What is Worship?

What is the explanation of “worship”?

Worship (Ibadah):

* “I created the jinn and the men to worship me alone!” (Ad-Dariyah, 56)

* As asserted by this ayah, worship is the goal of the creation of the humankind and the jinn.

* Ibadah being an Arabic word means “to worship”. To explain more, showing respect to Allah (swt) and behaviors, movements done with a good intention and words told in order to get closer to him.

* To gravitate Allah (swt) from the heart. To fulfill the religious obligations and actions in order to attain the consent of Allah.

* Accepting the existence and oneness of Allah, in other words the biggest indicator of imaan (belief).

* Meaning to obey what is ordered and to avoid what is forbidden. Ibadah is a complete submission of human beings to Allah with heart and the spirit. Namely, Ibadah (worship) is worshippers’ declaration of the obeying Allah not his own flesh and fleshly desires.

* It is such a powerful and glorious connection between the abd (worshipper-servant) and his God (Allah). Because a human can only show his/her being impotence and gratitude and service to his God only by the means of worship. In this way he/she declares that his God and the owner and the creator is only Allah. Claiming all his needs from hid Lord, he attracts his Lord’s mercy upon him in the world and in the hereafter.

* As eating and drinking are the sustenance of the body, worship is also the sustenance of the soul.

* Ibadah (worship) is not restricted with the 5 pillars of Islam. All the behaviors and words Allah loves and consents are regarded as worship.

* As performing the daily prayers (salah), giving zakah (giving alms) are all Ibadah (worship), also good nature, studying Islamic knowledge (ilm), enduring illnesses and disasters are all regarded as Ibadats (worships).