Bringing People to the Worship of their Lord (1/2)

Worshipping Allah is the reason behind the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, the angels and human beings, the night and the day, as-Sirat and al-Meezaan, Paradise and Hell. The whole universe was not created in jest:

"We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between the two, in play." [Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) Ayah 16.]

Nor were human beings and the jinn created in vain:

"Did you then think that We had created you without purpose and that you would not be brought back to Us [for account]? Exalted then be Allah, the True King. There is no god but He, the Lord of the Glorious Throne." [Surah Al-Mu’minoon (23) Ayat 115-116.]

They were not created without a reason and purpose:

"I have only created the jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.” [Surah Az-Zariyat (51) Ayah 56.]

The only purpose for which they were created therefore is to worship Allah alone. They were created to carry out their duty towards Allah. This duty was outlined by the Prophet   when he called Mu'adh bin Jabal three times, asking him, "Do you know Allah's right upon His Servants?" Mu'adh replied, "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet   then said, "Allah's right upon His servants is that they should worship Him alone and associate none with Him in worship."[1]

This is the duty the servants must carry out towards Allah, mainly to worship Him with total submission, humility, love, reliance, piety, good conduct and fear, turning unto Him.

This is why Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sent messengers calling people to His worship:

“And indeed We sent Noah to his people, and he said, 'O my people, worship Allah. You have no other god but Him. Will you not then be afraid?'” [Surah Al-Mu’minoon (23) Ayat 23.]

“And [remember] Abraham when he said to his people, 'Worship Allah and fear Him. That will be better for you, if you understand.'” [Surah Al- Ankabut (29) Ayah 16.]

"And to the ’Aad people [We sent] their brother Hud. He said, ‘O my people, worship Allah [alone]. You have no god other than Him.’" [Surah Hud (11) Ayah 50.]

"And to [the tribe of Thamud [we sent] their brother Salih. He said, `O my people, worship Allah; you have no god other than Him.'” [Surah Hud (11) Ayah 61.]

"And to the Madyan people [we sent] their brother Shu'aib. He said, `O my people, worship Allah; you have no god other than Him.’” [Surah Hud (11) Ayah 84.]

“And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger [proclaiming]: ‘Worship Allah [alone], and avoid at-Taghut (all false deities).’" [Surah An-Nahl (16) Ayah 36.]

The Qur'an also recounts the saying of Jesus, the son of Mary to the Children of Israel:

"Surely, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him [alone]; that is the right path.” [Surah Maryam (19) Ayah 36.]

And this is the reason why the Prophet   had been sent "so that Allah Alone will be worshipped, without any partners."[2]

And this is the aim that the Sahabah understood from the Prophet. Rab'ee bin `Aamir said to Rustum when asked about the reason he had come to see him: "Allah has sent us to take the created [people] away from the worship of the created [false gods] and bring them to the worship of Allah, the One and Almighty."

Man must, by his very nature, be a servant, whether he likes it or not. This is an inherent characteristic of Man over which he has no control. He must experience submissiveness, love, fear, hope and reliance associated with slavery. If he does not direct these to Allah, the  -   true God, he will undoubtedly direct them to false deities which "...can create nothing but are themselves created, and which have no power to harm or benefit themselves, and they control neither death nor life nor resurrection.” [Surah Al-Furqan (25) Ayah 3.]

People should realize this fact and understand it properly: if they keep away from the worship of Allah, they will undoubtedly worship false gods which can do neither harm nor good.  This is one of the immutable laws that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) established in the universe.

The Christians worship Jesus Christ; the Jews worshipped the calf; the Arab polytheists worshipped idols made from pressed dates which they ate when they felt hungry. They ate the very gods to whom they were prostrating a few minutes before, supplicating to them, loving them, and asking them for food and drink. There are people today who still worship fire, cows, trees, the moon and the sun. Other people are slaves to their own whims and desires:

"Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his god, and Allah knowing [him as such], left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide him after Allah [has withdrawn guidance]? Will you not then remember?” [Surah Al- Jaathiya (45) Ayah 23.]

Ibn ‘Abbas said, "Vain desire [in this verse] is [also] a god worshipped beside Allah." It is said that "There is nothing more evil in the sight of Allah than a vain desire [to which people are slaves]."

Ibn Al-Qayyim says about those who are slaves to their own whims and desires: "They worship other than Allah with love, fear, hope, glorification and humility. They love, hate, give and withhold for their desires' sake. Their desires are dearer and more beloved to them than Allah's Pleasure; desire is their leader, lust is their guide, ignorance is their driver, and negligence is their vehicle."

Some people are too proud to be slaves to Allah and instead become slaves to their wealth. The Prophet   said, "Wretched is the slave of the dinar, the slave of the dirham and the slave of the bordered silk cloak. If he is given that, he is pleased, and if he is not given that, he is displeased, wretched and disappointed. And if he is pierced with a thorn, it cannot be extracted."[3]

Ibn Hajar said, "The slave of the dinar [in this Hadeeth] means the person who is eager to amass wealth and keep it as though he is its slave and servant."

There are others who are too proud to worship Allah and so they become slaves to rulers who legislate laws for them, as did the Jews and Christians when they worshipped their rabbis and monks besides Allah:

"They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah." [Surah At-Taubah (9) Ayah 31.]

'Adee bin Hatim said to the Prophet, "But they (the people) did not worship them (the rabbis and monks), O Messenger of Allah. "The Prophet replied, "They forbade the lawful for them and made lawful what was forbidden, and the people obeyed them. This is how they worshipped them.”[4]

(Continued)