What is Worship?
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said :
“ Worshiping Him is submission to Him in doing what He has commanded and refusal to do what is forbidden by Him, which is the essence of Islam as a religion, because the meaning of the word“ Islam ”is obedience to Allah Almighty, supreme obedience, submission, humility “.
?See Fath al-majid 1/41.
Sheikhul-Islyam Ibn Taymiyyah gave the following definition to the term “al-‘ibada”:
“Worship is submission to Allah, based on obedience to what Allah ordered through the mouth of the messengers.”
? See Fatah al-Majid 1/41.
Shaykh ‘Useymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Worship (al-‘ibada) is humility and subservience to Allah and for the sake of Allah, accompanied by the utmost love for Him and the utmost exaltation of Allah, by fulfilling His orders and leaving His prohibitions in the form established by Him in the Shariah sent by Him.”
?See Majmu ‘al-fataua wa-r-rasail al-‘Useimin, 1/88.
Sheikhul-Islyam Ibn Taymiyyah said:
“Worship (al-‘ibada) is a concept that unites all words and deeds, both explicit and hidden, that Allah loves and with which He is pleased.”
?See Al-‘Ubudiyya 44, Majmu al-fataua 10/149.