Al-Ibadah

• Ibadah, an arabic word which is usually translated as worship
• Allah openly declares that the only purpose why he created the entire humanity is to submit to Him alone exclusively
• abadallah is obeyed Allah with humility or submissiveness
• Ibadah is the verbal nouns derived from its root word 'abada' which literally means to serve or to submit or to adore someone or something, be good or bad or be true or false.
• The word abd literally means a servant or worshipper.
• Abdullah means the servant or worshipper of Allah
• Ibadah literally means submission, serving, worshipping or adoring any being and it could be Allah SWT.
• Ibadah technically refers to a total and unconditional submission of a man's wills and actions to the will and commands of Allah to get his pleasure (Al-Rida) in this world and the next world.
• Explanation by ibn Taymiyyah is the term ibadah is a collective noun that includes everything Allah loves and accepts from sayings and the physical acts; the hidden (acts by heart) and the openly (acts by limbs)
• Do what he love and avoid what prohibited
• Two types of ibadah is Ibadah al-Khassah and Ibadah al-Ammah
• Ibadah al-Khassah is the specific ibadah or obligatory worship. Allah has prescribed the forms and frequencies of these ibadah and they have not been left to man's option and choices.
• Ibadah al-Ammah includes all the positive and good activities of an individual. Activites may be individual, social economic ,political, spiritual nature. Seeking knowledge is on of highest to worse. DO not consider any act of kindness insignificant even meeting your brothers with a cheerful face
• Objectives of ibadah is fulfilment of human supreme function, gratitude for the divine bounties, spiritual nourishment, realisation of true human freedom and seeking the divine protection.
• in fulfilment of human supreme function, his purpose of life is a standing purpose; worshipping Allah's Will over his own each stage of his life.
• In gratitude for the divine bounties, it means that we are grateful for everything that Allah has given us, whether big or small, material or non-material, visible or invisible. We must always remember that whatever blessings we receive from Him are His gifts to us, which He gives without expecting anything in return.
• gratitude for the divine bounties also described that he has created man in a perfect form with all the necessary faculties. Allah has also created everything that man needs to fulfil his basic needs to luxury ones, from birth to death. so, man is expected to be grateful to Allah for all these blessings and perform ibadah only to him alone.
• spiritual nourishment-according to Al-Quran and the sunnah, every child is born in a state of fitrah an inborn natural predisposition which drives man towards right action and submission to the supreme Being viz Allah. It is natural tendency in man to believe in Allah and to serve and worship Him. When submits to Allah, he enjoys peace, harmony and tranquility. Din also mean fitrah, the pattern according to which God has created all things.
• Ibadah creates a sense of freedom, happiness, nobility, self-respect and self-confidence in man.
• Ibadah involves prostrating before Allah alone.
• Ibadah involves following others only when they ask you to do what pleases your creator.
• The Quran condemns those who submit themselves to others or their own desires, and thereby lose their freedom.
• People who are addicted to sinful activities like smoking, drug abuse, and watching pornographic materials find it difficult to give up their habits though they are fully aware that what they are doing is sinful.
• According to the Quran, it is a sign of worshipping one's desires instead of Allah SWT.
• seeking the divine protection-performing ibadah reminds him of the presence of Allah SWT constantly which in turn shields him from committing those evils and shameful deeds. The noble Quran is the book of guidance, and it tells man how he should conduct himself with Allah, with fellow human beings, with the rest of the creatures and with his self.
• Distinctive features of ibadah:

  1)Divinely sanctioned

  2)Direct link with Allah SWT

  3)Non-confinement to specific places

  4)Embracing totality of life|

  5)Free from severe hardship
• Divinely sanctioned

  -Ibadah are prescribed to man and not based on human decisions

  -when Islam declares certain things good and lawful they will remain good and lawful to everyone, irrespective of changes in place, time or status of people.

  -they are done sincerely to seek the pleasure of Allah SWT
• Direct link with Allah SWT

  -there is no need to the intercession of any intermediaries to plead to god or to seek forgiveness, on behalf of others.

  -man do not have authority to accept or reject the ibadah on the behalf of Allah SWT

  -all human beings stand on a footing of complete equality before Allah SWT
• Non-confinement to specific places

  -ibadah can be performed anywhere in one's home, workplace, open ground as long as the place is clean and pure
• Embracing totality of life

  -every virtuous action sincerely perform with the view to carry out the commandments of Allah SWT and to seek his pleasure as an act or worship which will be rewarded
• Free from severe hardship

  -Islam provides alternative ruling(rukhsah) when a person is in a situation where performing an original ruling(azimah) causes severe hardship

  exp: Al-Salah in a long journey may cause severe hardship

  thus, is allowed to shorten and combines his salah.
• Profession and works as act of worship

  1)sanctioned by shariah

  2)beneficial

  3)sincerity of intention

  4)fulfilling ethical values and islamic virtues

  5)fulfilling the rights of Allah (ibadah khassah) and the creatures
• Sanctioned by shariah

  -all things are permissible except what is singled out as forbidden. --No work will be considered an ibadah unless the principles of shariah recognises it.

  -work like stealing, robbing is not recognised by shariah and will be punished
• Beneficial

  -safeguard and promotes Maqasid shariah: faith, life, intellect,lineage and property

  -Fulfilling the legitimate needs for others
• Sincerity of intention

  -sincere intention of seeking the pleasure of Allah

  -recite basmalah, start work after reciting the Quran

  -If works are merely to please others or to get worldly benefit alone, it will not considered ibadah
• Fulfilling ethical values

  -going to work on time, emphasises politeness, courtesy, friendliness and patience
• Fulfilling the rights of Allah (ibadah khassah)

  -ensure the job does not prevent him from performing obligatory duties towards Allah
• Ibadur-rahman (servants the most gracious)

  -Ibad al-rahman (muslim who possess those noble characters)

  for example; patience, piety and gratitude, exerts themselves in their submission to Allah

  -the true servants of Allah
• Characteristics of ibadur rahman

  -tawadu' = humbleness and humility

  -frequent night prayers

  -totally eliminates any presence of arrogance and false pride leaving only goodness to grow

  -performance of nawafil(supererogatory deeds)

  -ibad (servants of Allah swt) = never feel safe from the punishment of the hereafter

  -always spending wealth in its due right and in goodness

  -justice-need inner strength to avoid doing injustice to oneself and others

  -do not turn away to the revelation of Allah
• Mean of ibadah

  -to serve, submit and to adore someone or something

  -total and unconditional submission of his will and action by man to the will of Allah to get his rida(pleasure) in this world and the next world