HOW SHOULD WE WORSHIP GOD?

From: www.quran-islam.org

If there are the various temptations that can divert us from the 'Straight Path', and from worshipping God alone, what are we to do to be certain that we worship God alone?
The Quran lists no less than ten separate acts. They are specific acts to be observed and at the same time they serve as genuine indications to the purity of our Worship. By taking each act separately and determining how much of it is done for God and how much is done for others (no matter who they are) provides us with a sound guideline to the purity of our Worship.
The second act, which calls for the glorification of God alone, can be taken as an example. Every time we glorify anyone other than God we do in fact impair the purity of our religion (Al-Deen Al Khales). Humans may get our praise, but only God is worthy of glorification. And so on, every act of the ten acts will provide a genuine guideline to the purity of our Worship.
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ACT ONE
RECOGNITION and DEIFICATION
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This first act borders between Faith and Worship, while as the next nine acts are solely acts of Worship. The first requisite for worshipping God is to recognize His Existence. The Quran provides a wealth of information that supports the believer, both the knowledgeable and the simple, to recognize the existence of God. For the benefit of the scientifically minded, there is ample scientific information testifying that the creation of the universe and its maintenance, are precisely executed phenomena that could never be products of chance. The Quran refers to numerous fields of science like, astronomy, physics, geology, biology, botany and embryology to name a few. For the simple minded there is a whole Sura that provides simple facts all of which testify to the existence of God (Sura 55).
Once 'Recognition' is secured, the next step is the 'Deification and Apotheosis' of God.
Deification, or Apotheosis, means to instate in our hearts the fact that God alone possesses all the attributes to be a God and that there is no God other than He. These two facts are asserted in the words: "Indeed I am God" and "There is no other God but Me" 20:14
Deification indeed is the acknowledgment that God is our Creator and the Creator of every thing in the universe. Deification of God is to recognize His Divinity and His Oneness. The Quran asserts the fact that if there were more gods than God the whole universe would be disrupted:
"If there were in them (the heavens and the earth) other gods beside God, they would indeed breakdown." 21:22
There are those who will acquire the 'Recognition' of the existence of God but refuse to subject their minds to the 'Deification' of God. An example of those is given in Sura 23, verses 84-90.
Another good example of those is the many scientists today who will concede that there is a force behind the creation of the universe but are too vain to accept that this force is a Supreme God who controls every atom in their bodies and every event that takes place in the heavens or the earth.
Needless to say, without this crucial act, one is not able to observe any of the other acts of Worship. This act is the cornerstone and the foundation on which all other acts of worship originate from and are based upon.
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ACT TWO
GLORIFICATION and EXALTATION
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The awareness of the vastness of our universe, which is only the innermost of seven universes, and the fact they are all folded in the grip of God's hand, leaves the mind totally lost and exhausted. In addition to this vastness, God indeed controls every atom in every one of these universes. Many verses in the Quran point out that it is impossible for the human being to comprehend the greatness of God:
"They can never fathom the greatness of God. All earth like bodies are within His fist on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens folded within His right hand. Be He glorified. He is far exalted than to have any partners." 39:67
"He is the one who created seven universes layered, one on top of the other. You do not see any imperfections in the creation of the Most Gracious. Keep looking, do you see any flaw ? Look again and again, your eyes will become perplexed and conquered." 67:4
"Not even an atom's weight is not under your Lord's control, be it in the heavens or the earth. Nor is there anything smaller than an atom, or larger, that is not recorded in a profound record." 10:61
In due respect for our Mighty Creator we are commanded to constantly glorify and exalt Him. This command is found in many Quranic verses:
"Glorify the name of your Lord the most exalted." 87:1
"You shall glorify and praise your Lord and be with the prostrators." 15:98
Indeed the very last words revealed of the Holy Quran carries this same command:
"You shall glorify and praise your Lord, and implore His forgiveness for He is the Most Forgiving." 110:3
The Glorification and Exaltation of God are two fundamental elements of worship, so much so that everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies God.
"Everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies God." 62:1
To be able to glorify God in a sincere manner we must always remember to curb our vanity and act in a modest way :
"Those at your Lord are never too vain to worship Him; they glorify Him and fall prostrate before Him." 7:206
"God does not love the arrogant show-offs." 31:18
Those who are constantly enthralled in self admiration are often the ones negligent of glorifying God.
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ACT THREE
ADORATION and VENERATION
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The 'Adoration' of God is indeed the greatest love of all. The love of God is the noble driving force behind worshipping Him, upholding His Law and working righteousness to please Him. Those who are true believers love God the most. Others, and to varying degrees, have set up idols whom they love equally if not more than God. The Quran is very clear in stating that we are not to love any one as we should love God:
"Some people set up idols to rival God, and love them as they love God. Those who truly believe love God the most." 2:165
It is indeed the duty of every believer to love his brethren and be tolerant. Moreover, God has created for us our partners with whom we share love and affection (Sura 30, verse 21), yet all this love should always be conceived in its true perspective. No matter how much we may love our children, our partners, or indeed God's prophets whom He sent with guidance; we should never love them as our love of God. Only the love of God is worthy of being elevated to the state of adoration. Often there is a very thin line between love and adoration.
Love everybody and every good thing but adore only God.
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ACT FOUR
COMMEMORATION and REMEMBRANCE
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Main objectives
The Quran mentions valuable benefits to be gained from observing the Contact Prayers (Salat).
1- The Contact Prayers protects and prohibits evil and vice:
"Observe the Contact Prayers for it prohibits evil and vice." 29:45
2- The Contact Prayers will also help its observer strengthen his belief and attain certainty
"You shall glorify and praise your Lord and be with the prostrators, and worship your Lord until you attain certainty." 15:98-99
3- The Contact Prayers will also credit its observer with secured gains in the hereafter
"Surely, those who recite the book of God, observe the Contact Prayers and are charitable both discreetly and openly can hope for an investment that never loses. He will recompense them generously and will multiply His blessings upon them. He is Forgiving, Appreciative." 35:29-30
4- To commemorate God
We are told in the Quran that the most important objective of the Contact Prayers is to commemorate God.
"You shall recite what is revealed to you of the Scripture, and observe the Contact Prayers, for the Contact Prayers prohibits evil and vice. But the remembrance of God (through the Contact Prayers) is the most important objective. God is aware of all that you do." 29:45
"I am God, there is no other God but Me, you shall worship Me and observe the Contact Prayers to commemorate Me." 20:14
Frequent Commemoration
Commemorating God should not be restricted to our prayers but we are encouraged in the Quran to commemorate God as often as we can:
".....And the men who commemorate God frequently, and the commemorating women as well, God has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward." 33:35
"Those who commemorate God, while standing, sitting down or lying on their sides...." 3:191
"O you who believe, you shall commemorate God frequently." 33:41
"O you who believe, do not be distracted through your possessions or your children from commemorating God for those who do that are indeed the losers." 63:9
Rewards
Numerous rewards are given in the Quran for commemorating God:
1- Commemorating God will bestow a feeling of safety and tranquillity upon the hearts of the believers :
"They are the ones whose hearts attain safety and tranquillity in commemorating God. Absolutely by commemorating God the hearts attain serenity." 13:28
2- Commemorating the name of God on food will bless it and make it lawful (halal):
"You shall eat from that which was commemorated by God's name if you believe in His Scripture." 6:118
"Do not eat from that which was not commemorated by God's name, for it is an abomination." 6:121
3- Frequent commemoration of the name of God will give the believer better chances of success in life:
".........and commemorate God frequently so you may succeed." 62:10
4- But undoubtedly the reward of the highest order is attaining God's remembrance of us and moving closer to Him:
"You shall commemorate Me, that I may remember you, And be thankful to Me; do not be unappreciative." 2:152
"You shall commemorate the name of your Lord, to come ever closer and closer to Him." 73:8
Penalties
On the other hand for those who abstain from commemorating God a terrible retribution awaits them:
"As for the one who abstains from commemorating Me, he will have a miserable life, and on the day of Resurrection he will be summoned blind." 20:124
"We will present Hell, on that day to the disbelievers, they were the ones whose eyes were veiled to commemorate Me, nor could they hear." 18:100-101
Because commemorating God reaps great rewards, thus God will only gift the believers with such blessing. The ones who harbor disbelief and arrogance will be deprived by God of such blessing:
"........nor shall you obey the one whose heart We rendered oblivious of commemorating Us, the one who pursues his own desires, and whose priorities are confused." 18:28
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ACT FIVE
OBEDIENCE
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This act is in fact a two-fold act. First, we must recognize that the only Law is the Law of God. Second, we must obey it.
God’s Law is the only Law:
The Quran stresses the fact that it is forbidden to follow any law except that of God, that being the Law of the Quran:
"Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book (the Quran) fully detailed ?" 6:114
The Quran states that the only Sunna (method or system) is that of God, and that it is has no substitute:
".....you will find that the Sunna of God is the only one, it is irreplaceable." 33:62
Obeying God’s Law:
One of the most frequent commands in the Quran is to obey God and the messenger. The Quran is very clear that obeying God and obeying His messenger are one issue and not two. The following verses all confirm such meaning :
1- "Whoever obeys the messenger has obeyed God." 4:80
This simple sentence could only mean that the messenger preaches nothing but God's Law. If the messenger preached what is additional to the Quran then this verse would not always make sence, since a case could be made for a person who could obey the commands of the messenger but not necessarily everything in the Quran. The wording of the verse makes it clear that the messenger had no law other than the Quran.
2- "You shall obey God and you shall obey the messenger, and if you should turn away then note that the only duty of the messenger is to deliver the message." 5:92
This verse most effectively proves the point. Not only does it command the believers to obey God and the messenger, but it also confirms that since the messenger's sole duty was to deliver the Quran, then necessarily to obey the messenger is to obey the message he delivered (the Quran). The mere fact that the words "obey the messenger" and the words "the only duty of the messenger is to deliver the message." are contained within the same verse is not accidental. Nothing in the Quran is accidental. It is indeed strong indication to the believers that obedience to the messenger is specifically connected to the message he delivered (the Quran).
3- "....you will find no substitute for the Sunna (system) of God." 33:62
As mentioned, to claim or believe that there are two Sunna's, one of God and one of the prophet, is in fact to disbelieve the Quran.
4- "We have not sent any messenger except to be obeyed by God's will." 4:64
Considering the verse said messenger and not prophet, and considering also that God has sent many messengers across the ages, it is inconceivable to think that each one of these messengers had his own Sunna and law besides that of God!
For this reason, and since the verse tells us that all these messengers where to be obeyed, then the command to obey the messenger does not mean that he brought forth a law or Sunna of his own.
5- "We have revealed to you this book truthfully so that you could arbitrate among the people." 4:105 (also 5:48)
This verse decisively appoints the method by which the messenger is to arbitrate among the people. That method being the Quran. In all the Quran, there is never any mention of any other method or source.
Having identified the Law of God to be contained in the Quran and nothing else it is the duty of every Muslim to obey it. To worship God is to obey His Law and to obey His Law is to obey the Quran.
The Quran is a complete source of law containing the five pillars if Islam, all the prohibitions, an extensive amount of civil law, economic laws, code of conduct......etc. Observing any one of these laws, whether it is related to the five pillars, like fasting the month of Ramadan or paying the obligatory Charity (Zakat), or whether it is in connection to the prohibitions, like abstaining from eating pork for example; observing any of these laws with the intention of obeying God's Law is an act of worship. Consequently, to worship God alone it is imperative to follow God's Law and nothing else.
The importance of obeying God's Law is highly emphasized in the Quran to the extent that it is stated in the book that whoever advocates or rules by a law other than that of God is classed as a disbeliever.
"Those who do not rule by God?s Scripture are the disbelievers." 5:44
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ACT SIX
TRUST and DEPENDENCE
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Worshipping God is both in action and in conviction. The conviction expression of the act of Worship includes entrusting our whole lifes with God, that is in all areas of our livelihood and well-being. This is both an act of submission and worship.
The trust and dependence on God is the trait of the firm believer. The one who accomplishes that is well regarded and loved by God:
".....anyone who trusts in God, He suffices him." 65:3
"God, there is no God but He. In God the believers should trust." 64:13
"And place your trust in God, God suffices as an advocate." 33:3
Indeed God loves those who trust in Him:
"......and trust in God, for God loves those who trust in Him." 3:159
The fact that one cannot worship God without having absolute trust in Him is of paramount importance. This is evident from the fact that it is stressed in the very first Sura of the book :
"You alone we worship, You alone do we entrust for help." 1:5
The Quran also indicates that the devil has no authority over those who put their trust in God:
"He (the devil) has no power over those who believe and trust in their Lord." 16:99
But trust in God is not confined to our welfare in this life only but the highest level of trust is to trust in God's promise of the hereafter. This calibre of trust requires a great deal of patience and an unshakable faith. Indeed this shall be well rewarded:
"What you possess runs out, but what God possesses lasts forever. We will surely reward those who steadfastly persevere; We will recompense them for their righteous works." 16:96
"They will say, 'Praise be to God who fulfilled His promise to us, and made us inherit the earth, enjoying paradise as we please.' A fine reward for those who work righteousness." 39:74
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ACT SEVEN
FEAR and REVERENCE
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As much as we are to love and adore God as much as we should fear and revere Him. Perhaps God demanded that of the believers since He knows that He created us with strengths and weaknesses. If we were morally perfect and had no flaws in us then the love of God would have been sufficient to direct us in the proper direction, but because we are prone to be influenced by both good and evil, the fear of God should act as a deterrent.
Another reason that justifies the fear of God is that His wrath and retribution are awesome. Whether we like the idea or not, surely God's retribution is to be feared.
The concept of punishment and reward is proven to be the best method of achieving any goal. There are those who will complain saying, 'faith should not be built on fear', they are only being untruthful and arrogant. They only need to look around at any organized society in the world to see that the fear of punishment is the prime deterrent in curbing crime. Imagine if all the criminals in one society were informed that from that particular moment there will be no punishment for crime and thus nothing for them to fear!
The following verses stress the importance of fearing God:
"......the ones who fear their Lord without seeing Him and are fearful of the coming of the hour (day of Judgment)." 21:49
"......the only ones to heed your warning are those who fear their Lord without seeing Him...." 35:18
Fearing Hell is fearing God's retribution:
"Beware of Hell that is set up for the disbelievers." 3:131
"......beware of Hell, whose fuel is people and rocks. It awaits the disbelievers." 2:24
Though the fear of God without seeing Him is good indication of a strong faith, it is essentially more of an act of Worship. Consider the following example:
A genuine believer can have faith in the ability of his enemy to harm him, but is nevertheless not afraid of him because he does not worship him. A believer has faith in God and is afraid of no one but God because he worships God alone. In that sense the fear of God is indeed an act of worship. The Quran commands us to fear God alone:
".........Do not fear them, but fear Me instead. I will then perfect My blessings upon you, that you may be guided." 2:150
"Therefore do not fear people but instead fear Me." 5:44
The Quran states that the fear of God is also the trait of those endowed with knowledge:
"......The ones who truly fear God from among His servants are the ones who are knowledgeable." 35:28
For those who fear God there is promise of great:
"......The one who fears God, He pardons his sins and rewards him generously." 65:5
"As for those who fear their Lord without seeing Him, have earned forgiveness and a great reward." 67:12
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ACT EIGHT
IMPLORATION and BESEECH
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To implore and beseech God are indeed unquestionable expressions of Worship. The following verse asserts the link between Worship and Imploration:
"Your Lord says, 'Implore Me and I will respond to you. Surely those who are too arrogant to worship Me will enter Hell forcibly" 40:60
The words "Implore Me" and "Worship Me" in this verse confirm that imploration is indeed an essential expression of worship. Those who do not implore God do not worship Him. God, being the Most Gracious, encourages the believers to implore Him so that He may bestow on them His mercy.
"Should My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they implore Me. Thus they should respond to Me and believe in me, so that they may be guided." 2:186
The believers should address God, or the Most Gracious or indeed by using any of the admirable names that belong to Him.
"Say, 'Implore God or implore the Most Gracious, whichever name you chose for to Him belongs the admirable names." 17:110
Since imploration is an expression of Worship, and since we must worship God alone, it follows that we should implore God alone. The Quran is quick to ascertain this command:
"Therefore, implore God devoting all worship to Him alone, even if the disbelievers dislike it." 40:14
"All masajid (places of worship) belong to God, so do not call on or implore anyone besides God." 72:18
"You shall not implore beside God what possesses no power to benefit you or harm you. If you do you will be a transgressor." 10:106
The following verses specifically address those who beseech dead people (saints, messengers of God......etc.) for help:
"Those you implore besides God are God's servants just like yourselves. Go ahead and implore them, let them respond to you if you are right." 7:194
".......those you implore besides Him do not possess as little as a seed's thin coating. If you call on them they cannot hear you, But even if they heard you they would not respond to you and on the day of Resurrection they will surely disown you." 35:13-14
The Quran indicates that the human being whenever facing life danger will implore God alone but as soon as God rescues him he reverts to associating partners with God:
"When they sail on a ship they implore God devoting all worship to Him alone but as soon as He saves them to the shore they revert to being moshrekeen (those who set up partners to God)." 29:65
This might be due to the fact that when we are faced with imminent danger we usually have very little time to think. At that moment our instincts take over, and by instinct we all are in submission to God alone.
Sadly for the majority of people the name of God on its own is not sufficient:
"This is because When God alone was called upon you disbelieved, but when others were mentioned besides Him you believed. Therefore God's judgment has been issued; He is the Most High the Great." 40:12
To conclude, believers should implore God alone, as the act of imploration is undoubtedly a true expression of Worship.
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ACT NINE
APPRECIATION and GRATITUDE
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The Quran confirms that the expression of appreciation and gratitude to God is indeed an act of Worship:
".....and be appreciative of God's blessings upon you if you truly worship Him." 16:114
The act of appreciation and gratitude is in fact a threefold expression:
1- The realization that all blessings come from God:
All believers must be totally aware that all good things that happen to them in life surely come from God alone. This message is quite clear in the Quran. Believers should be well aware of it and should be assured that no human being has any power to benifir them without the will of God:
"Any blessing you are given is from God." 16:53
2- The expression of Appreciation and Gratitude:
The Quran stresses the importance of expressing appreciation and gratitude to God. This should be accompanied by a genuine content with ones fortunes. Those who are content with what they have are often the ones who find true happiness. It has been said that happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have. The following verse ascertains the importance of appreciation, and its great reward :
"Your Lord has decreed : 'The more you thank Me, the more I give you. But if you turn unappreciative, then My retribution is severe." 14:7
The Quran states that God's blessings are so numerous that the human being can never count them all:
"If you count God's blessings, you will never be able to count them all, still the human being is transgressing, unappreciative." 14:34
Many of these God given blessings are taken for granted. Take for example our senses, to be able to hear and see, to be given a mind superior to all other creatures with which we are able to attain sovereignty on earth. When was the last time you thought of thanking God for such blessings?
"God has brought you out of your mother's stomachs knowing nothing, then He blessed you with your hearing, your eyesight and your brains, that you may be appreciative." 16:78
"It is God who designed the night so you can rest in it, and the day lighted. God bestows many blessings on people, but most people are not thankful." 40:61
3- Proclaiming God's blessings:
The third expression of act nine is to constantly proclaim God's blessings. God is the most Gracious and as per the previous verses His blessings on us are too numerous to be counted. It is only fair that we should proclaim His blessings on us to every one we know. By doing so we are expressing both our gratitude and our Worship of God.
"You shall proclaim the blessing your Lord has bestowed upon you." 93:11
"O people speak of God's blessing upon you. Is there any creator other than God who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? There is no God beside Him. How could you deviate? " 35:3
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ACT TEN
DEVOTION and DEDICATION
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This act undoubtedly is the highest form of worship. This is the act of those who dedicate their lives and money to the cause of God. Those are the ones who constantly strive to preach the way to God. They are promised the highest reward:
"Those who believe and emigrate and strive in the cause of God with their money and their lives are in the highest rank in the sight of God. These are the winners." 9:20
No talk is better than that which preaches the way to God:
"Who can utter better words than one who preaches the way to God, works righteousness and says, 'I am among the submitters" 41:33
The command to devote and dedicate ourselves and our money to the cause of God is also found in (Sura 22, verse 67) and (Sura 28, verse 87).
The great value of such work is evident considering that such commands of dedication and devotion are often addressed to God's own messengers. The following verse is addressed to prophet Muhammad:
"O prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good news as well as a Warner, inviting to God, in accordance with His will and a guiding beacon." 33:45-46
The Quran also provides the optimum method of preaching and inviting to God:
"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and sound advice, and debate with them employing the best possible reasoning." 16:125
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