CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION

(Tafsir al-Tabari, Vol. 1, p. 157). Meaning: “We worship You”—that is, we affirm Your oneness, we fear only You, we place our hopes only in You. O Lord, in these matters we associate no one else with You. Fakhr al-Deen al-Razi: al-‘ibadah ‘ibarah ‘ani al-fi‘l almushtamil ‘ala nihayat al-ta‘zim, wa-nihayat al-ta‘zim la taliqu illa biman yasduru ‘anhu nihayat al-in‘am (Tafsir alRazi, Vol. 20, p. 321). Meaning: Worship is an act that embodies the utmost reverence, and such reverence is only appropriate for one from whom the utmost beneficence has come. ‘Ala’ al-Deen al-Baghdadi: al-‘ibadah aqsa ghayat alkhudu’ wa-al-tadhallul, wa-summiya al-‘abdu ‘abdan lidhillatihi wa-inqiyadihi (Tafsir al-Khazin, Vol. 1, p. 20). Meaning: Worship represents the greatest level of submission and humility. A slave is called ‘abd because of their low status and full obedience. Nizam al-Deen al-Qummi al-Nisaburi: inna al-‘ibadah ‘ibarah ‘an nihayat al-ta‘zim fa-la taliqu illa li-man sadara minhu ghayat al-in‘am wa-huwa Allah ta‘ala (Tafsir alNisaburi, Ghara’ib al-Quran, Vol. 1, p. 103). Meaning: Worship is the highest reverence, and it is fitting only for the One from whom the greatest blessings come— namely, God Almighty. Qadi al-Baydawi: wa-al-‘ibadah aqsa ghayat al-khudu’ waal-tadhallul, wa-li-dhalika la tusta‘malu illa fi al-khudu’