WORSHIP IN ISLAM

Worship is not something extraneous, in the nature of an appendage. It is rather the mainspring of the truly religious life. The Quran, moreover, makes it plain that when a servant of God turns to his Creator in worship, contact with Him is immediately established and without the intercession of any kind of intermediary. The act of worship, therefore, is a direct link between God and His servants. This has been variously expressed in the Quran and Hadith. For instance, the Quran says: “Prostrate yourself and come closer to God.” (96: 19) In the same vein, a Hadith tells us that when the worshipper is at his prayers, his contact with God may be established by the merest whisper. Islamic worship is, in fact, an acknowledgement at the spiritual level of man’s servitude to God Almighty. When the individual finds himself engrossed in true worship, he feels as if he is seeing God, as if divine light has descended upon his inner being; as if he has come very close to God. The achievement; of such spiritual states is the real goal of worship. Any experience, which has such a profound effect upon a man’s inner personality, must manifest itself in his external behaviour. Therefore, when an individual incorporates worship in his life on a regular basis, its effect becomes apparent in his moral conduct. Ultimately, his entire behaviour takes on the hue of his devotions. As the Quran puts it: “Surely prayer restrains one from indecency and evil.” (29: 45). But it is only sincere, heartfelt worship which renders the believer worthy of receiving God’s blessings. In prayer one’s whole being should be involved. Worship devoid of this spirit and performed purely for show is fit only to be rejected by God as an empty ritual. The Quran mentions that it is only those who say their prayers in right earnest who will be ushered into Paradise and it admonishes those who are only posturing when they pray: “Woe to those who pray, but whose hearts are not in their prayer. Those who do things only to be seen by others. Who are uncharitable even over very small things.” (107: 4-7). For the true believer, worship is not something extraneous, in the nature of an appendage. It is rather the mainspring of the truly religious life. In essence, Islam is a holistic spiritual system, and worship being the key factor builds and ensures the continuance of a relationship between the Almighty and His creatures, His servants give expression to their love, humility, reverence, obedience and devotion, in return for which they may expect their Maker to look upon them with His divine mercy and magnanimity. o