الْإِحْسَانِ
- 052 Knowledge - العِلْمِ
- 053 Wisdom - الحِكْمَةِ
- 054 Insight - الْبَصِيرَة
- 055 Astuteness - الْفِرَاسَةِ
- 056 Exaltation - التعظيم
- 057 Inspiration - الإلهام
- 058 Tranquility - السَّكِينَةُ
- 059 Serenity - الطُّمَأْنِينَة
- 060 Drive - الْهِمَّةِ
SECTION VII
- 061 Love - المَحَبَّةُ
- 062 Protectiveness - الْغَيْرَة
- 063 Yearning - الشَّوْقُ
- 064 Anxiety - الْقَلَقُ
- 065 Thirst - الْعَطَشُ
- 066 Ecstasy - الْوَجْدُ
- 067 Bewilderment - الدَّهَشُ
- 068 Mystification - الْهَيَمَان
- 069 Lightning - البَرْق
- 070 Taste - الذَّوْقِ
SECTION VIII
- 071 Noting - اللَّحْظ
- 072 Timeliness - الْوَقْتُ
- 073 Clarity - الصَّفَاءُ
- 074 Bliss - السُّرُورُ
- 075 Privacy - السِّرُّ
- 076 Breath - النَّفَسُ
- 077 Stranger-ness - الْغُرْبَةُ
- 078 Submersion - الغَرَق
- 079 Absence - الْغَيْبَةُ
- 080 Establishment - التَّمَكُّنِ
SECTION IX
- 081 Disclosure - الْمُكَاشَفَةِ
- 082 Witnessing - الْمُشَاهَدَةُ
- 083 Beholding - المُعَايَنَةُ
- 084 Life - الْحَيَاة
- 085 Constriction - الْقَبْضٌ
- 086 Expansion - الْبَسْطُ
- 087 Intoxication - السُّكْرُ
- 088 Sobriety - الصَّحْوُ
- 089 Connection - الِاتِّصَال
- 090 Detachment - الِانْفِصَال
SECTION X
Allah, the Almighty, said:
{Is the reward for iḥsân(good) [anything] but iḥsân (good)?} [ar-Raḥmân 55:60]
قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: "هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ"
We mentioned in the beginning of the book that iḥsân is a comprehensive prophetic expression that involves all gates of truths. It is to worship Allah as if you see Him.426 It is of three levels:
قَدْ ذَكَرْنَا فِي صَدْرِ الكِتَابِ أنَّ الْإِحْسَانَ اسْمٌ جَامِعٌ نَبَوِيٌّ يَجْمَعُ أَبْوَابَ الْحَقَائِقِ، وَهُوَ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ.
وَهُوَ عَلَى ثَلَاثِ دَرَجَاتٍ.
The first level: excellence in intent by:
الدَّرَجَةُ الْأُولَى: الْإِحْسَانُ فِي الْقَصْدِ
- بِتَهْذِيبِهِ عِلْمًا
- وَإِبْرَامِهِ عَزْمًا
- وَتَصْفِيَتِهِ حَالًا
The second level: excellence in the (spiritual) states, and it is to:
والدَّرَجَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ: الْإِحْسَانُ فِي الْأَحْوَالِ، وَهُوَ:
- أَنْ تُرَاعِيَهَا غَيْرَةً
- وَتَسْتُرَهَا تَظَرُّفًا
- وَتُصَحِّحَهَا تَحَقِيقًا
The third level: excellence in managing time, and this is by:
- never ceasing to behold (the Divine)
- not allowing anyone (else) to be the object of your aspiration
- making your migration to the True One everlasting
والدَّرَجَةُ الثَّالِثَةُ: الْإِحْسَانُ فِي الْوَقْتِ، وَهُوَ:
- أَنْ لَا تُزَايِلَ الْمُشَاهَدَةَ أَبَدًا
- وَلَا تَخْلِطَ بِهِمَّتِكَ أَحَدًا
- وَتَجْعَلَ هِجْرَتَكَ إِلَى الْحَقِّ سَرْمَدًا
426 This is part of the long ḥadeeth of Jibreel when he asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about Islam, eemân, and iḥsân. Iḥsân in the context of this ḥadeeth is the ultimate form of excellence. No matter how perfect a deed is, the motive and purpose behind it is what ultimately determines its true value. When the ultimate purpose is the eternal Source of all beauty and excellence, one’s iḥsân will no longer be about ostentation, self-actualization, an inclination to a particular virtue, or an aspiration to any want short of the Divine pleasure: thus being most consistent, resolute, and balanced.
427 Doing that which is right at the right time, place, and circumstance, for the right reason, in accordance with the Divine instruction conveyed by the Messenger ﷺ in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
428 Resolve to act upon the good intentions and to finish what one started in the best way possible.
429 Ensuring that the states of the heart—such as love, fear, hope, anxiety, and intimacy—that one goes through during their service are cleansed of any impurities.
430 Since they may be transient and may be lost if you are not protective of them.
431 A true ‘ârif conceals his/her states more than a person of means would hide their money. They may allow them to be seen only for a necessity.
432 One should always be seeking to further enhance and purify their (spiritual) states.