Worshipping Allah

When we think about worshipping Allah سبحانه وتعالى, we often limit it to the obligatory acts of prayer, fasting, and charity. Little do we remember that worshipping Allah is not just a singular act, rather it is a mindset and a way of life. A believer can be sat still in silence yet they can be in a state of worship, because their mind and heart is in a moment of remembering the All-Mighty. How Generous and Merciful is Our Lord who acknowledges, appreciates and rewards even the feelings in our hearts for Him? سبحان الله ​

Worshipping Allah سبحانه وتعالى is not just an action of the limbs; it is a matter of the heart. For the believer who keeps their heart and mind occupied with the remembrance of Allah, even mundane actions that all humans must do becomes worship and is a cause for reward. For example, the act of eating which is a basic need for every human being becomes worship for Allah the moment a believer mentions the name of Allah before eating and praises Allah after eating. When the believer mentions the name of Allah as he leaves his house and mentions the name of Allah upon his return, that is worship. When the believer sees the rain fall and is reminded of The One Who sent down this blessing of rain, that is worship. When the believer spends time to console a friend in difficulty and reminds them that Allah is Near, that is worship. When a believer finds himself in conflict with another yet refrains from uttering anything hurtful, seeking reward from Allah, that is worship.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم beautifully taught us that every situation and action becomes worship when you remember Allah سبحانه وتعالى. From the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم we learn that there is a Du’aa (supplication) for every moment you can imagine. A du’aa when you eat, when you sleep, when you enter the toilet, when you see an eclipse, when you see thunder, when you are in fear, when you are depressed, when you visit the sick, and even when you sneeze. سبحان الله There is no other religion like Islam, where there is a prayer for every action and situation you are in. The purpose of this is to keep you always reminded of your Creator and it eventually becomes a way of life.
​​

Du’aa is the essence of worship.

[Prophet Muhammad, صلى الله عليه وسلم]

Abu Dardha’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions, the purest in the sight of your Lord, which raises your rank to the highest, which is better for you than spending gold and silver, better than meeting your enemy so that you strike at their necks and they strike at yours?’ They replied: ‘Yes, indeed,’ and he said: ‘It is the remembrance of Allah.” [At-Tirmidhi]

The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “There is no doubt that hearts becomes rusty just as copper and silver coins become rusty. The polish for [this rust] is the Dhikr of AIlah. This is because [dhikr] is like a polish [which polishes the heart] like a shiny mirror. When dhikr is left, the rust returns. But when dhikr resumes, then the heart is [again] polished. And hearts become rusty due to two things: neglecting remembering Allah and committing sins. The polish for these two things is: seeking Allaah’s forgiveness and dhikr.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى created us for ONE purpose. To worship Him alone and entirely.
​
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ
“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except that they should worship Me (alone).” [Surah Adh-Dhariyat, verse 56]

Indeed everything that a believer does with consciousness of Allah in their heart and mind is worship. By practicing this, we would live a life of constant worship and that which fulfils the purpose of our existence. That is how we should live our lives.