Concept of Worship & Rituals in Islam

Department of Islamic Studies

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
Riphah International University Islamabad, Pakistan
Email : [email protected] Contact # +92,320,7863888
Objectives of the Lecture

To know the meaning of worship in Islam

To study conventional understanding of

worship

To recognize why we must worship Allah?

To identify how we worship Allah?

To learn the Monasticism (Rahbaniyyah)

To understand the concept & objectives of

Islamic ‘ibadah (worship)

To realize the fields of worship in Islam

LIFE AND LIVING

 Concept of Worship &
Rituals in Islam

•Literally
•Worship means “submission" (Dictionary Lisan al-'Arab)
•It means “Obedience with submission”. Worship is everything
one says or does for the pleasure of Allah.
•Essence of Term
•“The essence of worship is “fearfulness and humility,”
(Dictionary Lisan al-'Arab).

(Mawdudi, Let us be Muslims, p136

LIFE AND LIVING https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XLqWSq8nrtAL1thuIJlwS_sO-CDhpfr/view)
 Meaning of Ibadah in
Islam

•Literally
•The Arabic word “Ibadah” is derived from the same root as the
word “Abd”, which means “servant and slave.
•Essence of Term
•Thus, “Ibadah” means “to perform the duties of a servant as
does a slave or bondsman.”

(Mawdudi, Let us be Muslims, p136

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XLqWSq8nrtAL1thuIJlwS_sO-CDhpfr/view)
LIFE AND LIVING
LIFE AND LIVING
Concept of Worship & Rituals
in Islam:

* Purpose of Life
The sole purpose of our creation,
the end of our lives, is to worship
and serve Him alone.
LIFE AND LIVING
 Command to Worship in the Qur’an

This word has been used in the Qur'an in

different forms:

(40: ‫اِنِ اﻟۡ ﺤُ ﻜۡ ُﻢ ا ﱠِﻻ ِ ّٰ ِؕ اَ َﻣ َﺮ ا ﱠَﻻ ﺗَﻌۡ ﺒُﺪ ُۡۤوا ا ﱠ ِۤﻻ اِﯾﱠﺎ ؕهُ )ﯾﻮﺳﻒ‬
“…Judgment [as to what is right and what
is wrong] rests with God alone-[and] He
has ordained that you should worship not
but Him…”
(Qur’an 12:40, Asad,1980)
Command to Worship in the Qur’an

LIFE AND LIVING

LIFE AND LIVING
 Monasticism
(Rahbaniyyah)

•Root Word
•Rahbaniyyat or Ruhbaniyyat is derived from the root word “Rahb”
which means “fear”
•Literally
•So Rahbaniyyat means “a mode of life which reflects fear and terror”.
•And Ruhbaniyyat means “the mode of life of the terrified”.
•Technically
•“It implies a person’s abandoning the world out of fear and taking refuge in the jungles and mountains or
living alone as a hermit.”

(Towards understanding the Quran

http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=57&verse=26&to=29)
The word Monasticism (Rahbaniyyah) in Holy Qur’an

  ‫َورَھۡ ﺒَﺎﻧِﯿﱠﺔَ اۨ ﺑۡ ﺘَ َﺪﻋ ُۡﻮھَﺎ ﻣَﺎ َﻛﺘَﺒۡ ٰﻨﮭَﺎ َﻋﻠَﯿۡ ﮭِﻢۡ ا ﱠِﻻ اﺑۡ ﺘِﻐَﺂ َء‬
‫ﻖ ِرﻋَﺎﯾَﺘِﮭ َۚﺎ‬ ‫ِﺿﻮَانِ ّٰﷲِ ﻓَﻤَﺎ َرﻋ َۡﻮھَﺎ ﺣَ ﱠ‬ ۡ ‫ر‬
(‫ اﻟﺤﺪﯾﺪ‬:27)
But monasticism they innovated - not We
prescribed it for them - only seeking (the)
pleasure (of) Allah, but not they observed
it (with) right observance.”
(Qur’an 57:27, Shaikh & Khatri, 2007)
Concept & Objectives of Islamic ‘Ibadat (Worship)
Purpose of Sending Every Prophet is to Worship Allah

LIFE AND LIVING

Concept & Objectives of Islamic ‘Ibadat (Worship)

Three qualities which together constitute' Ibadah

Loyalty to one's master .1

2. Obedience to him
3. Reverence and adoration for him
(Mawdudi, Let us be Muslims, p.136

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XLqWSq8nrtAL1thuIJlwS_sO-CDhpfr/view)

LIFE AND LIVING

LIFE AND LIVING
LIFE AND LIVING
Concept & Objectives of Islamic ‘Ibadat (Worship)

In such a life, everything is 'Ibadah:

* whether you sleep or are awake,
* whether you eat or drink,
* whether you work or rest,
* whether you are silent or talk,
are all acts of worship..
(Mawdudi, Let us be Muslims, p.140

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XLqWSq8nrtAL1thuIJlwS_sO-CDhpfr/view)

LIFE AND LIVING

So much so that,
* to go to your wives,
* kiss your children too is considered service of Allah.
All these actions which are usually considered material and
worldly become religious, provided that during their performance
you observe the limits laid down by Allah and remain conscious
every moment and at every step of what is approved by
Allah(Halal) and what is forbidden by Him (Haram).
Be mindful that what is a duty and what must be avoided, which
actions please Allah and which displease Him.
(Mawdudi, Let us be Muslims, p.140
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XLqWSq8nrtAL1thuIJlwS_sO-CDhpfr/view)

LIFE AND LIVING

 Service to the Creation being Mindful of
Allah is Worship
While Service to the Creation without
God-Consciousness is Self-Deception

LIFE AND LIVING

Obligatory Worships in Islam are Demonstrated through the Performance of 5
Fundamental Pillars of Islam

LIFE AND LIVING

Concept & Objectives of Islamic ‘Ibadat (Worship)
* Prayer reminds a Muslim five times a day that you are a slave of
Allah and that Him alone you must serve.
* Fasting prepares Muslim for an entire month once every year, for this
very service.
* Almsgiving repeatedly brings home to a Muslim the truth that the
money you have earned is a gift of Allah. Do not just spend it on
physical pleasures or even solely on material needs; you must render
what is due to your Master.
* Pilgrimage engraves on hearts such a love and awareness of the
majesty of Allah.
(Mawdudi, Let us be Muslims, p.141
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XLqWSq8nrtAL1thuIJlwS_sO-CDhpfr/view)

LIFE AND LIVING

Prayers and Patience are Means towards Solution of
Problems

LIFE AND LIVING

LIFE AND LIVING
Self-Purification: Prayer Prevents Commitment of Evil,
Wickedness

LIFE AND LIVING

The Best Means to Achieve Physicals & Psychological
Benefits

LIFE AND LIVING

Self-Purification: Development of Self-control over Evil Desires and Emotions
and Improvement in Virtuous Actions

LIFE AND LIVING

 Another Best
Means to
Achieve
Physicals &
Psychological
Benefits

LIFE AND LIVING

Spiritual as well as Material Benefits

LIFE AND LIVING

Spiritual as well as Material Benefits of Hajj

LIFE AND LIVING

 Concept & Objectives of Islamic ‘Ibadat (Worship)
There is no use of mere rituals in Islam when they are performed mechanically and
have no influence on one’s inner self.
َ‫ٰاﻣَﻦ‬ ْ‫َو ٰﻟﻜِﻦﱠ ا ْﻟﺒِ ﱠﺮ ﻣَﻦ‬ ‫ب‬
ِ ‫ق وَا ْﻟ َﻤ ْﻐ ِﺮ‬ ِ ‫ُوﺟُﻮْ ھَ ُﻜ ْﻢ ﻗِـﺒَ َﻞ ا ْﻟ َﻤ ْﺸ ِﺮ‬ ‫• "ﻟَﯿْﺲَ ا ْﻟﺒِ ﱠﺮ اَنْ ﺗُ َﻮﻟﱡﻮْ ا‬
‫ﺑِﺎ‬
َ‫ﺐ وَاﻟﻨﱠﺒِ ّٖﯿﻦَ ۚ َو ٰاﺗَﻰ ا ْﻟﻤَﺎ َل َﻋﻠٰﻲ ُﺣﺒﱢﮫٖ َذوِي ا ْﻟﻘُﺮْ ﺑٰﻰ وَا ْﻟﯿَـﺘٰﻤٰ ﻰ وَا ْﻟﻤَﺴٰ ِﻜﯿْﻦَ وَاﺑْﻦَ اﻟ ﱠﺴﺒِﯿْﻞِ ۙ وَاﻟ ﱠﺴ ۗﺎ ِٕﻠِﯿْﻦ‬
ِ ‫ﻟ ّٰﻠ ِﮫ وَا ْﻟﯿَﻮْ مِ ْاﻻٰﺧِ ِﺮ وَا ْﻟ َﻤ ٰۗﻠ ِٕ َﻜ ِﺔ وَا ْﻟ ِﻜ ٰﺘ‬
“It is not [the] righteousness that you turn your faces towards the east and the west,
[and] but the righteous[ness] (is he) who believes in Allah and the Day [the] Last,
and the Angels, and the Book, and the Prophets, and gives the wealth in spite of his
love (for it) (to) those the near relatives, and the orphans, and the needy, and (of) the
wayfarer, and those who ask, and in freeing the necks (slaves) and (who) establish
the prayer, and give the zakah, and those who fulfill their covenant when they make
it; and those who are patient in [the] suffering and [the] hardship, and (the) time (of)
[the] stress. Those (are) the ones who are true and those, [they] (are) the righteous”.
(Qur’an 2:177, Shaikh & Khatri, 2007)
Five Actions (Ibadaat) to Develop Self-Purification, to Build Psychological & Physical
Strength and to Achieve Material Benefits

•Mission Statement (Shahadah)

•Character Building (Daily Prayers)
•Self-Control (Fasting)
•Total Action (Hajj)

•Strategic Collaboration (Zakat)

LIFE AND LIVING

Summary:
The term worship as used in the Qur'an is submission. Religion is in fact name of worship of
Allah an all-inclusive term for all that Allah loves of external and internal sayings
and actions of a person. It includes rituals as well as beliefs, social activities, and
personal contributions to the welfare of society. Worship of Allah is the sole object of
man's creation and constituted the mission of the Prophets. It could neither be limited to
worship, nor restricted to submission alone. Islam regulates human life on all levels:
individual, social, economic, political and spiritual and provides guidance to the
smallest details of one's life on all these levels.

LIFE AND LIVING

References:
1. Muslim’s character by Imam Al- Ghazali,
2. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LNdSvC7RSn9AInBYpkVPgDRNxw9UZjBL/view
3. Let us be Muslims by Sayyid Abu A’la Mawdudi,
4. https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XLqWSq8nrtAL1thuIJlwS_sO-CDhpfr/view
5. Islam at a Glance by Maulana Sadruddin Islahi,
6. https://www.islamicstudies.info/literature/glance.htm
7. Towards understanding the Quran
http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=57&verse=26&to=29)

LIFE AND LIVING