The Truth About Ibaadah (Worship) in Islaam

The Truth About Ibaadah (Worship) in Islaam

Author: Abu Iyaad as-Salafi

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The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: "The right of Allaah upon His servants is that they should worship Him (alone) and not associate anything with Him" [Bukhaaree and Muslim].

Allaah created us that we may worship Him alone and not associate anything with Him. Allaah has said {I did not create Jinn and Men except that they may worship me.} [51:56]. So what is this Ibaadah, what are its types and conditions and how should it be performed?.
Ibaadah is a collective term for everything which Allaah loves and is pleased with from among the words and actions such as supplication, prayer, and patience. Allaah says {Say: Verily my prayer, my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allaah the Lord of the Worlds.} [6:162] and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said "Allaah the Exalted said: My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by me than the obligatory actions which I have imposed upon him" [Bukhaaree].
The types of Ibaadah are many and include supplication, fear hope, reliance, love of obedience to Allaah, hatred of disobedience to Him, remorse, repentance, seeking aid from Him, vowing, sacrifice, bowing and prostrating and others besides these. Thus the first thing which a Muslim acknowledges is that he has been created for Ibaadah and that is due to his declaration of Laa ilaaha illallaaha (There is none worthy of worship except Allaah alone). He must then know of its form and types.
The second thing the Muslim should realize is that a necessary condition of worship is that it is sincere. Allaah the Exalted said {So whoever hopes for the meeting with His Lord let him work deeds of righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of His Lord.} [18:110] and the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said "Indeed Allaah does not look at your faces nor your wealth but He looks at your hearts and your actions." [Muslim]. Also there is the Hadeeth Qudsee where the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said that Allaah said "I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having partners. Thus, whoever does an action for someone else's sake as well as Mine, will have that action rejected by Me to him whom he associated with Me" [Muslim].
Another vital condition of worship is that it is correct and therefore acceptable to Allaah. Our Ibaadah of Allaah should be as He and His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) have commanded us. Allaah says {O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger and do not let your actions become nullified.} [47:33] and the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) has said "Whoever does an action which we have not commanded will have it rejected." [Muslim] and he (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) also said "Whoever does an action in a way different from ours will have it rejected" [Abu Daawood - Saheeh].
Fudayl ibn Ayyaad, a taabi'ee, said regarding the verse {...that He may test you, which of you is best in deeds...} [11:7] , "The most sincere and the most correct" so those who were around him said "And what is the most sincere and the most correct?" He replied "Action, if it is correct but not sincere will not be accepted and action, if it is sincere but not correct will not be accepted until it is both sincere and correct. Sincere means that nothing but the Face of Allaah is sought and correct means that it is in conformity with the Sunnah."
So these are two necessary conditions for our Ibaadah to be acceptable to Allaah, namely that they are sincere (for the sake of Allaah) and correct (in conformity with the Sunnah).
Allaah has also commanded us {So call upon Him (out of) Fear and Hope.} [6:56] and the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) used to supplicate "I ask Allaah for Paradise and I seek refuge in Him from the Fire" [Abu Daawood - Saheeh]. And this is the fourth point : that our Ibaadah should be in between hoping for Allaah's Mercy and reward and fearing His punishment. Some of the pious predecessors used to say "Whoever worships Allaah with Love only is indeed a Zindeeq (a heretic) and whoever worships Him with Hope only is indeed a Murji' (one who believes sins impart no harm to a persons faith) and whoever worships Him with Fear only is indeed a Harooree (one of those believe that sins take a person out of Islaam) but whoever worships Him with Love, Fear and Hope is indeed a believing Muwahhid (one who performs the Tawheed of Allaah)."
Therefore, in all our actions we should fear Allaah's displeasure and punishment and then balance this with hoping for His pleasure and reward. Furthermore, we should love Him and love obedience to Him.
Another characteristic of our Ibaadah is being aware of the presence of Allaah, that His knowledge is with us and He sees and hears us. This fifth point is Ihsaan. Allaah says {The One Who sees you when you stand up for the prayer and when you move amongst those who prostrate themselves} [26:218] and also in the hadeeth of Jibreel when he said to the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) "Ihsaan is that you worship Allaah as if you see Him and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you" [Muslim].
So these are five points concerning our Ibaadah namely:

1. Acknowledgement of the purpose of our existence, which is to worship Allaah alone without any partners. This is the requirement and meaning of the declaration of faith: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah.
2. Extreme sincerity in fulfilling that purpose
3. The correctness of our Ibaadah and that is upon the Sunnah of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)
4. Worshipping Allaah by combining Love, Fear and Hope in all of our actions
5. And accompanying all of that with Ihsaan.

The example of the one who learns these five points concerning the Ibaadah of his Lord and builds all of his actions upon them and the one who does not and is careless about his worship is like the example Allaah has given {Which then is best? - he who lays the foundation of his house upon Taqwa and His Good Pleasure or he who lays the foundation of his house upon an undetermined brink of a precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbles down with him into the Fire of Hell?} [9:108].
So respected brothers and sisters lets not be careless and make our actions vain like Allaah has mentioned regarding some people, {And We shall turn to whatever actions they did and turn them into scattered dust.} [25:23] but rather let us become cautious and send something foreword for the Day of Judgement, the Day when we will be in great need for good actions, that is our sincere and correct Ibaadah.

Al-Ihsaan - Perfection In Acts Of Worship

Al–Ihsaan - Perfection In Acts Of Worship

by Imâm al-Madîna al-Munawarrah 'Alî Abd-ur-Rahmân al-Hudhaifî

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Friday Sermon from the Prophet's Mosque in Madina

on Al-Jum'ah 7 Dhul-Hijjah 1421 (March 2, 2001)

All praise is due to Allaah the Most Beneficent, Most Merciful. I testify that there is no god worthy of worship save Allaah and I also testify that Muhammad saws is the messenger of Allaah.
O you Muslims! Fear Allaah, for fear of Allaah is one’s provision for the next world and his treasure in this world. Hold fast unto your religion. Allaah has chosen Islaam as the religion for the inhabitants of the Earth and the Heavens and He has guided to it whomsoever He wishes among His slaves. Allaah has also made for those who follow this religion three ranks: Islaam, eeman, and ihsaan, which is the highest of the three ranks. Ihsaan is the best rank of Islaam, for one attains closeness to Allaah only through ihsaan. Ihsaan means doing good to oneself by worshipping Allaah with perfection and doing good to people. Allaah says,

“And who can be better in religion than one who submits his face (himself) to Allaah (i.e. follows Allaah’s religion of Islaamic monotheism); and he is a muhsin (a good doer).” (An-Nisaa 4:125).

He also says,

“And do good. Truly Allaah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good doers).” (Al-Baqarah 2:195).

The Almighty has also promised a great reward for the good doers in this world and the next. He promises them protection and good things of this life when he says,

“Truly Allaah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are good-doers.” (An-Nahl 16:128)

Among the reward of good deeds is that it makes good-doers win Allaah’s love. Allaah says,

“Verily, Allaah loves the good-doers.” (Aal Imraan 3:134).

Doing good also makes Allaah provide relief for the good-doer whenever he is in distress and makes Allaah save Him from his enemies. Allaah also blesses the good-doers with different kinds of blessings and lets them have a happy ending. He says regarding Yoosuf,

“Verily, he who fears Allaah with obedience to Him and is patient, then surely, Allaah makes not the reward of the good-doers to be lost.” (Yoosuf 12:90)

Among the rewards of good deeds is that Allaah will impart knowledge into the heart of the good-doer, which will enable him to differentiate between lawful and unlawful things, and between truth and falsehood. Allaah says about Yoosuf,

“And when he (Yoosuf) attained his full manhood, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. Thus We reward the doers of good.” (Yoosuf 12:22).

Allaah also rewards the good-doers by making later good doers join their predecessors, giving them of His bounties and completing His favour on them. He says,

“And the foremost to embrace Islaam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Mecca to Medina) and the Ansar (the citizens of Medina who helped and gave help to the Muhajirun) and also those who follow them exactly (in faith), Allaah is Well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.” (At-Tawbah 9:100).

Allaah also rewards good doers by praising them and making His slaves praise them as well. The Almighty says about prophet Nooh (Noah),

“Salaam (peace) be upon Nooh (from Us) among the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).”

He also says regarding prophet Ibraheem (Abraham),

“Peace upon Ibraheem! Thus indeed do We reward the Muhsinun.”

And about prophets Musa and Harun, He says,

“Peace be upon Musa and Harun. Verily, thus do We reward the good-doers.” (As-Saafaat 37:119-120).

Although the verses mentioned above speak about prophets, yet the rewards mentioned in it will be the same to be given to other good-doers. He also says,

“For those who do good in this world there is good, and the home of the hereafter will be better. And excellent indeed will be the home (i.e. Paradise) of the Muttaqun (the pious).” (An-Nahl 16:30)

About the reward of the good-doers in the hereafter, Allaah says,

“For those who have done good is the best (reward i.e. Paradise) and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing upon the countenance of Allaah). Neither darkness nor dust nor any humiliating disgrace shall cover their faces. They are the dwellers of Paradise, they will abide therein forever.” (Yoonus 10:26)

The word “more” means having the prestige of seeing the Countenance of Allaah as it has been successively related in hadeeths that the believers will see their Lord on the day of Judgement. As a matter of fact having the privilege of seeing the Gracious Countenance of Allaah on the last day is a suitable reward for Ihsaan (i.e. good deeds) because ihsaan means to worship Allaah in this world as if one sees Him. Glancing at His Gracious Countenance plainly on the Day of Judgement then becomes the greatest reward for good deeds. As regards the unbelievers, their eyes will be screened from seeing Allaah on that day, as their hearts were veiled from knowing Allaah and fearing Him in this world. Allaah says,

“Nay! Surely they (the evil-doers) shall be veiled from seeing their Lord that day.” (Al-Mutaffifeen 83:15)

Fellow Muslims! What then is this ihsan (good deed) that attracts such a high position before Allaah and such a great reward? The answer was provided by the Messenger of Allaah saws when he said

, “Al-Ihsaan is to worship Allaah as if you see Him. And even though you do not see Him, He sees you!” (Muslim).

This hadeeth means that man should worship Allaah, mindful of his closeness to Him and his standing before Him just as if he is seeing Him plainly. This state brings about God-consciousness and love of Allaah and purifies ones acts of worship. Anas bin Malik narrated that a man said,

“O Messenger of Allaah! Tell me a short word.” The Prophet saws replied, “Pray as if you are in your farewell prayer, for if you do not see Allaah, He sees you.” And the meaning of the phrase “if you do not see Him, He sees you” is that if one cannot worship Allaah as if one sees Him, he should then worship Him with the conviction that Allaah does see him and that none of his affairs is concealed from Allaah. Haarithah related that the Prophet saws told him, “O Haarithah! How did you enter into your morning?” He said, “I replied, ‘I entered into the morning as a true believer.’” He said, “The Prophet saws then told me, ‘Watch what you say, for every word has a reality.’” He said, “I then said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, I keep myself away from the (leisures of this) world, spend my nights in prayer and fast during my days. I am now as if I am looking at the throne of my Lord appearing. I am also as if I am looking at the inhabitants of Paradise as they visit one another. And it seems as if I am looking at the dwellers of hell as they howl therein!” The Prophet saws then said, “You have indeed seen (what you claimed to have seen). Therefore continue on your state of Ibaadah, O slave whom Allaah has illuminated his heart with faith!”

Al-Ihsaan is to observe prayer in the best form, moving closer to Allaah and beseeching Him secretly during the night when people are asleep. So also is doing good to people. Allaah says,

“Verily, they were before this good doers. They used to sleep but little by night (invoking their Lord and praying with fear and hope). And in the hours before dawn they were (found) asking (Allaah) for forgiveness. And in their properties there was the right of the beggar (who asked) and the poor (who do not ask others).” (Adh-Dhaariyaat 51:17-19)

Al-Ihsaan also means striving against one’s soul, struggle against Satan, hypocrites and unbelievers. Allaah says,

“And many a Prophet fought (in Allaah’s cause) and along with him (fought) large bands of religious learned men. But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allaah’s way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves. And Allaah loves the patient ones. And they said nothing but, ‘Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to you). Establish our feet firmly and give us victory over the disbelieving folk! So Allaah gave them the reward of this world, and the excellent reward of the hereafter. And Allaah loves the good-doers.” (Aal-Imraan 3:146-148).

It is also an aspect of Ihsan to spend in the way of Allaah whether one is rich or poor, to suppress ones anger and forgive the ignorant ones when they misbehave. Allaah says,

“Those who spend (in Allaah’s cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger and who pardon men; verily, Allaah loves the good-doers.” (Aal-Imraan 3:134).

It is a part of Ihsaan to surrender to the truth, to love it and to listen to the revealed book of Allaah with sound and healthy minds and attentive ears. Allaah says,

“And when they listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognised. They say, “Our Lord! We believe; so write us among the witnesses. And why should we not believe in Allaah and in that which has come to us of the truth (Islaamic monotheism)? And we wish that our Lord will admit us (in Paradise on the Day of Resurrection along with the righteous people (Prophet Muhammad saws and his companions). So because of what they said, Allaah rewarded them with gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), they will abide therein forever. Such is the reward of the good-doers.” (Al-Maa’idah 5:83-85)

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah as He should be feared and race towards His pleasure. Know that His pleasure can never be attained except by carrying out his commandments and abstaining from what He prohibits, for this is really the worship, for which He created the man and jinn. Allaah has also bestowed his favour on you by explaining to you preferable periods in which one should increase his act of worship so as to get great rewards. Among these periods are the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Standing at Arafah also falls within these days, and it is on this great day that Allaah forgives great sins. The Prophet saws said,

“There is no day in which Allaah redeems as many souls from hell as the day of Arafah. Allaah comes near and boasts with His servants in front of the angels. He then says, “What do these people want?” (Muslim).

Abo Qataadah ra also narrated that the Messenger of Allaah saws was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah, and he replied,

“It removes the sins of the previous year and the current year.” (Muslim).

Strive therefore to do as many good deeds in this day as possible. Remember Allaah much and keep yourslef away from the prohibited things. Allaah says,

“And march forth in the way (which leads) to forgiveness from your Lord and Paradise as wide as are the Heavens and the Earth, prepared for the pious. Those who spend (in Allaah’s cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger and who pardon men; verily, Allaah loves the good-doers.” (Aal-Imraan 3:133:134).

When is the Night of Al-Qadr?

hen is the Night of Al-Qadr?

Author:Imaams Al-Albaanee and Ibn Al-'Uthaimeen
Source:Mentioned Below
Translator:isma'eel alarcon

The Night of Al-Qadr occurs in the last ten nights of Ramadaan during an odd night (i.e. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th). However the scholars differ as to if it is fixed to one of these odd nights every year or if it changes every year to a different odd-numbered night. Below are the sayings of two of our great scholars, Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen and Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on both of them).

The Night of Al-Qadr has a Fixed Date:

The best night in Ramadaan is the Night of Al-Qadr, based on the Prophet's saying: "Whoever performs the night prayer on the Night of Al-Qadr with firm faith and while seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven." [1]

It is on the twenty-seventh night of Ramadaan according to the strongest opinion. A majority of the ahaadeeth comply with this, including the hadeeth of Zurr Ibn Hubaysh who said: "I heard Ubay Bin Ka'ab (RadiAllaahu anhu)) say when it was said to him that 'Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood ( RadiAllaahu anhu) said "Whoever performs the night prayer (every night) throughout the year will achieve the Night of Al-Qadr." He (Ubay Bin Ka'ab) said: "May Allaah have mercy on him, his intention was that the people not (grow lazy) and depend solely (on just one night). By the One of whom there is no deity worthy of worship beside Him, it is indeed in Ramadaan. And by Allaah I know on which night it is. It is on the night that Allaah's Messenger (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) commanded us to perform the Night Prayer. It is on the twenty-seventh night. Its sign is that the sun rises on its following morning bright with no rays."

In one report this is raised to being a saying of the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam). [2]

[Imaam Al-Albaanee in his book Qiyaam Ramadaan (pg. 18-19)]

The Night of Al-Qadr is to be sought:

The Night of Al-Qadr is in the last ten nights of Ramadaan, based on the saying of the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam): "Search for the Night of Al-Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadaan." [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim] And it falls in one of the odd nights more likely than on the even nights, based on the Prophet's (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) saying: "Search for the Night of Al-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadaan." [Al-Bukhaaree] And it is closer to the last seven nights, based on the hadeeth of Ibn 'Umar (RadiAllaahu anhu) that: "Some men from the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) saw the Night of Al-Qadr in a dream during the last seven nights (of Ramadaan). So the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) said: 'I see that all of your dreams agree that it (the Night of Al-Qadr) is in the last seven nights. So whoever wants to search for it, then let him search for it in the last seven nights.'" [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim] And it is also based on the hadeeth in Muslim from Ibn 'Umar (RadiAllaahu anhu) that the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) said: "Look for it in the last ten nights. But if one of you becomes weak or is unable, then do not let the remaining (last) seven nights overcome him."

Amongst the odd nights in the last seven nights, it is closest to the twenty-seventh night due to the hadeeth of Ubay Bin Ka'ab (RadiAllaahu anhu) who said: "By Allaah, I know which night it is. It is on the night that Allaah's Messenger (saws) commanded us to perform the Night Prayer. It is on the twenty-seventh night." [Muslim]

The Night of Al-Qadr is not specified to one fixed night throughout all the years. Rather, it constantly changes. So one year it could occur on the twenty-seventh night for example and on another year it could occur on the twenty-fifth night, according to Allaah's Will and Wisdom. What directs us to this is the Prophet's (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) saying: "Look for it (i.e. the Night of Al-Qadr) when there remain nine nights, when there remains seven nights, or when there remains five nights (i.e. 21st, 23rd, and 25th respectively without mention of 27th)."

Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr said in Fath-ul-Baaree: "The most strongest opinion is that it is on an odd night in the last ten nights and that it constantly changes."

Allaah has hidden knowledge of its occurrence from His servants out of mercy for them so that they can increase their actions in the search for it during these honorable nights, by praying, making dhikr and supplicating. So they grow and increase in the nearness to Allaah and His reward. And He also kept it hidden from them as a test for them to distinguish who amongst them struggles and makes an effort to find it and who is lazy and negligent. This is since whoever constantly strives for something, he will exert himself in his search for it and trouble himself in finding it and achieving it.

And perhaps Allaah discloses the time of its occurrence to some of His servants through signs and signals, which one is able to see, just as the Prophet (SalAllaahu alaihe wa sallam) saw its sign that he would be prostrating in mud on its following morning. So it rained on that night and he prayed the (following) morning (Fajr) prayer in mud.

[Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen in his book Majaalis Shahr Ramadaan (pg. 106-107)]

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Footnotes:

[1] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree, Muslim and others from the narration of Abu Hurairah (RadiAllaahu anhu) and by Ahmad (5/318) from the narration of 'Ubaadah Ibn As-Saamit (RadiAllaahu anhu). The addition to it in [...] belongs to him and to Muslim from Abu Hurairah.

[2] Reported by Muslim and others and it is referenced in Saheeh Abee Dawood (1247)