Understanding ‘Ibadah’

fundamental” (p. 72). I do not know how this number of three or five was determined, as the uses of this root in Lisan al-Arab are so numerous that they could easily extend to fifteen rather than five. Nevertheless, that is not my concern here; I merely wish to highlight that the manner in which these “three primary and fundamental” meanings of ‘Ibadah have been substantiated through the Quran rests on exceedingly weak reasoning and is riddled with gaps. Here, I will analyze two references. Under the heading “Worship in the Sense of Obedience,” the following verses are cited (p. 74): When the Day of Resurrection arrives, Allah will command, “Gather all the wrongdoers, their companions, and the false gods they worshiped besides Allah, and show them the way to Hell.” Then they will begin to argue with each other. The worshipers will say, “You are the ones who used to guide us from the right path.” Their deities will reply, “In reality, you were unwilling to believe. We had no power over you; you were a rebellious people by your own choice.” (Quran, 37: 22-30) The translation of the verses I provided above is the one given in the book under discussion. After these verses, the following note is included: