FORMS OF WORSHIP

LETTER NO.5

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem(In the name of ALLAH, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful).

May the Peace and Blessings of ALLAH be upon the Imaam of all Prophets, Imaam of the Ummah, Imaam of Mujahideen, our Holy Prophet-Muhammad (saws), and on those who follow his (saws) guidance till the Day of Judgement.

FROM:- ABU HAFS

TO      :- MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS

ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMATULLAHI WA BARAKATAHU

Alhamdulillah, I have started my 5^th letter of the series. Now we will be discussing about the “FORMS OF WORSHIP”. As we have been learning that we must not associate anyone else in worship along with ALLAH, then it is very important to know how many forms of worship are.

FORMS OF WORSHIP:- First of all we must worship only ALLAH, because HE is our CREATOR and HE has ordered us to worship HIM alone.

ALLAH says:

“O men, worship your LORD Who has created you and those who were before you, that you may guard yourselves(against ALLAH’s chastisement). HE who made the earth a bed for you, and the heaven a roof, and sent down water from the heaven, and therewith brought forth fruits for your sustenance; so set not up equals to ALLAH while you know(the truth).” (surah-2,verse-21,22)

“And the places of worship belong to ALLAH, therefore, worship none beside ALLAH.” (surah-72,verse-18)

“And I(ALLAH) created not the jinns and men except they worship ME.” (surah-51,verse-56)

Who so dedicates any act of worship to other than ALLAH is a Mushrik(Polytheist), even if he performs prayers, observes fasting, performs Haj or alleges to be a Muslim.

ALLAH says:

“And he who calls on another god along with ALLAH, which he has no proof, his LORD(ALLAH) shall hold him accountable for. Surely, the disbelievers never prosper.” (surah-23,verse-117)

“And your LORD(ALLAH) has decreed that you worship none but HIM(ALLAH)…” (surah-17,verse-23)

The forms of worship in which anyone is joined with ALLAH will do SHIRK. These are the forms:-

1. Supplication:

    Proof:- ALLAH says:

    “And your LORD said, ‘Call on ME and I will respond to you. Verily, those who are arrogant to  worship ME shall enter Hell-Fire, despised.”
(surah-40,verse-60)

Prophet(saws) said:

“Supplication is the worship.”  (at-Tirmidhi, ibn-Majah and Ahmad)

2. Fear of ALLAH:

    Proof:- ALLAH says:

    “And fear them not, but fear ME if you are (true) believers.” (surah-3, verse-175)

3. Hoping for ALLAH’s mercy:

    Proof: ALLAH says:

   “So let him who hopes to meet his LORD do good deeds, and let him worship none besides ALLAH.”

    (surah-18, verse-110)

4. Trust in ALLAH:

    Proof: ALLAH says:

    “And on ALLAH depend if you are (true) believers.”                        (surah-5, verse-23)

    “And he who depends on ALLAH, HE suffices him.”                        (surah-65,verse-3)

5. Desire for ALLAH’s mercy, Fear of HIS punishment and Humbleness:

    Proof: ALLAH says:

    “ They used to vie with one another in good deeds, and they called on US with desire

     and fear and they humbled themselves for US.”
     (surah-21, verse-90)

6. Veneration (or fear with reverence):

    Proof: ALLAH says:

    “So fear them not, but fear ME.” (surah-5,verse-3)

     (Note: This is a different verse from the one which was given as a proof for Fear of

       ALLAH.)

7. Repentance:

    Proof: ALLAH says:

    “And repent to your LORD and submit to HIM.”  (surah-39, verse-54)

8. Seeking ALLAH’s support:

    Proof: ALLAH says:

    “You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help.” (surah-1, verse-5)

     The Prophet(saws) said:

    “And if you seek help, seek ALLAH’s help.” (at-Tirmidhi)

    (Note: This Prophetic statement is part of a long hadeeth in which the Prophet(saws)

                instructed Abdullah ibn Abbas(raa), saying: ‘Young Lad! Observe ALLAH,

                HE preserves you. Observe ALLAH, you find HIM ahead of you. If you ask,

                ask ALLAH, and if you seek help, seek ALLAH’s help….’ [at-Tirmidhi] )

9. Seeking ALLAH’s protection:

    Proof: ALLAH says:

  “Say, ‘I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind.’” (surah-114, verse-1,2)

10. Asking for Aid of ALLAH:

      Proof: ALLAH says:

      “And when you sought aid of ALLAH, HE responded to you(saying); ‘I am aiding

        you with a thousand angels following one another,” (surah-8, verse-9)

11. Sacrificing animals:

      Proof: ALLAH says:

      “Say, ‘My prayer and my sacrificial animal, my life and death are all for ALLAH, the

        LORD of the worlds. HE has no partner. And so I am commanded, and I am the first

        of those who submit.” (surah-6, verse-162,163)

       The Prophet(saws) said:

       “ALLAH has cursed anyone who sacrifice to other(objects) than ALLAH.” (Muslim, No-1978)

12. Vow:

      Proof: ALLAH says:

      “Thet fulfill their vows, and they fear a Day the woe of which is widespread.” (surah-76, verse-7)

                                                                     
You might be thinking that praying salaah, fasting, performing Haj, doing dhikr and other such acts are not worship? It is worship which everyone knows, but these forms are not known as worship to a lot of people. Therefore if we join anyone else in any form of worship with ALLAH, then we are doing SHIRK.

May ALLAH save all of us from any kind of SHIRK, aameen.

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ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMATULLAHI WA BARAKATAHU