سورة البقرة‎ (The Cow): Verse 189-196

 Real Ihsan is to obey and worship Allaah as we see him and if we can’t do that, then at least consider that He’s watching us.

Imagine someone whom you not only respect, but also love in a way, that you fear hurting or disobeying them. And that someone asks you to do something. Assume that it’s your mother, father or any higher respectable authority whose love, attention and care is something you long for. What quality of work would you produce for them? Especially when they are monitoring you/are around you? While you know that, they know that you know. You get that? Can you now distinguish a bit between the two states?

Ihsan is not only in our worship – our prayer or fast etc. It is beautifying every deed for the sake of Allaah alone hence becoming independent of anyone’s appreciation of our efforts. That’s simply not the target. We rise above. We go beyond. Alhamdulillah for this is where the contentment lies. In doing things for the sake of Allaah.

Few Practical Examples of Goodness from the Research Point of View:

* Data from 255 metropolitan areas across the US found that communities that pull together — essentially doing nice little things for each other like volunteering and helping a neighbor out —are happier. Social capital has a protective effect: people are happier when they do the right thing. [PSYblog]

* While doing good and feeling good both make us feel happy, it’s doing good that benefits us at the genetic level. [PSYblog]

And when that doing good is for the sake of Allah, it’s effects reach far and across.

When one does such things for the sake of Allah, many of such daily stresses dissolve. Don’t ever give up because the world expects a different version of you for themselves. We need to keep reminding ourselves that we are made honorable to serve our Rabb and not be slaves to people or our desires. If our actions and intentions are truly for the sake of Allah, then with time, the results will stop to bother us. Because results aren’t in our hands. This world slips right through our fingers and we should just learn to let it slip by. It’s not ours to keep and others are not here to serve us or make us happy. We are here to serve Allah and be happy as a result.

If that means silence amidst rage, leaving an argument when you’re right, smiling when someone is rude, or making peace with someone who has wronged you, then it’s relatively a smaller price to pay. People may not deserve all of you but Allah does! Give him the best you!