Foresight

"Foresight" features an in-depth discussion on the practical application of worship in addressing the challenges of modern life.

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“Foresight” features an in-depth discussion on the practical application of worship in addressing the challenges of modern life.

 

Worship (‘ibadah) means the expression of abasement (dhillah), the highest form of humility and homage, before God. As to its importance, it is enough to state that worship is the purpose behind the creation of all beings and the mission (bi’thah) of the prophets (as) (the creational world (alam at-takwin) and the legislative world (alam at-tashri), respectively). God says:

وَ ما خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الإِْنْسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“I did not create the jinn and humans except that they may worship Me.”1

The mission of all the prophets (as) has been to invite the people to worship God:

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ

“Certainly We raised an apostle in every nation (to preach:) ‘Worship Allah, and keep away from the Rebel’.”2

So, the objective behind the creation of the universe and the mission of the prophets (as) has been the worship of God. However, it is clear that God, the Exalted, is in no need of our worship:

فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنكُمْ

“Yet Allah is Independent of you.”3

The benefit of worship returns to the worshippers themselves, as simply as the pupils’ decision to study their lessons is to their own advantage and has no gain for the teacher

Worship is an instinctive and integral part of human nature. Being innate, man sometimes treads the correct path and worships God. When misled, he is drawn to the worship of the sun, stones, wood, the cow, money, spouses, and taghuts.5

The prophets (as) have not come to instill the sense of worship in man. Rather, their mission is to guide this natural disposition in the right direction. ‘Ali (as) said:

فَبَعَثَ اللهُ مُحَمَّداً بِالْحَقّ لِيُخرِجَ عِبادَهُ مِنْ عِبادَةِ الأَوْثانِ إِلى عِبادَتِهِ.

“God thus sent down Muhammad in truth to stop His servants from idol-worship, and invite them to His worship.”6