What is the true essence of Ebadat (Worships)? Is there more to it then just practicing the five tenets of Islam? If so, then what does it encompass?
2 Answers
The word عبادت is from عبد means the servant. In Islam, عبد means the servant of Allah Subhan Tallah. Just by practicing five tenets of Islam, i.e., Towhead, Salat, Soum, Zakat, Hajj, we never become an عبد. It’s like when a student needs uniform, batch, card and books to enter into the building of his school, Similarly, these five pillars are the criteria to enter into the building of Islam to declare ourself a Muslim.
Namaz is obligatory even for a seven-year-old child and those who don’t pray belong to the group of Iblees who had denied doing Sajdha. Have you ever thought that being a Muslim, if we only say prayers for 70 years, is that enough for us to become an عبد? No, only saying five-time prayer is not enough to become an عبد, rather to set intellectually the minds of other people for prayers is the real effort.
Whereas the real meaning of عبد is to follow all the rules and regulation of Quran as it is.
وَقَالُوۡا سَمِعۡنَا وَاَطَعۡنَا / we listen and we obey.
(Baqarah: 285)
When we adopt only what we like and left which requires sacrifice and efforts then we are hypocrite.
سَمِعۡنَا وَعَصَيۡنَا/ we listen and disobey
(Nisa: 46)
Whereas Allah Subhan Tallah said:
“You will not attain righteousness until you give from what you hold dearest to your heart, Allah knows well what you >give away.”
(Al Imran: 92).
And
“And Do people think that they will be left alone just because they say: we believe, and they will not be tested”.
(Ankabut: 2)
There are very few people who raise themselves to the level of عبد.
Being a common man, we often oscillate between the above mentioned two categories.
The thing is that Our achievement is not important to Allah Subhan Tallah. Indeed, how much we strive matters in the eyes of Allah Subhan Tallah.
When Hazrat Ibrahim as was about to thrown into the fire prepared by the big names around him. A small bird took water into his beak to extinguish this fire. An angel smiled and asked, do you really think you would stop fire by this mere drop of water. The bird replied that I don’t know whether this is enough or not but this is my whole capacity what I could able to do and on the day of judgement when Allah will question me that what I had done to extinguish the fire in which the Hz. Ibrahim (as) was thrown then I can reply that I had tried my best. She said, I am sure Allah will not ask me whether I managed to put out the fire or not, but Allah will ask what I did to stop the fire.
On the other side, in current age, during the three meetings of Doha Accords, Taliban has presented 19 demands to US President Donald Trump and one of them is to release Aafia sadiqi (A Muslim neuroscientist). Just because she recites the same Kalma Towhead like them. Whereas during a meeting with Donald trump, one of the Politician from Alafia's own native country has silenced a journalist by saying shh... When he asked “do you say anything about Aafia sadiqi”?
For Allah Subhan Tallah, it’s not a matter that bill gates has 105 billion in his account. Instead, for him, it’s a matter of how much we do good for the 1.65 billion Muslim of the world, irrespective of the fact, we have a bird like role.
Allah Subhan Tallah said:
So, when you have finished (your duties), then labor hard (to worship Allah). And to your Lord, turn your attention.
(Ash Shar: 8,9).
Prophet Noah (7:59), Hud (7:65), Salih (7:73), Shu’ayb (7:85) and the other prophets also gave the message of Ibadah to their people.
Anyhow, the point to think is that, have you ever tried to make an assessment regarding the level of your عبادت that how much sincere efforts you have made for Allah’s orders and to support the right cause?
A concise meaning of ibadat by Wikipedia:
Ibadat (عبادات) is the plural form of ibādah. In addition to meaning more than one ibādah, it refers to Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) on "the rules governing worship in Islam" or the "religious duties of worship incumbent on all Muslims when they come of age and are of sound body and mind". It is distinguished from other subjects of jurisprudence in Islam which are usually known as muʿāmalāt (interpersonal transactions).