Qist, Adl, Ihsan And Their Mutual Relationship
Qist and Adl are usually taken as synonymous terms but there is a subtle yet a very noteworthy difference between the two of them. I think this article brings out and explains the difference well. https://www.al-islam.org/theory-of-justice-imam-khomeini/chapter-2-concepts-and-theories-adl-islam And if Ihsan is giving more than what is due, then how does it work in the framework of a society? Do we start paying more at shops?
Ihsan shouldn’t be seen in isolation. It doesn’t exist independently of any other action. And the actions which require ihsan must’ve have an ethical basis for them for begin with (i.e. ikhlaqi bunyaad). It is this basis which requires good deeds and those good deeds are them complemented by Ihsan. Taking your example, just paying a shopkeeper extra for any purchase without any basis doesn’t come under ihsan by any definition. In some cases, this act can actually tantamount to extravagance (‘israaf’). Now either one should pay that money under umbrella of infaaq because one knows or have a clue that shopkeeper is having troubles in making his ends meet or there must be some other basis like you’re trying to make good for some loss suffered by the shopkeeper at the hands of someone else. Now if you see at the last case, there was no obligation at your end to make good for that loss but you went above and beyond to help out that shopkeeper which will surely come under ihsan but on the basis of infaaq that you decided to do.