Ihsaan (also spelled ihsān) is defined as "spiritual virtue" and represents the inner, mystical dimension of religious practice.
The primary definition found in the texts is derived from a saying of the Prophet Muhammad. He defined ihsaan as a state of intense spiritual awareness: "It is that thou shouldst worship God as if thou sawest Him, for if thou seest Him not, verily He seeth thee".
Ihsan is considered one of the three essential dimensions that comprise the religion of Islam, alongside islam and iman:
Islam: Submission to God through right activity.
Iman: Faith in God through sound understanding.
Ihsan: Love for God expressed through "choosing the beautiful over the ugly" ``.
In the context of Sufism (Tasawwuf), ihsan is described not merely as an action, but as a transformative state of being:
Restoration: It represents the "equilibrium of the innermost faculties of the soul" brought about by reintegrating the human being into their spiritual center.
Reflection: A person possessing this virtue becomes a "mirror reflecting God" with their whole being, including the body.
Original State: It is viewed as the "natural" state of humanity before the fall, attained by removing the "opaque" veils that prevent the radiation of Divine Light.
In Rumi's poetry, the concept is also associated with Divine bounty, kindness, and beneficence (jud), where the heart is described as scattering gold resulting from ihsan. It is an attribute invoked when calling upon God as the "Beneficent One" (Muhsin).