Jul 10, 2022
2 mins read
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
Allah is the creator and Allah created us to worship Him alone. None deserves to be worshiped but Allah, Sovereign of the heavens and the earth; None brings harm or benefit except Him.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me. [Quran 51:56]
Worship means to deity only Allah, to lower and humble oneself to Him alone, and to submit to Him (Allah, the Exalted and the Blessed) by doing whatever He has commanded and refraining from whatever He has prohibited, scholars have defined it as a comprehensive term that encompasses everything that Allah loves and pleases.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:
''Worship is a comprehensive name covering whatever Allaah loves and is pleased with, both sayings and actions, the apparent and the hidden, this includes Prayer, zakah, fasting, Hajj, Supplication, remembering Allah, reading Quran, putting trust in His (the Almighty and the Exalted) help, to hope for His (the Almighty and the Exalted) mercy, to fear His (the Almighty and the Exalted) punishment, turn to Him in repentance, speaking the truth, fulfilling trust, doing good to parents and to kin, keeping promises, enjoining good and forbidding the evil, good behavior towards neighbors, orphans, the poor, wayfarer, slaves, Jihad against the infidels and hypocrites, and so on.''
A Muslim should treat as lawful that which Allah has declared to be lawful and treat as forbidden that which Allah has declared to be forbidden. They should submit in all their manners, actions, and behaviors to Shari‘ah resisting all personal desires and whims. This is applied both to individuals and societies and to both men and women. Anyone who submits to Allah in some aspects of their life and to creatures in other aspects is not a true worshipper of Allah.
Abul A'la Mawdudi wrote:
''The duty of a Muslim [ is to be always obedient to his Master, to carry out all his orders meticulously and to refrain from following his own desires or opinions or following anybody else contrary to his Master's wishes"
We worship Allah (the Exalted and the Almighty), as He and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) have commanded, Allah, the Exalted and the Almighty, says:
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبْطِلُوٓا۟ أَعْمَـٰلَكُمْ
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and do not invalidate your deeds. [Quran 47:33]
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." [Quran 3:31]
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
''Whoever does any deed (in religion) which we have not commanded, it is rejected.'' [Reported by Muslim]
We should worship Allah (the Almighty and the Exalted) with fear and hope.
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
Do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order. And call upon Him with hope and fear. Indeed, Allah’s mercy is always close to the good-doers. [Quran 7:56]
The prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
''I beseech Allah to grant me paradise, and I seek refuge in Him from Hell-fire.'' [Reported by Sunan Abu Dawood]
We Invoke Allah to bestow useful knowledge upon all of us, and to guide us to righteous deeds.