Acquisition of hikmah from Ibadah

What is Ibadah or worship?

Ibadah means the expression of abasement, the highest 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 of prophets. (from Al-Islam.org). As Allah SWT said;

وَ ما خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الإِْنْسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ

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

Why we need to worship God? 

1. Greatness of God
2. Feelings od dependence
3. Awareness of blessings
4. Human nature (fitrah)

The positive values from Ibadah are

1. Setting the right niyyah (intentions) - intentions are important in doing everything. As Prophet Muhammad ummat, there is a specialty in niyyah. because we can get pahala when we intend to do a good action even though the action does not occur yet.

"From the Commander of the Faithful Abu Hafsah, Umar bin Al-Khattab RA, he said:" I heard the Prophet SAW said: "All deeds depend on his intention, and everyone only gets what he intended. So whoever migrates to Allah and His Messenger, then his migration is to Allah and His Messenger. Whoever migrates because of the pleasures of the world or because of a woman he is going to marry, then his migration is to what he intended. ” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)

2. Applying the right 'amal (practices) - As a servant to Almighty Allah SWT, we have to back to our nature and purpose of creation. Therefore, we should not arrogant towards God, we should worship him as he commands and we should forbid what it's forbidden.

Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and prohibits them from what is wrong and makes lawful for them what is good and forbids them from what is evil and relieves them of their burden1 and the shackles which were upon them.2 So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him, and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be successful.

— Saheeh International

3. Internalising the Ihsan (positive virtues) - from Ibadah, we learn about Ihsan toward Allah. Therefore, we can practice Ihsan towards human beings. As clearly stated in Hadith Gabriel (readers can check it in another blog about Hadith Gabriel)

Rasulullah s.a.w said which means: “Worship Allah s.w.t as if you see Him. If you cannot, (remember) Allah s.w.t sees you. Count yourself among those who are about to die and protect yourself from those who are persecuted, because indeed his prayer is accepted by Allah s.w.t. ” (Narrated by Abu Na’im from Zaid bin Arqam).