Understanding ‘Ibadah’

THE CONCEPT OF RELIGION you are responsible for your own misguidance.” The following verses clarify this further, where one group says, “Just as we led you astray, we too were astray”— meaning that they themselves were also involved in worshiping false deities and led others into the same. Afterward, the first group, which the Quran describes as oppressive, criminal, and arrogant because of their leadership in misguidance, is quoted responding to the Prophet’s call as follows: “Shall we give up our gods for a mad poet?” (37:36) This verse clearly shows that those described as deities in the explanation above were not actual deities, but instead also worshiped other gods. All commentators have understood this meaning (Ibn Kathir, Vol. 4, pp. 4-5; Ruh al-Ma’ani, Vol. 23, pp. 73-74). Similarly, the following verse is cited to support “worship in the sense of slavery and obedience”5 : O believers! If you worship Allah, then eat from the pure things that We have provided you and be grateful to Allah. (Quran, 2:172) In the explanation of this verse, the following words are noted: “The context of this verse is that, before 5. In reality, the primary meanings of abd are not slavery or obedience. However, this term is also used figuratively for these meanings.