14 Meaning of Worship in Islam that Muslim Should Know

The meaning of worship actually is very vast in Islam. But often some Muslim limited the meaning of worship for rituals of Islam like prayer, fasting, charity, and etc. However to make it clear, those are only parts of the meaning of worship in Islam. Whatever comes from human especially Muslims both oral, mind, or action to please Him and seeking for His forgiveness are included as worship. Read also times of prayer during Ramadhan.

Here, we would like to introduce about the meaning of worship in Islam. How we vastening the meaning of worship not only by rituals but in every act we did, everything we though, and everything we talk or speak about.

1. Knowledge

Some might understand but more did not know about this. Seeking knowledge especially for a good things and for achieving better understanding of Allah SWT is the meaning of worship. Rasulullah even said in the following hadith,

“Whoever goes out seeking knowledges is in the path of Allah until he returns.”

Narrated by At-Tirmidhi

“When the human being dies, his deeds come to an end except for three ” the ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.”

Narrated by Muslim

There are obligations of seeking knowledge in Islam for muslims as the hadith said above.

2. Obedience

Another meaning of worship in Islam is obedience. To who actually? Of course to Allah SWT, obedience to what He asked us to do, avoid whatever He prohibited us to do and obedience to acknowledge His Messenger as our role model as well as the scholars. As mentioned below,

“Worship is obedience to Allah by following that which He ordered upon the tongues of His Messenger.”

Syaikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah

3. Faith

Faith is also a form of worship in Islam, there are so many importance of faith in Islam itself. To be faithfull towards Allah SWT, His order, His Messenger, and a faith that He is our creature and we just a mere slave. That Allah SWT give us with abundance of love, care, gift, blessing only to increase our faith towards Him.

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4. Zakah

Quran said in the following verse, the list of the meaning of worship in Islam,

“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but (true) righteousness is (in) one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask (for help), and for freeing slaves, (and who) establishes prayer and gives zakah, (those who) fulfill their promise when they promise, and (those who) are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.”

QS. Al-Baqarah : 177

Giving in the verse above are also the meaning of being righteous, while righteous is also the meaning of worship. Zakah has so many virtues of charity in Islam including forgiveness and rewards.

5. Share your wealth

Some people are blessed by abundance of sustenance in form of wealth and money. If muslims could at least share their wealth in the path of Allah then he also commiting worship toward Allah and Islam.

6. Fulfilling promise

We knew that not much of people could fulfil their pledge, by doing this means you worship God. Since it is the deed that loves by Allah and if we do not perform it, Allah will mad at us. As mentioned below,

“Worship is a comprehensive term covering everything that Allah loves and is pleased with – whether saying, or actions, outward and inward.

By Majmu al-Fatawa

7. Helping others

The meaning of worship in Islam also could take forms of helping others. It is a deed that loved by Allah SWT. Humans are created to have a common sense, when they see other people who needs help then it’s only natural for them to lend their hand to help.

8. Live the life that Islam prefer

Another meaning of worship in Islam is that we should life our live with the way Islam wants or guide us to. As mentioned in the following verse :

“Say (O Muhammad) my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death belong to Allah. He has no partner and I am ordered to be among those who submit, i.e.; Muslims.”

QS. Al-An’am : 162-163

Worship is to dedicate our life and live to the fullest by following the sunnah from Rasulullah.

9. Fulfilling our duty

As human indeed we have obligation and duty. For example at home a husband has an obligation to fulfill their family needs. While wives has an obligation of taking care the family. Just like in our daily activities if you are a worker then you need to fulfill your jobdesk. As student you need to study. That’s also including as the meaning of worship aka fulfilling your duty to be human and social creature.

10. Humility

Worship is humility, a humility for Muslims as they remember that they only a creature created by Allah SWT. We don’t even have an absolute ownership towards our mind and body. All we have since the beginning even before we born is owned by Allah SWT. To worship Him is equal to be humble as the servant of Allah SWT.

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11. Purification

Worship can take form of purification. What is purification?There are types of purification in Islam including purification of heart and mind from Shatan or other than God and purification from dirt. To be pure is also the meaning of worship in Islam. Therefore Islam always suggested their people to maintain cleanliness in order to maintain purity.

12. Remembering Allah SWT

Worship also means that we should always remember Allah every day, everytime, and even every second in our live should always remember Him.

13. To be grateful

As muslims and as a human being we must always be grateful of what we have. Since everything we have know is from the blessing of Allah.

14. Fulfilling our religious act

Such as prayer, dua, fasting, pilgrimate is the meaning of worship in Islam. It must be implemented by Muslims in order to gain reward, getting closer to Allah, find His blessing and so forth.

And that’s all the meaning of worship, it tooks a greater and wider scope to describe worship in Islam. It is not only a matter of acts, but also verbal, everything related to our heart and also mind.