Sheikul Islam, Hazrat Mufti Taqi Uthmani Saab (Hafizahullah) relates the following;
Hazrat Dr. Muhammad Abdul Hayy Arifi (Rahimahullah) is my Sheikh. Once, he related the following incident.
‘A man called me and said with much enthusiasm and pleasure, that he had attained the rank of Ihsaan. Ihsan is a very exalted status, as mentioned in the Hadith,
أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ
(Ihsaan is) that you worship Allah Ta’ala as though you are seeing him. If you are unable to, then (you have the cognisance) that certainly He is seeing you. [Muslim:1]
That person told Hazrat that he had attained the rank of Ihsaan. Hazrat (Rahimahullah) congratulated him on this great achievement as it is certainly an immense Ni’mah. Hazrat also asked him this question, “Do you feel the Ni’mah of Ihsaan only during your Salaah and Ibadah, or do you also feel it during your dealings with your wife and children?”
He responded, “The Hadith mentions that while one is in Ibadah, he should feel as though he is seeing Allah Ta’ala or Allah Ta’ala is seeing him; this is Ihsaan. I thought that Ihsaan is linked exclusively to Ibadah and not other aspects of life.”
Hazrat Dr. Saab stated that this was the reason he posed the question. Generally, it is misunderstood that Ihsaan is only during Ibadah, Zikr and Tilawah. This is incorrect. In fact, Ihsaan is required at all times and in all walks of life. If you are sitting in a shop and engaging in some business, you should have this firmly embedded in your heart ‘Allah Ta’ala is watching me’! Ihsaan is also required when dealing with your subordinates. You should feel that Allah Ta’ala is seeing you, even when dealing with your wife, children, friends and neighbours. This is what Ihsaan really means. It is not restricted to Salaah and Ibadah.’
[Adapted from Islahi Khutubaat, Shiekhul Islam, Hazrat Mufti Taqi Uthmani Saab Hafizahullah.]