Dear Brothers and Sisters!
In this passing world that we will leave behind once our given time is over, the only being that asks about the reason for its existence is the human being. One of the greatest blessings Allah (swt) has granted to the descendants of Adam (as), who seek the purpose of their existence, is that He conveyed the answer to this question through the Quran He sent. Allah (swt) states in the Qur’an: “I created jinn and mankind only so that they may worship Me.”^[1] Worship, the meaning of our existence and the purpose of our coming into this world, is an honour for humanity. Those who attain this honour are the greatest of creation. Indeed, Allah (swt), the Lord of all worlds, states: “We have certainly honoured the children of Adam.”^[2]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
The concept of “Ibadah” appears in the Qur’an and can be translated as servitude to Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is the only “Ma‘būd”, the One who is worthy of worship. Directing servitude to anything other than Him leads a person into the unforgivable pit of shirk. Allah (swt), who created us from nothing, declares: “That is your Lord, Allah. There is no god besides Him. He is the Creator of all things. So worship Him. He is the Trustee over all things, the One who manages and oversees everything.”^[3] We believers pledge every day in Surah al-Fātiḥa, which we recite in our prayers: “You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”^[4] The care we show in upholding this promise, which we make at least forty times a day, will make us strong and free. Believers who are conscious that true freedom is found in servitude to the truth are truly free.

Dear Jama’ah!
Worship, in its broadest sense, means fulfilling the commands of Allah (swt), avoiding His prohibitions and acting in accordance with His pleasure. Our Prophet Muhammad (saw) informed us that Allah (swt) said: “My servant cannot draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the obligatory acts I have enjoined upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts of worship until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him; if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely protect him.”^[5]

So, why do we worship? First and foremost, we worship because it is the very purpose of our creation. We were created to know Allah, to believe in Him and to worship Him. Alongside the obligatory acts of worship, such as prayer, fasting, hajj and zakat, every deed done sincerely and with good intention, hoping for His pleasure, is also an act of worship. Applying effort for the peace and safety of our family is worship. Bringing joy to the needy, helping the oppressed is worship. Working to earn our livelihood through lawful means, touching hearts and mending them is worship. Being honest and upright in our transactions, striving for the well-being of society and even removing a stone from the road that may harm people, all of these are acts of worship.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Let us follow the command of Allah (swt), who says: “Worship your Lord until death comes to you.”^[6] Let us keep alive, throughout our entire lives, the awareness of being servants of Allah. Let us adorn our lives with acts of worship, righteous deeds and good character. Let us live with the consciousness that Allah is with us at every moment. Alongside the obligatory acts of worship that are mandatory upon us, let us strive to be good people and to benefit the society in which we live. Let us not forget that the acts of worship commanded by Allah are meant to lead us to goodness and truth. May Allah make the acts of worship we perform acceptable in His divine presence and may He adorn each of us with noble character. Ameen.

[1] Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56

[2] Surah Al-Isra, 17:70

[3] Surah Al-An’am, 6:102

[4] Surah Fâtiha, 1:5

[5] Buhârî, Rikâk, 38

[6] Surah Al-Hijr, 15:99

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