Root: ع ب د
Words from this Root in the Grand Qur'aan:
a) Total No. of occurrences: 275
b) No of constructions: 108
c) No of Aa'ya'at where occurred: 251
serve, worship, adore, venerate, accept the impression of a thing, obey
with submissiveness or humility, approve, apply, devote, obedience,
slave, keep to inseparably, subdue, assemble together, enslave.
| 355 |
Prefixed interrogative particle +
Verb: Imperfect; Second person; plural; masculine; Mood: Indicative
evident by نَ; and
[و] Subject pronoun in nominative state;
مصدر-عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal noun.
(1)5:76(2)37:95=2
الهمزة-للاستفهام +
فعل مضارع مرفوع
بثبوت النون/و- ضمير متصل في محل رفع
فاعل-جمع
مذكرحاضر |
|
| 1061 |
 Verb:
Imperfect; First person; singular; masculine; Mood: Subjunctive;
Subject pronoun hidden; مصدر-عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal noun.
(1)6:56(2)13:36(3)27:91(4)39:11(5)40:66=5
فعل مضارع
منصوب بأن/الفاعل
ضمير مستتر فيه-أَنَا-واحد
متكلم |
|
| 1062 |
 Verb:
Imperfect; First Person; Singular; Mood: Indicative; Subject pronoun
hidden; مصدر-عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal noun.
(1)10:104(2)10:104(3)26:22(4)39:14(5)39:64(6)109:02(7)109:03(8)109:05=8
فعل مضارع مرفوع
بالضمة /الفاعل ضمير
مستتر فيه-أَنَا-واحد
متكلم |
|
| 1188 |
 Interrogative
particle + Particle
فَ
which shows cause/reason-sequence and
effect/consequence +
Verb: Imperfect; second person; plural; masculine;
Mood: Indicative evident by "نَ"; and
[و] Subject Pronoun, nominative state; مصدر-عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal noun. (1)21:66=1
الهمزة-للاستفهام
+ حرف فَ +
فعل مضارع مرفوع بثبوت النون/و-
ضمير متصل في محل رفع فاعل-جمع
مذكرحاضر |
|
| 2466 |
 Verb:
Imperative; second person; singular; masculine;
Subject pronoun hidden; مصدر-عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal noun.
(1)15:99=1
فعل أمر
مبنى على السكون/الفاعل ضمير مستتر فيه-أَنتَ/واحد
مذكر-حاضر
|
|
| 2467 |
 Verb:
Imperative; Second Person; Plural; Masculine; [و] Subject pronoun, in nominative state; عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun.
(1)2:21(2)4:36(3)5:72(4)5:117(5)7:59(6)7:65(7)7:73(8)7:85(9)11:50(10)11:61(11)11:84(12)16:36(13)22:77(14)23:23(15)23:32
(16)27:45(17)29:16(18)29:36(19)53:62(20)71:03=20
فعل أمر مبنى على
حذف النون لأنَّ مضارعه من الأفعال الخمسة
و- ضمير متصل في محل رفع
فاعل-والألف-فارقة/جمع
مذكرحاضر |
|
| 2468 |
 Verb:
Imperative; Second Person; Plural; Masculine; [و] Subject pronoun, in nominative state;
Suffixed Object Pronoun: Third Person; Singular;
Masculine, in accusative state; عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun.
(1)29:17=1
فعل أمر
مبنى على حذف النون لأنَّ مضارعه من الأفعال الخمسة
و- ضمير متصل في محل
رفع فاعل-/جمع
مذكرحاضر/ضمير
متصل في محل نصب مفعول به/واحد
مذكرغائب
|
|
| 2469 |
 Verb:
Imperative; Second Person; Plural; Masculine; [و] Subject pronoun, in nominative state;
نِ
noon of protection +
Object
pronoun
ى
: First Person;
Singular, accusative state; عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun. (1)36:61=1
فعل أمر
مبنى على حذف النون لأنَّ مضارعه من الأفعال الخمسة/و- ضمير متصل في محل
رفع فاعل/جمع
مذكرحاضر
ن الوقاية +
الياء ضمير متصل في محل نصب
مفعول به/واحد
متكلم |
|
| 3525 |
Active
Participle; Definite; Sound Plural; Masculine; nominative;
عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun.
(1)9:112=1
اسم فاعل:معرفہ
باللام- مرفوع-جمع سالم
مذكر |
|
| 3526 |
 Active
Participle; Definite; Sound Plural; Masculine; genitive;
عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun.
(1)43:81=1
اسم فاعل:معرفہ
باللام- مجرور/منصوب-جمع
سالم مذكر |
|
| 3541 |
 Noun:
Definite; broken plural; masculine;
genitive. (1)36:30(2)40:48=2
اسم: معرفہ باللام
مجرور-جمع
مذكر |
|
| 3542 |
 Noun: Definite; masculine; singular;
nominative. (1)2:178(2)38:30(3)38:44=3
اسم
:معرفہ باللام-مرفوع-واحد
مذكر |
|
| 4643 |
Prepositional Phrase:
بـِ Inseparable preposition + Noun: Definite; plural;
Masculine; genitive. (1)2:207(2)3:15(3)3:20(4)3:30(5)40:44=5
جار و مجرور
= بـِ حرف جر +
اسم مجرور-معرفہ باللام-جمع-مذكر |
|
| 4644 |
Prepositional phrase:
بـِ Inseparable preposition +
Noun: Definite; masculine; singular;
genitive. (1)2:178=1 جار و مجرور
= بـِ حرف جر +
اسم مجرور-معرفہ باللام-واحد-مذكر |
|
| |
 Possessive
Phrase: Noun: Indefinite; masculine;
singular; genitive + suffixed possessive
pronoun: First Person; Plural/Sovereign Singular, Masculine, in genitive
state. (1)38:41=1
الإِضَافَةُ-اسم:
منصوب-واحد
مذكر/مضاف +
ضمير متصل-جمع
متكلم
في محل جر-مضاف إليه |
|
1.
[فعل مضارع مرفوع بالضمة]
Verb: Transitive; Imperfect; First Person; Plural; Mood: Indicative
reflected by
[مرفوع بالضمة];
[Form-I] + [الفاعل:ضمير مستتر:نَحْنُ]
Subject pronoun hidden;
-عِبَادَةٌ Verbal Noun (1)01:05(2)2:133(3)26:71=3
2.
Verb:
Imperfect; First Person; Plural; subjunctive mood.
(1)3:64=1
3.
Prefixed
لِ so that; for the purpose+ Verb; Imperfect; First Person; Plural; subjunctive mood.
(1)7:70=1
4.
Verb: Imperfect; First Person; Plural;
subjunctive mood.
(1)11:02;(2)14:35=2
5.
Verb:
Imperfect; First Person; Plural. Attached Pronoun
Third person; plural; masculine.
(1)39:03=1
....................
7.
Prefixed
conjunction
فَ +Verb: Imperative;
Second Person; Plural; Attached
pronoun
هُ; third person; singular; masculine
(1)3:51;(2)6:102;(3)10:03;(4)19:36;(5)43:64=5
34.
Prefixed
conjunction
فَ +Verb: Imperative;
Second Person; singular; Attached
pronoun
هُ; third person; singular; masculine(1)11:123;(2)19:65=2
88.
Prefixed
conjunction
فَ +Verb:
Imperative; Second Person;
singular.
(1)39:66=1
85.
Prefixed
conjunction
فَ +Verb:
Imperative; Second Person; Plural;
(1)39:15=1
55.
Prefixed
conjunction
فَ +Verb:
Imperative; Second Person; Singular;
+نِ
the noon of protection [نون الوقاية]+
Attached pronoun
ى
First Person singular.
(1)20:14=1
57.
(1)21:25;(2)21:92;(3)29:56=3
81.
(1)39:02=1
.....................................
3.
Possessive Phrase: Noun: Definite; singular;
masculine; genitive + Possessive personal pronoun: First person; plural;
[masculine-Allah] (1)2:23(2)8:41=2
41.
Verb; Perfect; First Person; Plural [Form-I] (1)16:35=1
77.
(1)38:17(2)54:09=2
93.
(1)43:20=1
Verb; Perfect/Past tense; First Person; Plural
[Form-I]
8.
11.
[لام التوكيد] Prefixed emphatic particle + Noun: Indefinite; singular; masculine;
nominative. (1)2:221=1
17.
(1)4:172(2)16:75(3)17:03(4)18:65(5)19:93(6)96:10=6
42.
(1)17:01=1
45.
(1)18:01=1
99.
(1)57:09=1
48.
(1)19:02(2)39:36=2
49.
(1)19:30(2)72:19=2
65.
(1)25:01(2)53:10=2
72.
(1)34:09(2)50:08=2
95.
(1)43:59=1
101.
(1)66:10=1
19.
(1)5:60=1 Verb: Perfect; Third Person; Singular;
active. [Form-I]
67.
(1)26:22=1
Verb: Perfect ; Second Person; Plural;
107. 
(1)106:04=1
Verb; Second Person; Plural; Perfect; [Form-I]
................................................
4.
[فعل مضارع مرفوع بثبوت النون]
Verb: Imperfect; Second Person; Plural; Mood: Indicative evident by نَ [و- ضمير متصل في محل رفع فاعل]
Subject Pronoun
و; nominative case; عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun. (1)2:83(2)2:133(3)2:172(4)10:28(5)10:104(6)12:40(7)16:114(8)21:67(9)21:98(10)26:70(11)26:75(12)26:92(13)29:17(14)29:17(15)37:85(16)37:161(17)41:37(18)43:26(19)60:04(20)109:02=20
32.
Verb: imperfect; second person; plural; masculine; subjunctive mood
[Form I] + Subject pronoun.
(1)11:02;(2)11:26;(3)12:40;(4)17:23;(5)41:14;(6)46:21=6
Verb: imperfect;
second person; plural; masculine; subjunctive mood [Form I] + Subject
pronoun.
(1)36:60=1
50.
(1)19:42=1 Second Person;
Singular; Imperfect
51.
(1)19:44=1
70.
(1)27:43=1
Second Person; Singular; Imperfect
..........................total
112
5.
Possessive Phrase:
Noun: Definite; plural; Masculine; genitive
+ Suffixed possessive pronoun: Third person; singular; masculine; in genitive state.
(1)2:90(2)6:18(3)6:61(4)6:88(5)7:128(6)9:104(7)10:107(8)14:11(9)17:17(10)25:58(11)28:82(12)29:62(13)34:39(14)40:15(15)40:85(16)42:25(17)43:15=17
23.
(1)7:32;(2)42:27=2
40.
(1)16:02;(2)30:48=2
43.
(1)17:30;(2)17:96;(3)35:31;(4)35:45;(5)42:19;(6)42:27=6
52.
(1)19:61;(2)39:16=2
69.
(1)27:15;(2)27:59;(3)35:28=3
72. 
(1)30:48=1
83.
(1)39:07=1
....................
6.
Active Participle; Indefinite; Sound Plural;
Masculine; nominative;
عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun. (1)2:138(2)23:47(3)109:03(4)109:05=4
59.
Active Participle; Plural; Masculine; Indefinite;
عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun. (1)21:53;(2)21:73;(3)21:106=3
61.
Active Participle; Plural; Masculine; Definite(1)21:84=1
106. 
Active Participle; Indefinite; Singular; Masculine;
nominative;
عِبَادَةٌ
Verbal Noun.
(1)106:04=1
100.
(1)66:05=1
....................
9.
Possessive Phrase:
Noun: Definite; plural; Masculine; nominative
+ Suffixed possessive pronoun: First person; singular; masculine; in genitive state.
(1)2:186(2)15:42(3)17:65(4)18:102(5)23:109(6)25:17=6
36.
(1)14:31=1
38.
(1)15:49=1
44.
(1)17:53=1
56.
(1)20:77;(2)44:23=2
62.
(1)21:105;(2)34:13=2
68.
(1)26:52=1
71.
(1)29:56;(2)39:53=2
102.
(1)89:29=1
..............................
10.
.......
14.
(1)3:79;(2)17:05=2
15.
(1)3:182;(2)8:51;(3)22:10;(4)41:46;(5)50:29=5
16.
(1)4:118;(2)27:19;(3)39:46=3
21.
(1)5:118=1
37.
(1)15:40(2)38:83(3)71:27=3
18.
(1)4:172(2)7:206(3)21:19=3
53.
(1)19:65=1
30.
(1)10:29=1
47.
(1)18:110=1
54.
(1)19:82;(2)46:06=2
200
90.
(1)40:60=1
................................
25.
(1)7:70;(2)11:62;(3)11:87;(4)11:109;(5)11:109;(6)14:10;(7)22:11;(8)34:43=8
27.
(1)9:31=1
29.
(1)10:18;)(2)11:109;(3)16:73;(4)18:16;(5)19:49;(6)22:71;(7)25:17;(8)25:55;(9)28:63;(10)34:40;(11)34:41;(12)37:22=12
64.
(1)24:55=1
86.
(1)39:17=1
94.
(1)43:45=1
98.
(1)51:56=1
104. 
(1)98:05=1
105.
(1)106:03=1
.........................27
26.
(1)7:194=1
58.
(1)21:26=1
.........................
35.
(1)12:24;(2)19:63;(3)35:32;(4)37:81;(5)37:111;(6)37:122;(7)37:132;(8)42:52;(9)66:10=9
46.
(1)18:65=1
76.
(1)37:171=1
80.
(1)38:45=1
..................................12
63.
(1)24:32=1
66.
(1)25:63;(2)76:06=2
75.
(1)37:40;(2)37:74;(3)37:128;(4)37:160;(5)37:169=5
87.
(1)39:17=1
91.
(1)42:23=1
92.
(1)43:19=1
89.
(1)40:31;(2)50:11=2
84.
(1)39:10;(2)39:16;(3)43:68=3
Like the other two basic terms already dealt
with, the term 'ibadah too has several different meanings, though
all related to each other. The basic concept implied by the root word,
'abd, is that of acknowledging someone other than oneself as
holding supremacy or enjoying overlordship and of abdicating one's
freedom and independence in big favour, of relinquishing any resistance
to or disobedience of him, and of surrendering oneself totally to his
authority. Since slavery or bondage too are tantamount to similar
status, the first sense the word conveys to the mind of any Arab is of
this very factor, namely, slavery or bondage.
Also, since the primary role of a slave is to obey his
master and carry out his wishes, the word also carries the sense of
submission and obedience. Next, a slave not only submits himself to the
will of his master physically, but mentally too he accepts his
supremacy, and if he at the same time has feelings of gratitude for his
kindnesses and favours, he is inclined spontaneously to go out of his
way in extolling the master and in showing respect and regard for him.
He expresses and demonstrates his obligation in many ways to show his
deep attachment, in a manner amounting almost to worship although,
obviously, this comes into play only when, in addition to physical
bondage, there is mental attachment too.
There are two other senses also in which the word or
its derivatives are employed, but they are secondary, and hence it is
not necessary to go into them at this stage.
On studying the Qur'an we find that, the word is used
wholly in the three senses explained above, except that on occasion both
the first and the second senses are implied, on others the second only,
on still others the third only and, in yet other places, all the three.
Here are examples of use in the first and second senses:
(i) Then We sent Musa and his
brother Haroon, with clear proofs of their prophethood to the Pharaoh
and his nobles, but they treated them with disdain because of
haughtiness born of power. "Should we," they said, "believe in two
mere humans like ourselves, and that too of a nation which is in
bondage to us?" (Quran 23:-45-47)
(ii) And the Pharaoh reminded
Musa of having reared him from his childhood, (to which Musa replied):
"As for the obligation you remind me of, is it not a fact that
happened only because you had made the Bani Israel your slaves (but
for which fact I may never have come into your household)?"
(Quran 26:18-23)
The words 'aabidoon and 'abbadta
employed respectively in the two verses imply bondage, submission,
and obedience. When the Pharaoh used the first word in respect of
Hazrat Musa and Hazrat Haroon's nation, what he meant was that the
Bani Israel were in bondage to the Egyptians and fully subservient
to them. And, when Hazrat Musa (on whom be peace), used the second
word in reply to the Pharaoh, he meant that the latter had enslaved
the Bani Israel and made them do his bidding.
(iii) O' you who believe! Eat
of the clean and good things We have bestowed on you, and render due
gratitude to God, if you do truly give 'ibadah to Him alone.
(Quran 2:172)
The background of this verse is that, in the
pre-Islamic period, the Arabs imposed various kinds of restrictions
upon themselves in the matter of eating and drinking, in deference
to the dictate, of their priests or due to superstitions, which had
come down from their ancestors. When, however, they embraced Islam,
the Qur'an demanded that if they now really felt that they owed 'ibadah
to Allah alone, they should forget all those restrictions, and eat
without hesitation all that was permitted by Islam. The idea,
clearly, is that if they had now really submitted their will to that
of God, they should shed all the taboos imposed by their priests or
ancestors, and instead observe only the Islamic injunctions in the
matter of eating and drinking.
(iv) Say (O' Prophet): Shall I
tell yon of a fate worse than this? It is the fate of those whom Allah
placed under His curse, who drew His wrath upon themselves, and of
whom many were turned into apes and swine, and who rendered 'ibadah
to taghoot. (Quran 5:60)
(v) And We sent Prophets unto
all the peoples (to teach them) to give' their 'ibadah to Allah
and not to taghoot. ... (Quran
16:36)
(vi) And there are good
tidings for those who gave up the 'ibadah of taghoot and
adopted that of Allah (instead). (Quran
39:17)
In all these three verses, 'ibadah of
taghoot means bondage to any or all of what the latter term stands
for, that is, every state or authority or leadership, etc., which, in
transgression against God, makes its own word prevail in the land,
whether by the use of force or intimidation or through temptation and so
on. And according to the Qur'an to submit to the dictates of all such
authority and do its bidding amounts to no less than the 'ibadah
of taghoot. [ Nasser in
Egypt and Bhutto in Pakistan, were glaring recent examples of
Taghootdom. There have been others before elsewhere, and there are
many another contemporaneously making their word prevail against Allah’s
and invoking personality or secular cults as the better alternatives
forgetting that, that they will one day have to render account to Allah
shorn of all earthly authority, actually a bounty from Him for their
trial. Abu Asad]
Now we come to some of the verses in which the word is
used in the second sense only, that of submission or obedience:
(i) O' Sons of Adam, did I not
enjoin on you that you do not give ibadah to Satan, for he is
your avowed enemy? (Quran 36:60)
As everybody knows, no-one really worships Satan
in the formal sense, and in fact he is cursed by the whole world,
and hence the above charge, which will be made upon mankind on the
Day of Judgement, means that people who obeyed the commands of the
Devil and allowed themselves to be misled to the path shown by him
thereby in effect gave their 'ibadah to him.
(ii) (And when it will be the
Day of Judgement, God will say): "Gather together all the wrongdoers
and their associates, as also the gods other than Allah to whom they
gave their 'ibadah and show them to the door of Hell ...” And
they will turn to one another in dispute. The worshippers will say,
"It is you who used to come to us from the right hand (of power and
authority)!" Those worshipped will reply, "Nay, (now you are blaming
us) but is it not that you yourselves had no Faith and were in
obstinate rebellion (to God)." (Quran
37:22,23,27-30)
If we reflect on the accusation and
cross-accusation between those who gave their 'ibadah and
those to whom it was given, we find that the latter do not here
comprise any gods or idols but those religious or other "popular"
leaders who came to the people in the garb of well-wishers or
saviours of the nation or liberators, etc., and led them along the
wrong path. The reference is to people who put on sanctified airs,
and, while claiming to be friends, caused mischief in the land. It
is blind obedience to such people that is here characterised as 'ibadah.
(iii) They (Jews and
Christians) made their learned men and priests their rabbs
instead of Allah, and Jesus son of Mary too, though they were not
bidden except to give their 'ibadah to Allah alone.
(Quran 9:31)
Here making of the learned men and priests into
rabbs and the giving of 'ibadah to them does not mean
believing them to be gods, but making them the sole authority for
deciding what to do and what not to do, and obeying their behests
without caring to look for any divine or prophetic sanction behind
them. This is the explanation, which was given by the Holy Prophet
himself (may peace be upon him) when, on an occasion, the question
was put to him by a convert who had previously been a Christian.
As to the third sense, of worship, this has two
aspects: the first is that of performing one or more of the various
rites of worship, such as bowing before the person or thing, standing in
his or its presence with hands folded across the breast, of offering
sacrifices before it, etc., irrespective of whether the person, etc.,
involved is regarded as god in his own right or as someone able to
intercede with a major god or having a share in the running of the
universe under the control of that god.
The other is to believe in the person, etc., as having
control over the realm of cause and effect, and praying to him, invoking
him in times of distress or trial, and seeking his protection against
danger or disaster.
Both kinds of acts amount, according to the Qur'an, to
worship, e.g.,
(i) Say, (O'prophet): 'I have
been forbidden to worship those whom you people worship other than
Allah now that I have clear guidance from my Rabb."
(Quran 40:66)
(ii) (And Ibrahim said to his
people): "And I part company with you and turn away from you (all) and
from those whom you invoke other than Allah, and I shall call on my
Rabb instead " And when he had turned away from them and from
those they worshipped other than Allah, We blessed him with a son
Ishaq (Isaac) …(Quran 19:48-49)
(iii) And who is more astray
than one who calls on those other than Allah who will not make him any
answer till Doomsday and who are in fact unaware even of being
invoked; and when the people shall be gathered on the Day of Judgement,
those so invoked will turn hostile to them and will repudiate their
acts of worship. (Quran 46:5-6)
In all these three verses, the Qur'an itself
clarifies that by 'ibadah here is meant calling on the
supposed gods or invoking them for help.
(iv) On the other hand, they
used to worship the jinn, and many believed in them.
(Quran 34:41)
This worship of Jinns (genii) is explained
later as Follows:
(v) And some there are among
men who seek the protection of some among the jinns.
(Quran 72:6)
In other words, to seek the protection of the jinn
amounts to giving them worship and believing that they have the
power to grant such protection.
(v) On the Day when Allah will
gather them and the gods they used to worship other than Him, He will
ask the latter whether it was they who had misled the people or it was
the people who had themselves gone astray. And they will reply "Glory
be to you! How could it have been fitting for us to take for
protectors others besides You?" (Quran
25:17-18)
The persons referred to here as having been
worshipped are, obviously, the saintly and the pious, while worship
of them implies belief in their possessing some of the attributes
which are actually divine and in their being capable of listening to
and granting the prayers of someone far away, and the showing of
respect for them in such manner amounts to worship.
(vii) And on the Day when
Allah will gather them together, and will say to the angels: "Are you
those they worshipped?" and they will reply, "Glory be to you what
have we to do with them? It is You Whom we regard as our Protector."
(Quran 34:40,41)
Here the `ibadah of the angels means their
worship, for which purpose their idols were kept in places of
worship, and various acts of worship were gone through in the hope
of pleasing them and winning their favours and enlisting their help
in worldly affairs.
(viii) And they used to
worship, other than Allah, those who had not the power to do them
either harm or good, and used to say, "These are our intercessors with
God." (Quran 10:18)
(ix) And those who have taken
others than God as their helpers, and say: "We do not perform acts of
worship towards them except that they bring us nearness to God."
(Quran 39:3)
Here too the particular acts of worship amount to
ibadah, and the particular manner in which it did is also
indicated.
All the above examples illustrate the use of the word
'ibadah (or one or more of its derivatives) in one or other of
the three senses, and we have now to give some examples of the
comprehensive use of the word, embracing all the three. But before we do
so, it seems desirable to be clear about one point.
In all the verses cited above, there is reference to
the worship of others than Allah. Where worship ('ibadah) implies
bondage and submission, those worshipped are, either the Devil, or those
rebels against God who have become taghoots and who, instead of
making people give their obedience to God, make it exclusive for
themselves; or those leaders (whether political or religious) who ignore
the injunctions of the Qur'an and make the people follow the ways
devised by themselves [ e.g., the
upholders of "Kemalism", and "Panchshila", two heretical secularist
concepts, both preferred openly to Islam, the pure Muslims being
persecuted and even maligned as enemies of the country. Abu Asad.].
Where the word does mean worship-that is, performance of various rituals
of worship, etc. -those worshipped happen to be either the saints or
other pious people, or the Prophets who were raised to the status of
godhood in varying degrees contrary to their own teachings; or the
angels or the jinns who, through a misconception, were believed
to have a share in divinity; or idols or imaginary powers or other
physical representations which became the objects of worship through the
insinuations of Satan. The Holy Qur'an pronounces all such gods or
objects of worship to be false, and their `worship' to be wrong,
irrespective of whether it amounts to bondage, or obedience, or the
actual observance of the ritual of worship. All, insists the Qur'an, are
God's creatures and his slaves. They have no right to be given any kind
of worship, nor does this worship beget anything but frustration, and
debasement. Allah alone is the Lord of all, whether it be these gods or
the rest of creation, and He alone has all the power and the authority
and, hence, He alone is deserving of worship in any of the senses of the
word:
(i) Verily those you worship
are God's creatures like you, so call them, and let them make reply to
you (that is, grant your prayers), if you are in the right."...And
those to whom you call besides Him, can neither help you nor (for the
matter of that) even themselves. (Quran
7:194,197)
(ii) And they say that Rahman
(the God of Mercy) has taken a son now Himself. Far above is He of
such a thing! They (the supposed sons) are, actually, His creatures
whom He has honoured. (And yet, despite this honor) they dare not open
their mouth on their own to make any submission to Him. They only do
as He bids. He knows what is visible to them, and also what is hidden
from them. They cannot intercede with Him in behalf of anyone (at all)
save where He Himself wishes to accede to any intercession. And they
are constantly in awe of Him. (Quran
21:26-28)
(iii) And they have made
goddesses of angels, who are actually creatures of Ar-Rahman,
The Merciful God. (Quran 43:19)
(iv) And they have assumed
some blood relationship between God and the jinns, though the
jinn, know for themselves that they will one day have to appear before
Him to account for their conduct. (Quran
37:158)
(v) Neither did Jesus consider
it beneath his dignity to be a slave of Allah, nor do the angels; and
whosoever considers it beneath him to give himself in bondage to
Allah, (then where can he escape from Him, and) He will gather them
all to Himself. (Quran 4:172)
(vi) The Sun and the Moon both
follow courses (exactly) computed; and the plants and the trees both
(alike) bow in adoration and submission to Allah (their Creator).
(Quran 55:5-6)
(vii) The seven heavens and
the earth, and all beings therein, proclaim His Glory; there is not a
thing but celebrates His praises, except that you understand it not.
(Quran 17:44)
(viii) And to Him belongs all
beings in the heavens and the earth, and all are subservient to his
commands. (Quran 30:26)
(ix) And there is not a
creature that moves but He has grasp of its forelock (that is,
complete control over it). (Quran 11:56)
(x) There is not a single
being in the heavens and the earth but will come to (God) Most
Gracious as a bonded slave; He does take account of them (all), and
has numbered them (all) exactly. And everyone of them will come to Him
singly on the Day of Judgement. (Quran
19:93-95)
(xi) Say (O' Prophet): "O God!
Lord of Power (and Rule), You Grant power to whom You pleases, and
shed Power from whom You please; You endue with honour whom You
please, and You bring low whom You please. In Your hand is all Good
[ That is, no good can come to
any being unless Allah wills it so. Abu Asad].
Verily, You have (all the) power over
everything. (Quran 3:26)
Having thus clarified categorically that all who are
worshipped besides Allah in any form were or are no more than His
creatures and slaves with no power or authority of their own at all, the
Qur'an demands of all human beings and jinns that 'ibadah
must, in whatever form it take, be reserved exclusively for Allah. All
bondage, submission, and worship should be to or of Him alone, and there
should not be even the slightest semblance of these for anyone else:
(i) And We sent a messenger to
every people with the message that they give their 'ibadah to
Allah and forbear from giving it to taghoot.
(Quran 16:36)
(ii) Good tidings are for
those who turned away from the 'ibadah of taghoot, and
turned to Allah instead. (Quran 39:17)
(iii) Did I not enjoin upon
you, O' sons of Adam, not to give your 'ibadah to Satan, for he
is an open enemy to you, but to give it to Me instead and that is the
straight path? (Quran 36:60-61)
(iv) They made their learned
men and praises into Rabbs, although they were not bidden
except to give their 'ibadah to Allah alone.
(Quran 9:31)
(v) O' you who believe! If yon
have really made your 'ibadah exclusive for Us, then eat
without hesitation of the clean and good things We have bestowed upon
you, and render gratitude to God. (Quran
2:172)
In these verses the 'ibadah which is ordered to
be reserved exclusively for God is that which amounts to bondage or
slavery and submission and obedience, and the implication clearly is
that men are being told to forbear giving their submission and obedience
to taghoot, to Satan, to the priests and rabbis, and to fathers
and forefathers, and to give it instead to Allah alone:
(i) Say (O' Prophet):
"Forbidden it is for me to give my 'ibadah to those to whom you
call instead of God. Clear signs have I received from my Lord, and I
have eke been bidden to bow to the Will of the Lord of all the Worlds
" (Quran 40:66)
(ii) And your Rabb has
said: 'Call to Me, and I shall hear your prayer
[ This does not mean that all the
prayers will necessarily be granted the way one wishes. The Holy
Prophet is reported to have stated on one occasion that no prayer ever
goes waste. Either Allah Almighty grants it, or He bestows something
better-may be after some times- or He averts some harm or disaster
instead. It must be understood, however, the point does not need any
argument that the prayer must be for something good. It would be the
height of depravity, for example, for some misguided fool to pray that
Allah enable him to seduce the wife of a friend or to make a huge
profit in a black-marketing transaction, sad so on. And he certainly
can have no right to feel ungrateful to Allah for not granting his
Prayer. Abu Asad.] - and
as for those who go against My Commands, they will surely be flung
into (the fire) of hell." (Quran 40:60)
(iii) This is Allah, the
Rabb of all of you. All Power is His alone, and as for those you
call to others than Him, they do not own any power; if you call to
them, they do not listen to your prayer, and if they could listen they
would not be able to respond, and on the Day of Judgement they will
simply repudiate your association of them with God!
(Quran 35:13-14)
(iv) Say (O' Prophet):' Do you
give 'ibadah to those, other than Allah who have power to do
you neither harm nor good, (whereas) Allah alone is the All-Hearing,
All-Knowing." (Quran 5:76)
In these verses the emphasis is on making 'ibadah
exclusive for Allah, in the sense of worship, and there is also
evidence that the sending up of prayers to someone is also an act of
‘ibadah, while the verses that precede and follow those quoted above
speak of these supposed gods who were treated as co-sharers with
Allah in His rububiyyah in the supernatural sense.
It should not therefore be difficult for anyone with
even the least sense to understand that wherever the Qur'an speaks of
the `ibadah of Allah, and it does not appear from the context
that it is used specifically in one or other of its three different
senses, it encompasses all the three, namely, bondage, submission, and
worship, e.g.
(i) Verily, I am Allah; there
is no ilah hot I; therefore give your 'ibadah to Me
(alone). (Quran 20:14)
(ii) This is Allah, your
Rabb; there is no ilah but He-the Creator of all that
exists; therefore give your 'ibadah to Him (alone), and He it
is Who looks after every thing and its needs.
(Quran 6:102)
(iii) Say (O' Prophet): "O
People, if you are in doubt as to what my deen is, then let it
be clear to you that I do not give my 'ibadah to those other
than Allah to whom you give yours instead, I give mine to Allah, Who
causes you to die, and I have been commanded to be of believers (in
Him)." (Quran 10:104)
(iv) Those to whom you give
your 'ibadah others than, Allah, they are nothing but things or
beings whom your forefathers and you yourselves have, under false
notions, come to believe as invested with divinity. Allah Himself has
not sent down any proof therefor. To Allah alone belongs all Power and
the Realm. Clearly has He ordained that to none but Him may one give
one's 'ibadah, and that (alone) is the straight path.
(Quran 12:40)
(v) And Allah alone knows the
realities unseen by man; with Him alone rests ultimate dispensation;
therefore give your 'ibadah to Him, and in Him alone place your
reliance. (Quran 11:123)
(vi) To Him (alone) belongs
all that is on front of us or behind us or in between; nor is your
Rabb given to lapses of memory; He is the Rabb of the
heavens and the earth and whatever is in between; therefore give your
ibadah to Him alone, and keep steadfast in such 'ibadah
alone. (Quran 19:64-65)
(vii) So, whoso wishes to meet
His Rabb, then let him do pious deeds, and not mix up the 'ibadah
of his 'Rabb with that of any other.
(Quran 18: 110)
There truly seems not the slightest reason for taking
the word 'ibadah as used in these verses to have only one or
other of the three senses, of worship, bondage, or submission. Actually,
the Qur'an puts its whole d'awah and its import in verses like
these and, obviously, its whole d'awah is none other than that
our bondage, our submission, and our worship should all be for Allah,
wholly and solely. Therefore, the restriction of the meaning of the
term, in the above verses, to just any one of the three senses amounts
to placing a limitation on the d'awah of the Qur'an and the
logical result of this would be that those who embrace the Islamic faith
with such a restricted understanding of the Qur'anic d'awah will
be able to achieve only a sub-standard compliance with its precepts and
will remain defective in their Iman.
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