Worshipping God

The Quranic word Al-Ibadah means the Act of Worship. To most people, the Act of Worship is primarily prostrating and observing the prayer. However, the Quran enlightens us that the Act of Worship is a much more profound concept than just the Act of Prayer. The words of God to His chosen prophet Moses were:

[20:14] I am God, there is no god except Me. So worship Me, and observe the Salat to commemorate Me.

The words "worship Me" and "observe the Salat", spoken of as separate acts, tell us that worshipping God is not confined to the ritual of Salat. Whilst the Salat is a specific ritual decreed for specific times of the day, the Act of Worship is an uninterrupted state of the mind, body and heart. It is an exalted spiritual awareness and acceptance of God in our lives. In this sense, the Act of Worship is a very much-needed nourishment for the nafs (self). Without the Act of Worship, dedicated exclusively to God alone, one is unable to attain inner peace, and ultimately, true happiness.

Our physical bodies, by submitting to God's will, are in a perpetual state of worship. All our body organs and tissue are ordained to function in a meticulous pre-ordained manner designed by God, over which we have no control whatsoever. Every organ and cycle in our body is in a ceaseless state of submission to the will of God. However, the self is given the freedom of choice. If the self chooses the same route as the ordained body, harmony will be struck between body and self, the reward of which will be true happiness. On the other hand, if the self is rebellious, unappreciative or egoistic and elects not to worship God, true happiness can never be attained no matter how much wealth and status the human being may possess.

The Quran, being a fully detailed Book, provides the believers with the following information: whom should we always worship, whom should we never worship, and how should we worship.

Most believers will seem offended by the first question. They will say, "Of course we worship God!" However, the Quran indicates that what human beings worship is not necessarily what they say they worship but is what or whoever occupies their minds most of the time.

Who are we warned not to worship?

The Quran states that the human being is prone to worship anyone, or all of the following:

1. Material Possessions

If the only thing a person thinks of is money and how to make money, if his mind is primarily occupied with how much he would make out of this or that deal, if everything in his life is assessed according to its material benefit - it can be said that he worships money. If his business or his property distracts him from worshipping God, then he worships his possessions.

The following parable in Chapter 18 portrays the tale of the man who was so occupied with his garden to the extent of setting it up as his idol, arrogantly boasting about it to his friend, saying that it will never cease to yield its crop. Consequently, God wiped it out as punishment:

[18:42] His fruits were totally ruined, so he started wringing his hands over what he had spent on it, as now it had fallen on its trellises, and said, "I wish I had not associated anyone with my Lord."

The story of Solomon and the horses that distracted him from worshipping God:

[38:31-33] When the thoroughbred horses were displayed before him in the evening, he said, "I loved the material things over the remembrance of my Lord until it disappeared behind a veil. Bring them back to me." He then started stroking their legs and necks.

Solomon allowed material possessions to distract him from worshipping God. When he realised his error, the sun had already set causing him to miss his Salat. As a result, he repented. Realizing that nothing should have distracted him from worshipping God, he got rid of the horses. Indeed the righteous in the sight of God are described in Chapter 24:

[24:37] Men who are not distracted by trade or sale from the remembrance of God.

2. Children and Spouse

The Quran warns strongly that our offspring are a Fetnah (test) of our true worship. Are we going to become totally wrapped up in them to the extent of being distracted from worshipping God?

[7:189-190] Then when she got heavier, they implored God their Lord: "If You grant us a good one, we will be among the thankful." Then, when He granted them a good one, they set up partners to Him in what He had given them. Exalted is God, far above what they associate with Him.

[64:15] Your wealth and your children are but a test, and with God lies a great reward.

3. One's Own Ego

The Quran also warns against worshipping our own self. People with inflated egos are the ones most prone to such behaviour. They are so self-centred that they always think they are right. Ultimately, their own whims become their god:

[25:43] Have you seen the one who has taken his personal desire as his god? Would you be his trustee?

The Quran states that to protect one's self against this danger we should always behave with modesty and humility:

[31:18] God does not like the arrogant, boastful.

The close connection between worshipping God alone and being humble is also made evident:

[4:36] Worship God and do not associate anything with Him... God does not like the ones who are arrogant and boastful.

A case of a whole people ending up worshipping themselves is narrated in the Quran in relation to those who claimed Paradise was exclusively reserved for them:

[62:6] Say, "O you who are Jewish, if you claim that you are allies of God, to the exclusion of all other people, then long for death if you are truthful."

[2:94] Say, "If the Abode of the Hereafter is yours at God, to the exclusion of all other people, then long for death if you are truthful."

4. Objects

Perhaps the more familiar example in this category is the worship of stone idols and statues. The Quran warns very strongly against any association with stone. In the story of Abraham:

[6:74] Abraham said to his father Azar, "Do you take stone idols as gods? I see that you and your people are in clear misguidance."

All altars and monuments are told to be the work of the devil:

[5:90] O you who believe, intoxicants, gambling, altars and arrows of chance are impurities that are the work of the devil, so stay away from him so that you may succeed.

5. The Angels, Messengers and Saints

There is a very thin line between idolization and worshipping. What would you call those who kiss the ground on which the Pope walks? What do you call those who visit the shrines of Muslim saints and call on them to answer their prayers or to intercede on their behalf? The Quran states categorically that to call on anyone other than God is to commit idol worship.

The Quran establishes the fact that no genuine messenger will ever command his people to glorify or idolize him:

[3:79-80] It is not for any human being to whom God gave the Scripture, the law, and the prophethood to then say to the people, "Be worshippers of me rather than God," but instead, "Be devoted to the Lord in accordance to the Scripture you have been teaching and in accordance to what you have been studying." Nor would he command you to take the angels and the prophets as lords. Would he command you to disbelieve after becoming Submitters?

Nor will any genuine messenger ask for any kind of return for his services:

[26:109] I do not ask you for a reward for it. My reward comes only from the Lord of the Worlds.

The Quran asserts that all those who died - whether saints, messengers or idols - cannot hear us when we call on them:

[35:13-14] Those whom you call upon besides Him do not possess as much as a seed's shell. If you call upon them, they cannot hear your calls, and even if they were to hear, they would not respond to you, and on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your shirk. None can inform you like One who is All-Aware.

On the Day of Judgment, those who have been idolized will disown the ones who idolized them:

[2:165-167] Among the people are those who take other than God as equals, loving them as the love of God. However, those who believe have a much greater love for God... Those who were followed disowned those who followed them, they witnessed the punishment and all connections between them were cut off. Those who followed said, "If only we had another chance, we would disown them as they have disowned us." God thus shows them their deeds bringing remorse upon them. They will not exit the Fire.

The Quran warns very strongly against setting up God's messengers as idols:

[18:102] Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants as allies besides Me? We have prepared Hell as hospitality for the disbelievers.

Those who commit such transgressions will come up with the most outrageous excuses:

[39:3] Unquestionably, it is to God that the pure religion is due. Those who set up allies besides Him: "We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to God in proximity." God will judge between them regarding that over which they differ. God does not guide one who is a lying disbeliever.

6. The Devil

There are various sects all over the world today who worship Satan (Iblis). The Quran states that the devil will order his followers to commit evil:

[2:268] The devil promises you poverty and commands you to commit immorality.

We are given a reminder in the Quran that God took a very early oath from all of us, not to worship the devil:

[36:60-61] Did I not take an oath from you, O Children of Adam, that you shall not worship the devil, for he is a clear enemy to you, and that you shall worship Me, for that is a straight path?

[19:44] O my father, do not worship the devil. The devil is disobedient to the Almighty.

How Should We Worship God?

If these are some of the temptations that can divert us from the Straight Path and from worshipping God alone, what are we to do to be certain that we worship God alone? The Quran lists no less than twelve separate acts. They are specific acts to be observed and at the same time, they serve as genuine indications of the purity of our worship. The deen al-khalis (pure religion) spoken of in the Quran (39:3) requires that every one of the twelve acts must be dedicated exclusively to God alone.

Act One: Recognition and Deification

The first requisite for worshipping God is to recognize His Existence. The Quran provides a wealth of information that supports the believer, both the knowledgeable and the unlearned, to recognize the existence of God. For the benefit of the scientifically minded, there is ample scientific information testifying that the creation of the universe and its maintenance are precisely executed and could never be products of chance.

Once Recognition is secured, the next step is the Deification and Apotheosis of God - to instil in our hearts the realisation that God alone possesses the attributes to be a god and that there is no god other than He. These two facts are asserted by the following words in 20:14: "I am God" and "There is no god except Me."

The Quran asserts the fact that if there were other gods besides God the whole universe would be disrupted:

[21:22] If there were other gods in them (Heavens and the Earth) besides God, they would have been ruined.

There are those who will acquire the Recognition of the existence of God, but their minds refuse the Deification of God:

[23:84-90] Say, "To whom belongs the Earth and all who are in it, if you know?" They will say, "To God." Say, "Then will you not take heed?" Say, "Who is the Lord of the seven universes, and the Lord of the Great Throne?" They will say, "To God." Say, "Then will you not be reverent?"... Rather, We have provided them with the truth, and they are liars.

Without this crucial Act of Deification, one is not able to observe any of the other Acts of Worship. This act is the cornerstone and the foundation on which all other Acts of Worship originate and are based.

Act Two: Glorification and Exaltation

The awareness of the vastness of our universe, which is only the innermost of seven universes (67:3), and the fact that all seven are all folded in the grip of God's hand (39:67), leaves the mind in a total state of awe. Many verses in the Quran point out that it is impossible for the human being to comprehend the greatness of God:

[39:67] They did not value God according to His true worth. The whole Earth is within His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the universes are folded up in His right hand. Glory to Him and exalted is He, far above what they associate with Him.

[10:61] There is not an atom's weight in the Earth or in the Heavens that is hidden from your Lord, nor is there anything smaller or larger than this, that is not recorded in a clear Book.

In due respect for our Mighty Creator, we are commanded to constantly glorify and exalt Him:

[87:1] Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High.

[62:1] Glorifying God is what is in the Heavens and what is in the Earth: the King, the Holy, the Dignified, the Wise.

To be able to glorify God sincerely we must always remember to curb our vanity and act modestly:

[7:206] Those at your Lord are never too proud to worship Him; they glorify Him, and to Him they prostrate.

Act Three: Adoration and Veneration

The Adoration of God is indeed the greatest love of all. The love of God is the noble driving force behind worshipping Him, upholding His Law, working righteousness and constantly seeking His approval. The true believers love God the most. Others, and to varying degrees, have set up idols whom they love equally if not more than God:

[2:165] Among the people are those who take other than God as equals, loving them as the love of God. However, those who believe have a much greater love for God.

It is the duty of every believer to love his brethren and be tolerant. No matter how much we may love our children, our partners or God's messengers - we should never love them as our love of God. Only the love of God is worthy of being elevated to the state of adoration. Love everybody and every good thing but adore only God.

Act Four: Commemoration and Remembrance

The commemoration of God can be done during the Salat as well as at any time of the day. The most important objective of the Salat is to commemorate God:

[29:45] Recite what is revealed to you of the Book and observe the Salat, for the Salat forbids immorality and evil, and the commemoration of God is of greater importance. Indeed, God knows what you do.

The Salat also provides specific benefits: it protects against immorality and evil, strengthens faith, provides reward in the Hereafter, and nourishes the self with closeness to God. Remembering and commemorating God is not restricted to the Salat - it is an act that sincere believers observe at all times:

[33:41] O you who believe, remember God frequently.

[13:28] They are the ones who believe and whose hearts are assured through the remembrance of God. Absolutely, through the remembrance of God do the hearts feel assured.

On the other hand, for those who abstain from commemorating God:

[20:124] As for the one who turns away from My remembrance, he will have a miserable life, and We will summon him on the Day of Resurrection blind.

Act Five: Obedience

In order to obey God wholeheartedly, it is first necessary to accept that God is the only lawmaker:

[6:114] Shall I seek other than God as a lawmaker when it is He who has brought down to you the Book fully detailed?

[4:80] He who obeys the messenger has obeyed God.

These glorious words confirm that the messenger preaches nothing but God's Law. If the messenger preached what is additional to the Quran then obeying the messenger would not necessarily coincide with obeying God. The Quran is a complete source of law containing all the rituals and practices that are authorised by God. To worship God is to obey His Law, and to obey His Law is to obey the Quran:

[5:44] Those who do not rule by what God has brought down, they are indeed the disbelievers.

[42:21] Or do they have partners who legislate for them of the religion what God did not authorise? Had it not been for a decisive Word, they would have already been judged. Indeed, the transgressors shall have a painful punishment.

Act Six: Trust and Dependence

Worshipping God is both in action and in conviction. The conviction expression of worshipping God is in entrusting our lives to Him. To entrust our lives with God is an expression of our acceptance of God's absolute authority as well as our certainty that no one has any power that is independent of God:

[5:23] Put your trust in God if you are believers.

[11:123] You shall worship Him and put your trust in Him.

[16:99] He has no authority over those who believe and in their Lord they trust.

[65:3] Whoever trusts in God, He suffices him.

Act Seven: Fearing God

As much as we are to love and adore God, we should also fear Him and His punishment. God is not in need of our fear - rather, fearing God is for our own benefit. Fearing God is a deterrent that aids believers in attaining righteousness and staying away from sin.

If we were sinless infallible angels, our love for God would see us through on its own, but because we are imperfect creatures prone to be influenced by both good and evil, the fear of God acts as a much-needed deterrent.

[35:28] Only the knowledgeable among God's servants fear Him.

[67:12] Those who fear their Lord though unseen shall have forgiveness and a great reward.

There are always those who will say "Faith should not be built on fear but on love." Those who make such a claim are invariably motivated by arrogance - the arrogance of refusing to fear a higher power, and the insincerity of ignoring basic facts. Such people know quite well that the concept of punishment and reward is used in any society as a deterrent in curbing crime.

Act Eight: Reverence

To revere God is to heed Him and to always be mindful of Him in everything we do. Those who revere God know that God is watching every step they take and they will always be careful not to displease Him:

[7:65] And to Aad was their brother Hud. He said, "O my people, worship God; you have no god other than Him, so will you not be reverent?"

[65:5] For the one who reverences God, He wipes out his bad deeds and greatly increases the reward for him.

[49:13] The most noble of you in the sight of God is the most reverent.

[3:133] And hasten in pursuit of forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise whose width encompasses the Heavens and the Earth. It has been prepared for the reverent.

Act Nine: Imploring and Beseeching

To implore and beseech God are indeed unquestionable expressions of worship. The deliberate linking of the words "implore Me" and "worship Me" in the following verse confirms that imploring God is an essential expression of worship:

[40:60] Your Lord said, "Implore Me and I will respond to you. Surely, those who are too arrogant to worship Me will enter Hell humiliated."

[2:186] And if My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the caller's call if he calls upon Me. Therefore, they shall respond to Me and believe in Me so that they may be guided.

Since imploration is an expression of worship, and since we must worship God alone, it follows that we should implore God alone:

[72:18] The masjids are for God, so do not call upon anyone else besides Him.

[35:13-14] Those whom you call upon besides Him do not possess as much as a seed's shell. If you call upon them, they cannot hear your calls. But even if they were to hear, they would not respond to you, and on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your shirk.

The Quran tells us that many people, whenever they face grave danger, will implore God alone - but as soon as God rescues them they revert to associating partners with God:

[29:65] When they board a ship, they implore God, devoting the religion purely to Him. Yet when He delivers them safely to the shore, they revert to associating partners with Him.

The explanation of this is that when the human being faces imminent life-threatening danger, the mind is unable to think rationally from the shock - at that moment instinct takes over. By instinct, all people recognise God's absolute authority and that He alone has the power to save them:

[30:30] So direct your face towards the religion as a monotheist. Such is the natural instinct that God instilled in the people.

Act Ten: Seeking Forgiveness

Those who worship God sincerely always seek forgiveness for their sins. When Shu'aib was sent to the people of Midyan:

[11:84] O my people, worship God; you have no god other than Him.

[11:90] Ask your Lord for forgiveness, then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful, Loving.

Those who worship God alone seek His forgiveness because they are ascertained that God alone forgives sins and not any middle person:

[3:135] Who forgives the sins except for God?

[39:53] Say, "O My servants who transgressed exceedingly against themselves, do not despair of God's mercy, for God forgives all sins. He is the Forgiver, the Merciful."

Seeking God's forgiveness safeguards the believers from punishment and grants numerous blessings:

[71:10-12] Ask your Lord for forgiveness. Indeed, He is Forgiving. He will shower you generously from the sky, and supply you with wealth and children, and provide for you Gardens and provide for you rivers.

Act Eleven: Appreciation and Gratitude

The Quran confirms that the expression of appreciation and gratitude to God is indeed an Act of Worship:

[16:114] Give thanks for God's blessings if it is Him that you worship.

The Act of Appreciation and Gratitude is a four-fold expression: remembering God's blessings, realizing that all blessings come from God, expressing appreciation and gratitude, and proclaiming God's blessings to others.

[14:7] And when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give thanks, I shall increase for you, but if you disbelieve, then My punishment is severe."

[16:53] Any blessing that you have is from God.

The Quran states that God's blessings are so numerous that the human being can never count them all:

[14:34] If you were to count God's blessings, you could not encompass them all. The human being is indeed transgressing, unappreciative.

The fourth expression of appreciation is to constantly proclaim God's blessings to others:

[93:11] And as for the blessings of your Lord: you shall proclaim.

Act Twelve: Devotion and Dedication

This last act is undoubtedly the most noble of all the Acts of Worship. This is the act of those who dedicate their lives and money to the cause of God. Those are the ones who constantly strive to preach the way to God:

[9:20] Those who believed, emigrated, and strove in the cause of God with their money and themselves hold the greatest rank with God, and those are the triumphant.

[41:33] Who is better spoken than one who invites to God, does good deeds, and says, "I am one of the Submitters"?

The Quran also provides the optimum method of preaching and inviting to God:

[16:125] Invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and advice, and debate with them in the best possible manner.

Conclusion

These are the twelve expressions and signs of worshipping God. Every one of us needs to ask himself or herself two questions - and in all honesty:

1. How many of these acts are regularly observed?
2. How many of these acts are observed for God alone?

The answer to both of these questions will provide an accurate indicator of the purity of your worship. The answer will also determine whether you qualify to join the elite group of God's servants whom God calls Ibad Allah Al-Mukhlaseen - God's pure servants.

Do you glorify anyone besides God? Do you love anyone as much as you love God? Do you commemorate any name as much as you commemorate the name of God - or even more? Do you obey any religious laws derived from a source other than the Quran? Do you call on any dead human beings and implore them to help you? Do you believe that any human has the power to save you on Judgment Day?

[39:36] Is God not sufficient for His servant?

[39:45] When God alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter are filled with aversion, but when others are mentioned beside Him, they rejoice.

And finally, are you obsessed with your business or your loved ones to the extent that you dedicate all your life to them and become negligent of the only reason for which we were all created?

[51:56] I have not created the jinn and the humans except to worship Me.

[2:21] O people, worship your Lord who created you and those before you so that you may be reverent.

[39:11] Say, "I have been commanded to worship God, devoting the religion purely to Him."