Who Is a Good Person And What Constitutes Goodness?
THE CONCEPTS OF “IHSAN” AND “MUHSIN” ARE MENTIONED IN THE QUR’AN AND HADITHS NUMEROUS TIMES. THE PIVOTAL QUESTIONS “WHAT IS IHSAN?” AND “WHO IS MUHSIN?” HAVE ALWAYS CARRIED A PROFOUND MEANING FOR THOSE WHO PURSUE THE PLEASURE OF ALLAH IN THEIR HEARTS AND THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. THE REASON WHY THE DELIBERATION OF THESE QUESTIONS OCCUPIES THE THOUGHTS OF MANY BELIEVERS IS THAT ALLAH THE MOST HIGH HAS INFORMED US THAT HE LOVES THOSE WHO DO GOOD — THE MUHSINS.
TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR SIGNIFICANCE, WE PRESENT IN THIS ARTICLE HOW THE CONCEPTS OF IHSAN AND MUHSIN ARE DELINEATED IN THE QUR’AN, WHICH IS A SOURCE OF GUIDANCE AND A CALL TO SALVATION.
What Is Ihsan?
Ihsan, in essence, means performing acts of goodness, being benevolent, kind, and giving, and worshipping Allah as if you see Him.
A Muslim is an individual who consistently upholds noble deeds, exemplifying excellence in all dimensions of their life. Every manifestation of Allah's intricate creation radiates beauty. As stated in the Quran, "Who perfected everything which He created and began the creation of man from clay" (As-Sajdah, 7). In keeping with the divine excellence of His acts of creation, Allah wishes for His servants to embrace virtuous actions and benevolence.
In the Quran, the term "ihsan" is used in various contexts, including:
• "If you do good, you do good to yourselves." (Al-Isra, 7)
• "For those who do good, there is good (end) in this world" (An-Nahl, 30)
• Allah commands us to do good: "Indeed, Allah enjoins justice and kindness and giving to relatives." (An-Nahl, 90)
• Allah specifically commands us to be benevolent towards certain individuals: "Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess." (An-Nisa, 36)
• Paradise is promised to those who do good deeds: "For those who do good there is the best, and something more. Neither gloom shall cover their faces, nor disgrace. Those are the people of Paradise. Therein they shall live forever." (Yunus, 26)
• Allah rewards those who do good with even better: "...that He gives punishment to evildoers for what they did, and gives good reward to those who did good." (An-Najm, 31)
• Allah will be pleased with the Muhajirun and Ansar and those who follow them in goodness: "The first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajirun and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct—Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment." (At-Tawbah, 100)
The concept of ihsan is also explained in the famous hadith known as the hadith of Jibril:
"Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him. And if you do not see Him, indeed He sees you."
The degree of ihsan varies, meaning that the more a person strives for goodness and kindness solely for the sake of Allah, the higher their level of ihsan. The statement of Ali (radiyallahu anh), "People gain value based on how they do their work with ihsan," also reflects this meaning.
A person who practices ihsan is called a muhsin. A muhsin is a servant whom Allah the Exalted loves, as mentioned in the Quran. The word muhsin is sometimes used in its singular form, "muhsin," but is most commonly utilized in its plural form, "muhsinin." The term muhsin is derived from the root word "husn," meaning beauty, and signifies a person who possesses ihsan. The character and behavior of a muhsin are always inclined towards goodness and benevolence.
Both Muslim and Muhsin
The late mufassir Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır provided a concise definition for the term muhsin, stating:
"Muhsins are those who practice ihsan in their deeds (perform acts of goodness and benevolence) in accordance with the revelations of the Quran."
In other words, muhsins are individuals who adhere to the Quran and Sunnah, submitting themselves to Allah and carrying out what is commanded of them in a beautiful manner.
According to this definition, can a public servant who prays salah but neglects their duties and causes inconvenience to others be considered a muhsin? A public servant who is aware that Allah sees them at all times will perform their duties diligently and punctually, thus not infringing upon the rights of others. If delays occur in processing the tasks of individuals visiting a government office, due to someone who claims to be a Muslim, pushing them to the following day or even weeks ahead, then that person has deviated from ihsan.
Similarly, a food merchant who is devout in their prayers but sells expired perishable goods by covering them with fancy packaging cannot be considered to be acting with ihsan. On the contrary, they would be deceitful, an act that incites divine wrath.
If the same merchant were to sell a similar product that is in date and in beautiful packaging, then that product would possess both inner and outer beauty. Allah the Exalted is pleased with such deeds because they have been carried out in accordance with the requirements of ihsan. According to the hadith, "One who deceives us is not one of us," no merchant or tradesperson who deceives others can be considered a muhsin.
From this example alone, it becomes evident that in every profession and indeed in every act of worship, individuals who are conscious that Allah sees them at all times and carry out their tasks and acts of worship diligently and devoutly are deserving of the status of a muhsin.
Servitude is not confined to acts of worship alone, nor is it limited to specific time periods. Servitude encompasses every moment and aspect of life. It is demonstrated not only through worship but also through respecting the rights of others, performing every task diligently, and constantly contemplating and engaging in acts of goodness day and night. In fact, when performed solely for Allah's pleasure, all actions become acts of worship.
Those Who Submit to Allah
In the 112th ayah of surah Al-Baqarah, it is stated: "Yes, (on the contrary), whoever submits his face [i.e., self] in Islam to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve."
The term "man aslama," meaning "whoever submits," comes from the same root as the words "salam" (peace) and "salamah" (safety). "Salam" conveys a sense of trust. Therefore, the ayah signifies that those who believe in Allah sincerely and wholeheartedly, who follow and submit to all of His commands and prohibitions without reservation, are free from both fear and sorrow.
For those who associate partners with Allah, show ingratitude towards Him, or die as hypocrites, there is an eternal life filled with fear. Such individuals face unimaginable horror at the moment of death, while still in this world. Then, the terrors of the grave, the Day of Judgment, the assembly, the reckoning, the Sirat bridge, and the torments of Hell follow one after another. The greatest fear of all is the fear of eternal punishment. It is for the avoidance of these fears that the way to salvation is explained in this ayah.
In the 125th ayah of surah An-Nisa, it is mentioned: "And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend."
There is no other way to attain the highest rank and the most beautiful state than to be a muhsin. Since our Lord has created us solely for the purpose of worshipping Him, and worship is achieved through sincere iman, ikhlas, and ihsan, we must constantly seek ways to improve our state of ihsan and sincerity.
Whatever we do, we must do it beautifully, performing acts of goodness and avoiding evil. We must do everything for the sake of Allah, with our faces turned towards Him in submission. This is the state mentioned in the ayah: "Whoever submits his face to Allah while being a doer of good has certainly grasped the most trustworthy handhold." (Luqman, 22)
The trustworthy handhold is iman, Islam, and the straight path. If we strive to do everything for the sake of Allah, aligning our selves, consciences, intellects, hearts, intentions, and actions with the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah, then we can be among the muhsins.
The contrast is to be among the unjust. In the 113th ayah of surah As-Saffat, Allah the Exalted states: "And We did bless him, and Ishaq. But among their descendants is the doer of good and the clearly unjust to himself [i.e., sinner]."
Here, our Lord mentions wrongdoers as the opposite of muhsins. Those who do good have actually done good to themselves, while those who transgress and descend into sin and wickedness have inflicted injustice upon themselves. The act of wronging oneselfprimarily stems from associating partners with Allah or falling into disbelief. Those who associate partners with Allah, those ungrateful individuals who become disbelievers, commit the greatest injustice by deserving eternal punishment and bringing it upon themselves.
To Be Among the Close Ones
There are servants of Allah, whom He highlights in the Quran, as being under His protection and divine favor. "Allah is with the believers" (Al-Anfal, 19), "Know that Allah is with the righteous" (At-Tawbah, 36), "Allah is with the patient" (Al-Anfal, 46), and "Indeed, Allah is with the muhsins" (Al-Ankabut, 69). In these ayahs, Allah the Exalted proclaims His divine support, protection, and blessing to the believers, the righteous, the patient, and the muhsins.
Sometimes, two of these qualities are mentioned together in a single ayah. An example of this is found in the following ayah: "Indeed, Allah is with the righteous and the muhsins." (An-Nahl, 128)
In the Quran, we see that the terms "muttaqin" (the righteous) and "muhsins" are either used together in the same ayah or in consecutive ayahs, intertwined with each other. Two such ayahs are found in surah Adh-Dhariyat, ayahs 15 and 16: "Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs, accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that muhsins."
Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır (rahmatullahi alayh) beautifully expressed an important characteristic of being a muhsin in his tafsir of this ayah: "They would perform good deeds, and they would perform them beautifully."
For a person to be a muhsin, it is not sufficient to merely perform good deeds. Every good deed should also be accompanied by a worthy demeanor. We can illustrate this with an example: Giving in charity is a good deed. However, if a Muslim who gives charity brags about it or rubs it in the face of the recipient, their action is no longer considered noble. The deed itself, giving charity, is inherently good. However, if the recipient of the charity is hurt or belittled, the merit of the good deed is nullified.
Allah the Exalted warns His servants about this matter, saying: "O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders or injury as does one who spends his wealth (only) to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day." (Al-Baqarah, 264)
The Reward of the Muhsins
Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) states in surah Ar-Rahman, ayah 60, "The reward for goodness is nothing but goodness." In another ayah, it is mentioned, "...Say, 'Forgive us,' and We will forgive you. And We will increase the reward for the muhsins." (Al-Baqarah, 58)
From these ayahs, it is understood that those who perform acts of ihsan will be blessed in both the worldly life and the Hereafter. The muhsins are those who do good deeds solely for the sake of Allah's pleasure and expect their reward only from Him. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) informs us about the rewards prepared for the generous muhsins and their qualities in the following ayahs:
"Indeed, the righteous will have a drink from a goblet, blended with (a drink from) Camphor, that will be a spring from which Allah’s servants will drink, making it flow (wherever they wish) profusely. They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows and fear a Day whose evil will be widespread. And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, (saying), 'We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude. Indeed, We fear from our Lord a Day austere and distressful.' So Allah will protect them from the evil of that Day and give them radiance and happiness." (Al-Insan, 5-11)
Allah's mercy is near to the muhsins. In surah Al-A'raf, after the 55th ayah, whichsays, "Supplicate to your Lord humbly and secretly. Surely, He does not like those who cross the limits," the 56th ayah states, "Do not make mischief on the earth after it has been set in order. Supplicate Him in fear and hope. Surely, the mercy of Allah is close to those who are good in their deeds."
Those who supplicate to their Lord with humility and sincerity, without engaging in lies, slander, oppression, murder, theft, arson, robbery, usury, unjust wars, or causing discord through plots and intrigues, are the ones who fear Allah and hope in His mercy. These are the muhsins for whom Allah's mercy is close at hand.
Righteous Deeds
The rank of ihsan is attained through righteous deeds. No action of a muhsin goes in vain. In the 120th ayah of surah At-Tawbah, Allah (jalla jalaluhu) says, "It was not (permissible) for the people of Madinah and for those around them of the Bedouins to stay behind abandoning the Messenger of Allah, nor to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because whatever thirst or fatigue or hunger strikes them in the way of Allah, and whenever they step into a place which infuriates the infidels, and whenever they make a gain from an enemy, a virtuous deed is credited to their account. Surely, Allah does not nullify the reward of the muhsins."
When believers show goodness to their parents, relatives, orphans, neighbors, the poor, close friends, and other people, and even to animals, and when they endure hardships, hunger, thirst, and make progress during jihad or gaining any victory that angers the enemy, all of these acts are written down as righteous deeds by Allah.
Allah does not waste the reward of righteous deeds, and He always gives their due compensation. "Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds." (Al-Kahf, 30)
Muhsins are those who never neglect their prayers and face all difficulties with patience. Immediately after commanding the establishment of salah, our Lord says, "Surely, good deeds erase bad deeds" (Hud, 114). Salah itself is a good deed. Since the word "hasanah" (good deed) comes from the same root as muhsin, whoever performs their salah has taken a great step towards attaining this blessed rank in the sight of Allah.
Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır (may Allah have mercy on him) explained the part of the verse that says "Surely, good deeds erase bad deeds" as follows:
"In short, establish the five daily prayers. It is certain that good deeds eliminate misdeeds. That is, each prayer is a good deed, and the five daily prayers are good deeds. As long as good deeds continue, misdeeds are erased and eliminated; this is certain. Therefore, as long as one continues to perform the five daily prayers, some misdeeds committed due to human nature are erased and eliminated.
The five daily prayers serve as an expiation for minor sins that may occur in between them. There is a hadith that states, 'The prayer between two consecutive prayers is an expiation for whatever minor sins were committed during that period' (Sahih Muslim, Taharah, 16). Furthermore, it is mentioned, 'Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing' (Al-Ankabut, 45). Therefore, as one continues to establish the prayers, a sense of aversion towards evil and sins develops. Thus, prayer helps people to distance themselves from major sins and, if there are any habits to be abandoned, it arouses remorse and leads to repentance."
In addition to prayer, Allah (jalla jalaluhu) advises people to have patience in the 115th ayah of surah Hud, saying, "And be patient. Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the muhsins."
In surah Yusuf, ayah 90, Allah the Most High says, "...then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the muhsins."
Ihsan As an Attribute of the Prophets
Being a muhsin is a characteristic especially attributed to the prophets. In surah Al-An'am, ayah 84, Allah says, "And We gave to Ibrahim, Ishaq and Yakub - all [of them] We guided. And Nuh, We guided before; and among his descendants, Dawud and Sulayman and Ayyub and Yusuf and Musa and Harun. Thus do We reward the muhsins."
In this ayah, Allah refers to these prophets by mentioning their names as muhsins. Therefore, anyone who advances in ihsan is instilled with the qualities of the prophets themselves.
Indeed, all prophets are muhsins. As another example from the Quran, we can refer to the story of Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail (alayhima assalam):“So, when both of them submitted themselves (to Allah’s will), and he laid him on his forehead (to slaughter him) And then We called out to him, “O Ibrahim, you did make the dream come true. We thus reward the muhsins” (As-Saffat, 103-105)
Allah the Most High refers to Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail (alayhima assalam) as muhsins because they obeyed Allah. It can be understood from this that the fundamental condition for being a muhsin is obedience to Allah. It is not possible to be considered among the righteous or be a muhsin without obeying Allah.
Furthermore, in the Quran, it is stated, "Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof (to his credit)" (Al-An'am, 160). Indeed, Allah does not renege on His promise. In light of this bright news, it is our duty as Muslims to live with ihsan and enrich our lives with good deeds.
If we seek the righteous deeds that will please our Lord every day and practice ihsan in our worship, our behavior towards others, and every moment of our lives, then we truly deserve to be called muhsins. The result is eternal love and being beloved by He whose love is the greatest and worthiest to be pursued. For Allah indeed loves the muhsins.
Qualities of the Muhsins
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01 Muhsins perform acts of goodness.
In fact, they are called muhsins because they engage in acts of kindness and ihsan. As one deepens their embodiment of ihsan as a quality, their status as a muhsin reaches higher levels.
The verse, "And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw (yourselves) with your (own) hands into destruction (by refraining). And do good; indeed, Allah loves the muhsins," (Al-Baqarah, 195) indicates that the most prominent characteristic of the Muhsins is to do good.
In the interpretation of this ayah, it is stated: "O believers! Pay attention to these matters, treat everyone with kindness, and do what you do in a beautiful manner, for goodness is what is required of you. Surely, Allah loves those who do good. Therefore, facilitate your spending in the best way possible and eliminate any evil in the best manner when faced with it. And respond to kindness with equal kindness when responding with something even better is not possible."
Spending in the way of Allah is primarily done through giving zakat (obligatory charity), offering voluntary sadaqah (charity), and donating movable and immovable properties. Showing kindness and generosity to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, close neighbors, distant neighbors, close friends, travelers, family members, workers, students, and any expenditure made for the preparations of jihad are all considered acts of spending that will please Allah.
02 Muhsins are strong adherents of taqwa.
A person who possesses taqwa is one who truly fears Allah and is mindful of His commands. We understand the complementary nature of taqwa and ihsan from the 133rd and 134th ayahs of surah Ali Imran:
"And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden (i.e., Paradise) as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous, who spend (in the cause of Allah) during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people. Allah loves the muhsins."
At the end of the ayah, it is mentioned, "Allah loves the muhsins." Muhsins are those who spend in the cause of Allah during times of ease and hardship, who suppress their anger, and who refrain from wronging others in speech or action. They are also characterized by taqwa.
03 They struggle with patient perseverance in the path of Allah.
Allah, in surah Ali Imran (146-148), says: "And how many a prophet [fought and] with him fought many religious scholars. But they never lost assurance due to what afflicted them in the cause of Allah, nor did they weaken or submit. And Allah loves the patient. And Allah gave them a reward in this world and the good reward of the Hereafter. And Allah loves the muhsins."
These individuals fought for the sake of Allah and displayed unwavering patience. Because of their steadfastness, Allah loved them and rewarded them both in this world (with victories, dominion, wealth, and tranquility) and in the Hereafter (with the beauty of eternal rewards). They were indeed those who combined acts of goodness with the commitment to fight and persevere.
04 Muhsins are forgiving.
In surah Ali Imran, in the 134th ayah, it is mentioned that muhsins are those who suppress their anger and forgive others. Immediately after commanding the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to forgive the past treacheries of the Jews in the 13th ayah of surah Al-Ma'idah, it is stated, "Indeed, Allah loves the muhsins."
Forgiveness is a part of ihsan, an act of goodness. Regarding the significance of forgiveness, it is narrated that Umar bin Khattab (radiyallahu anh) said, "One who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy, one who does not forgive will not be forgiven, and one who does not pardon will not be pardoned. And the one who does not possess taqwa will not be protected."
05 Muhsins have good intentions, a benevolent approach, righteous deeds, and overall goodness in every aspect.
In surah Al-Ma'idah (82-85), Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) mentions those Christians who, upon hearing the recitation of the Qur'an, understand that the ayahs are the words of Allah and their eyes fill with tears. They are the believers who embrace faith upon hearing the ayahs. In response, Allah rewards them with gardens beneath which rivers flow. At the end of ayah 85, it is stated, "This is the reward of the muhsins."
The reason why Jews like Abdullah bin Salam and Christians like the companions of Negus embraced faith upon hearing the Qur'an is due to their pure intentions and their engagement in righteous deeds even before embracing Islam. Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır (rahmatullahi alayh) explains this as follows: "This is the reward for the muhsins, those who possess a benevolent outlook, good intentions, and engage in righteous deeds: in other words, those who make a habit of performing their actions in the best manner."
We understand from the following hadith narrated by Hakim bin Hizam (radiyallahu anh) how valuable good deeds are: I said, "O Messenger of Allah, in the pre-Islamic era, I did acts of goodness such as making supplications, freeing slaves, and giving charity. Will I receive any reward for these deeds?" He responded, "Indeed, you have embraced Islam due to the goodness of the deeds you previously performed."
From this hadith, we can infer that those who are closest to faith on earth are individuals who perform every action with good intentions and a positive outlook. Likewise, it becomes evident that the people of polytheism and disbelief are characterized as having ill intentions, malignant outlooks, arrogance, closed-mindedness, and continuously engaging in harm towards themselves and others. Therefore, it becomes clear why they remain polytheists and disbelievers.
06 Muhsins renounce everything Allah has prohibited.
According to a narration, when the verse that prohibited alcohol was revealed, the Companions asked the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), "O Messenger of Allah! What will be the fate of our brothers who passed away before this prohibition and consumed alcohol?" In response to this question, ayah 93 of surah Al-Ma'idah was revealed:
"Those who believed and performed righteous deeds, and then believed and performed righteous deeds again, there is no blame upon them for what they have consumed [in the past] when they feared [Allah] and believed and did righteous deeds. Then they feared [Allah] and believed, and once again did righteous deeds. And Allah loves the muhsins."
Salih Selçuk
