WORSHIP

What is Worship?

Worship denotes servanthood. In the religious context, worship refers to carrying out God’s commandments and shunning the prohibited in order to earn His good pleasure and approval, and to perform servitude to Him in the manner prescribed by the religion. Worship is to do what God is pleased with and to refrain from doing that with which He is displeased.

That is to say, worship is the manner of putting belief into practice. It is belief that is exhibited with the remaining bodily limbs and organs, apart from the faith of the heart. Moreover, worship are the set of actions where servitude to God—or a person’s arranging all their relationships with their environment, human beings and all creation in accordance with Divine approval and pleasure—shows itself.

God has enjoined worship for human beings on account of certain religious wisdoms and purposes. For this reason, worship is a Divine commandment and a religious obligation; it is a right pertaining to God. God Himself charged human beings with worship and taught it to them by means of His Messenger. Consequently, worship neither increases nor decreases. It does not change with the changing times. The way in which God commanded and the Messenger demonstrated it is precisely how it is done.

Worship is divided into three categories on the basis of the manner of their observance:

1. Worship performed with the body: Like the Prescribed Daily Prayer and fasting. These acts of worship need to be performed by the person themselves, with the body. These acts of worship cannot be performed by means of appointing any other on their behalf.

2. Worship performed with one’s wealth: These include the prescribed purifying alms, charity and the alms given during the month of Ramadan, which are carried out by giving a portion of one’s wealth to those in need for the sake of God.

3. Worship performed both with one’s wealth and body: Like the major and minor Pilgrimages, for instance, that require financial means as well as health needed for the journey.

Story: Don’t Underestimate Any Act of Worship

One day, an itinerant who distributed free water on one of Baghdad’s main streets was heard making the following supplication: “May Allah allow those who drink of my water to drink from the rivers of Paradise.” Great Sufi Ma’ruf al-Karkhi immediately approached and drank from the man’s water even though he was observing the voluntary fast. Those around him warned him saying, “You were fasting. You didn’t need to break your fast after the afternoon Prayer, or had you forgotten?”

“No,” he replied, “I neither forgot, nor overlooked the fact that it was just after the afternoon Prayer.”

“Then why did you drink the water,” they asked once more. He explained the situation as follows:

“You never know where the Lord’s approval lies. It is quite likely that this innocent man’s Prayer is more acceptable to God than my supererogatory fast. I opted to drink from his water in order to be favored with being one of the people intended by this supplication. I can observe this fast again, but I cannot receive this Prayer again.”

Indeed the outcome was just as he had hoped for after his death, a close relation who saw him in a dream asked him, “You had much goodness and worship. For which of these did our Lord favor and reward you most?” His response was exactly the following: “The Prayer of the man for whose water I broke fast was more valuable than all of them!”

Indeed, do not underestimate or think little of any act of goodness or worship, for no one knows in which one of these Divine approval and pleasure is hidden. What you deem to be small, the Lord highly esteems and renders a means for your forgiveness.

The Human Being Finds Peace and Attains Maturity through Worship

Human beings themselves are in need of worship. When a person falls ill, they go to the doctor and after the doctor diagnoses that person’s illness; they prescribe certain medications for their treatment. They then insist upon the patient’s taking their medication. In exactly the same way, acts of worship are like the prescription written by God Himself for the treatment of the human being’s spiritual wounds and sicknesses. The peace and happiness of humanity is only possible through their observance of their worship. A person whose heart is exuberant with servitude to God attains spiritual satiation. To the extent that they ascend to a level of servanthood with which God is pleased, they feel the deepest jubilation in their inner world and experience pleasures that defy description. By virtue of the spiritual pleasures such a person receives, they are able to stand unshaken in the face of any trial or difficulty confronting them in their daily lives. This is because they have relied upon and hav,e complete trust in God Almighty, the only Creator of all things and events. The greatest blessing for us as servants is our exertion to realize our duty of servanthood to our Lord. Such an endeavor brings peace to both the person themselves as well as to their environment.

Qur’anic Verses

I have not created the jinn and humankind but to (know and) worship Me (exclusively). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56).

Assuredly, it is I. I am God; there is no deity save Me. So worship Me, and establish the Prayer in conformity with its conditions for remembrance of Me. (Ta-Ha 20:14).

Now O humankind! Worship your Lord Who has created you as well as those before you (and brought you up in your human nature and identity), so that you may attain reverent piety toward Him and His protection (against any kind of straying and its consequent punishment in this world and the Hereafter). (Al-Baqarah 2:21).

You alone do We worship, and from You alone do we seek help. (Al-Fatiha 1:5).

But they were not enjoined anything other than that they should worship God, sincere in faith in Him and practicing the Religion purely for His sake, as people of pure faith; and establish the Prayer in accordance with its conditions; and pay the Prescribed Purifying Alms. And that is the upright, ever-true Religion. (Al-Bayyina 98:5).

And (continue to) worship your Lord until what is certain (death) comes to you. (Al-Hijr 15:99).

Prophetic Traditions

The Messenger of God said: “O Allah, the Turner of the hearts, turn our hearts to Your obedience.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 46, Hadith 29).

The Messenger of God said: “Ihsan (God-consciousness) is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (take it for granted that) Allah sees you.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 60, Hadith 300).

It was narrated from Mutarrif that his father said: “I came to the Prophet when he was praying, and there was a sound coming from his chest like the sound of water boiling (meaning, he was weeping).” (Sunan an-Nasa’i, Book 13, Hadith 36).

The Prophet used to pray so much that his feet used to become edematous or swollen, and when he was asked as to why he prays so much, he would say, “Shall I not be a thankful servant (to Allah)?” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 81, Hadith 60).

Questions

1) In which city did the incident between Imam Abu Hanifa when he still a young man and a fire-worshiping merchant take place?

A) Basra C) Damascus

B) Baghdad D) Najaf

2) Where do all the world’s eels deposit their eggs each year?

A) Alaska C) Austria

B) Madagascar D) Bermuda

3) When such birds of prey as eagles, hawks and falcons are killed the number of snakes increase, when snakes are killed the number of frogs increase, and when frogs are killed _______ increase. Who is it Who binds the existence of all these creatures to each another and Who establishes this astonishing order? Which of the following animals best fills in the blank in the above sentence?

A) Flies

B) Crickets

C) Bees

D) Butterflies

4) _______ denotes servanthood. In the religious context, _______ refers to carrying out God’s commandments and shunning the prohibited in order to earn His good pleasure and approval, and to perform servitude to Him in the manner prescribed by the religion. Which of the following words best fills in the blanks in the above sentences?

A) Prescribed Prayer

B) Worship

C) Belief

D) Prescribed Purifying Alms

5) Which of the following is not one of the acceptable forms of worship?

A) Worship performed with worldly benefits

B) Sincere worship performed with the body

C) Worship performed with one’s wealth for the sake of God

D) Worship performed with one’s wealth and body in the path of God