Why Worship Allah?

“And I have created the jinn and men but to worship Me.”

— Surah adh-Dhariyat (Qur’an, 51:56)

The Holy Qur’an states that human beings (and jinn) are created but for worship. Yet why worship Allah, God?

Yes, one can certainly state that the reason why we worship Allah is simply because he has ordered or recommended it. Yet it is always valuable to seek understanding, for through understanding, we can align our intention through consciousness and awareness for far greater benefit. Thus said the Prophet Muhammad (S), “The value an action is dependent upon the intention.”

“The value of an action is dependent upon the intention with which it is performed.”

— Prophet Muhammad

The Holy Prophet (S) also stated, “One hour of contemplation is more valuable than seventy years of worship”, clearly implying that awareness and understanding are what truly give value to worship.

“One hour of contemplation is more valuable than seventy years of worship.”

— Prophet Muhammad

Why Worship Allah? Peace.

In seeking to understand why we worship Allah, it is important to first understand what “worship” actually means.

In Arabic, the word translated as “worship” is ‘ibadah, and literally means “to serve”, or “obedience with surrender”.

In Islamic Spirituality, surrender is the state of Islam which is the very goal of the religion, i.e. an internal state of calm, clarity, quietude, presence and awareness that leads to ma’rifah, or gnosis, knowledge of the Divine.

Thus, the reason why we worship Allah is to attain a state of surrender, a state of peace and inner tranquility, for conscious, present and intentional worship, ‘ibadah, leads to such an attainment.

This then leads to greater degrees of awareness of the Divine Presence of God, and as the Muslim progresses upon the Path, he or she ultimately attains the state of ihsan, or spiritual excellence, in which one is perpetually aware of the imminent Presence of the Eternal.

Why Worship Allah? Prosperity.

As we draw nearer to the Divine Presence of God, the human being attracts barakah, or spiritual and energetic blessings, grace. It is this barakah, this divine grace, that then attracts to us positive and prosperous circumstances and results.

By sincerely worshipping God with presence, intention and awareness, the individual, paradoxically, becomes more successful in the world, as well as in the realm of the soul and spirit, the internal dimension of existence. And so it is recited in the adhan, the Muslim Call to Prayer, “Come to Prayer, Come to Prayer, Come to Success, Come to Success.”

“God has stated, ‘My servant draws not near unto Me with nothing more loved by Me than the spiritual practices I have enjoined upon him, and as My servant continues to draw near unto Me with supererogatory spiritual practices, I shall love him. When I love him, I become the hearing with which he hears, the seeing with which he sees, the hand with which he strikes and the foot with which he walks. Were he to ask something of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant it.’”

— Prophet Muhammad, Hadith Qudsi [Bukhari]

Why Worship Allah? Purpose.

An invaluable reason for why we worship Allah, God Almighty, Lord of Heavens, is to live with purpose, Divine Purpose.

The fundamental drive which motivates nearly all of human endeavor originates in the search for self, the desire to understand who we truly are.

Because of the materialist nature of dunya, the world, we tend to seek ourselves in the world of forms, and thus in external associations we identify with, our possessions, the things we literally attach and define ourselves to and with.

Again, the seeking of self in the world is vanity and only leads to confusion and perpetual seeking in the attainment of more, hence the way of material-ism.

Why worship Allah? To remember who you truly are, beyond time and beyond space, beyond form and beyond temporal identity.

Furthermore, Islam, when understood, practiced and lived well, offers the human being nobility and excellence in expression of self, the highest form of manifestation, one which naturally reminds humanity of its Source, its Creator, and its ultimate Destination.

Why Worship Allah? Light.

Ultimately, we are beings of light, pure energy, and although we have come to identify with a physical form, our true selves transcend the material world. The nourishment of the soul is light, pure love energy. Although our bodies extract energy and light from food, the real source of sustenance is light.

And it is for this reason that for the Muslim, it is recommended to seek to sustain oneself with food closest to its original nature, and thus closest to light, for all living things derive their essential nourishment from the Sun. Food which is manipulated and processed becomes several stages removed from the pure, living light-energy natural foods are rich with, and which our bodies, minds and souls fare best with.

It is also important to note that as a human being cultivates a state of spiritual presence through ‘ibadah, he or she becomes increasingly independent of the world, dunya, as the connection to Divine Source is re-established. Such an individual’s mind and body are increasingly sustained with Divine Light, the being becomes purified and free of self and selfishness, and the worshipper becomes a clear vessel through which the will of the Almighty may manifest, and light, mercy and love to enter the world.

Why worship Allah? To rediscover your divine purpose and become the divine deputies, khulafah, we were destined to be. To heal our own souls, heal separation, and restore wholeness within ourselves and in our world.

A world in which worship of Allah, the Divine, is the norm, is a world based in peace, prosperity, purpose and light.

[box]

Rediscover Your Divine Nature

As human beings, we have been created with an awesome responsibility and an incomparable destiny as stewards of the Almighty, Lord of Heavens and Earth.

“Verily, We have honored the Children of Adam.”

— Surah al-Isra (Qur’an, 17:70)

Islamic Spirituality is designed to lead a human being to honor, nobility, grace and divine purpose. Click on the link below for a FREE video training mini-course and rediscover the beauty of the Islamic spiritual path.

Rediscover Your Divine Destiny

[/box]

[button color=”teal” window=”true” link=”http://www.islamicmeditation.com/main/”]GET STARTED NOW[/button]