Many of us think of ibaadah in simple straight forward terms. To us, ibaadah seems no more than facing the Qiblah with folded hands, bowing with our hands resting on our knees, prostrating ourselves ritually with our face on the ground and uttering a few word. In reality though, the Ibaadah for which Allaah has created us and which He has enjoined upon us issomething quite different. All too often, many of us think of ibaadah in simple straight forward terms.
To us, ibaadah seems no more than facing the Qiblah with folded hands, bowing with our hands resting on our knees, prostrating ourselves ritually with our face on the ground and uttering a few word. Or to be hungry and thirsty from morning till evening every day from the first of Ramadan till the appearance of the Shawwal moon? In short, we think that Ibaadah consists of merely performing certain outward worship rituals and ceremonies, and whenever we notice people performing these actions, and no more, we think that they are true worshippers. We think that they have performed Ibaadah to Allaah and have thus fulfilled the purport of the verse, "have not created jinn and mankind except to serve and worship Me." (Q51[Dhariyah] :56)
In reality though, the Ibaadah for which Allaah has created us and which He has enjoined upon us is something quite different. AI-Fayrooz Abaadi said in his dictionary, AI-Qamoos AI-Muheet: "AI-Ibaadah: Obedience". AI-Tabari said in the Tafseer of the verse in Surat AI-Faatiha "lyyaka Nabudoo" (You [alone] we worship) (Q1[al-Fatiha]:4): "Oh Allaah, it is to You alone that we have Kushoo, that we submit to, and that we depend on, acknowledging your Lordship over us, you alone and none other that you". The original meaning of Ibaadah with all the Arabs is "to lower one’s self. It is also called "the path that is lowered due to feet stamping it down", and "the travelers lowered it". From this, a mule that is lowered for riding is called "Muabbad", and from this a person who is enslaved is called an "Abd", due to his being lowered before his master AI-Zajaj said: "The meaning of AI-Ibaadah: obedience with submission". And AI-Zamakhshari said: "AI-Ibadah: The most extreme level of submission and lowering one’s self.
And AI-Baghawi said: "Al-Ibadah: Obedience with lowering one’s self and submission, and the slave was called Abd due to his submission and his obedience". Therefore, Ibaadah, with its vast and comprehensive implications, means: Obedience with submission, and lowering one’s self, and accepting being led by Allaah in everything that He has ordered and everything that He has forbidden. This is what the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) taught Adiy Ibn Haatim (RA) as reported by Imam Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Jareer. When Adiy Ibn Haatim heard of the call of the Messenger of Allaah, (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he ran away to AI-Shaam - as he was a Christian before Islaam. On the way, his sister as well as a number of other members of his tribe, were taken captive.
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) then had mercy on her and let her go. When she returned to her brother, she persuaded him to consider Islaam and meet the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Adiy was one of the leaders of his tribe, and his father, Haatim AI-Taai, was famous for his generosity. Adiy then proceeded to Madina and the people there began talking about his coming. When he entered upon the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he was wearing a silver cross around his neck; the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), was reciting the verse "They took their Rabbis and Priests as lords besides Allaah". When he heard this Adiy said: "They did not worship them". He (the Prophet) replied: "Yes they did. They (the Rabbis and Priests) made what was Halal into Haram for them, and what was Haram into Halal for them, and they (the people) followed them; that was their worshipping them".
Clearly, Adiy ibn Haatim (RA) understood Ibaadah in the same way that most Muslims today understand it; an understanding that limits it to individual rituals: It is as if he is was saying: "By Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah, we did not pray Salaat to the Rabbis and Priests, "-nor did we slaughter animals for them or to come near them, nor did we take them as gods that we directly worshipped besides Allaah". But the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), wanted to teach him, as well as us today, the complete meaning of ibaadah of Allaah, and said to him: "They made what was Halal into Haram for them, and what was Haram into Halal for them, and they (the people) followed them, and that was their worshipping them". Therefore, the Christians and Jews worshipped their Rabbis and Priests by obeying them in; the things that they said; to the extent that they made the Halal into Haram and the Haram into Halal, and the people accepted it all. Therefore, worshipping (Ibaadah) of Allaah is not limited to a section of what Islaam has come with such as personal rituals like Salaat, fasting, Zakat, and Hajj. Rather Ibaadah of Allaah means to implement all of what Islam has come with, without abandoning even a single ruling and without differentiating between one command and another.
Achieving The Essence Of Obedience From the outset, for an act or deed to be considered a proper worship, ibaadah, it must contain two things:
(I) Sincerity (Ikhlaas): It must be offered simply for the sole purpose of seeking Allaah’s pleasure. Allaah says: "And they have been commanded no more than this, to worship Allah Offering Him sincere devotion " (Q98[Bayyinah]:5)
(2) It must be done in accordance with the commands of Allaah and the practice of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam); that is what is called obedience (mutaabaah). Allaah states: "Say: if you do love Allaah, follow me, Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins. For Allaah is oft Forgiving. Most Merciful" (Q3[Aali-lmraan]:31) This verse indicates that whoever claims to love Allaah without following the commands of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), his claims are lies. To be a true lover of Allaah one has. to obey, and his deeds must mirror those of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). This is why many scholars call this verse the verse of trial because it puts the believer in the trial of obedience. The Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whoever does a deed without our command, it will be rejected."(Muslim/Bukhari) to achieve the essence of obedience, six points must be considered.
These are: (I) Reason (sabab), (2) Method (kayfiyyah), (3) Kind (jins), (4) Amount (qadar), (5) Place (makaan) ,And (6) Time (zamaan). The acts of worship are inclusive in one or more of these six essences: Reason (Sabab) If you worship Allaah for a reason, you must make sure the reason is given or pointed out to you by Allaah or the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). It must not be a reason rationalized by you, or by someone else for you. Hence, regular virtuous acts of Salaat, Fasting, or dhikr will be considered invalid if done for the wrong reasons.
For instance, in certain parts of the Muslim world, some Muslims gather together in the month of Rajab to commemorate "AI-Isra Wal miraj", the night journey Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) took from Makkah to Jerusalem, and from there his ascension to them heavens. This story is in Surah 17 in AI-Qur an. During this celebration, participants offer Salaat, dhikir, sadaqah etc. This annual celebration cannot be considered valid because the reason given is not sanctioned by Allaah or His Messenger. The Islamic term for acts like these is bidah, or innovation.
The question will be, did Allaah or His Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) command us to celebrate AI-Isra? There is no proof of this approval anywhere. Did the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) know this was a good reason for celebration? If you say he did not know you have accused him of ignorance. If you say he did know, but did not inform us, you are accusing him of cheating and the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is above that. Indeed, Allaah has described him as being merciful to the believers, and with a keen interest in informing the believers about everything that is good. After all, there is a disagreement among the learned scholars about the month in which "Isra" took place.
The most accepted opinion is that it was in Rabeeul Awwal. One may ask how could acts of charity prayer and dhikr be labeled bidah? You see these acts in and of themselves are not innovation. What is innovation is offering them with unsanctioned reason. Method (Kayfiyyah) This Ummah has been blessed in that Allaah did not let it wander in the dark as to how to worship Him, or what He likes or dislikes of the worship. The methods (kayfiyyah) of acts of worship have been thoroughly described by Allaah, and His Messenger. He says: "(We sent them) with Clear Signs and Books of divine prophecies, and We have sent down unto thee (also) the Message, that you mayest explain clearly to people what is sent for them, and that they may give thought." (QI6{Nahl]:44) Also, He says: "...Nothing have we omitted from the Book ... " (Q6[Anam]:38)
These two verses indicate that if you are looking for the basis for any act, it must be found in A-Quran. If the explanation in AI-Quran is not clear enough, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) will explain it in his authenticated Sunnah. It follows then that every conceivable act of, Ibaadah has been detailed in Islamic sources. You are not left to fend for yourself. Thus, no one has the right to make a method (kayfiyyah), of Ibaadah on his own, nor should he or she allow anyone else to do it for him, no matter how well versed or respected an individual may be, this is irrespective of whether the person is a Companion, a follower of a Companion, an Imam or a saint.
For instance, if a Muslim decides to make wudu (ablution) before Salaat, and begins by washing his feet, then face, arms, head, ears, and winds up with his nose, a complete wudu in terms of thoroughness and amount of washing has been done. But that wudu is not valid for prayer, because the method, (kayfiyyah) is not correct because in the method of wudu, sequence (muwaalat) is an important element.
Deliberately disregarding sequence makes the wudu invalid. " Kind (Jins) The kind (jins) of a thing or an act must be in accordance with what Allah or the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prescribed. For instance, one of the annual events during the time of Eidul-Adha is sacrifice of cattle (udhiyah). By cattle is meant a camel, cow, lamb and or a goat. If a believer decides to sacrifice the best udhiyah he has for Allaah and he happens to have a thoroughbred horse worth N200,000 and a sheep worth only N5,000 and he sacrificed the horse instead of the sheep, his sacrifice will not be accepted.
Although the sacrifice was exceedingly expensive, the horse is not what is asked of him as a sacrifice. It is cattle that he is commanded to sacrifice. In another example, on the eve of Eidul-Fitr,the Lawgiver prescribes food as the medium of Zakatul-Fitr (fast breaking charity) after Ramadan. If an individual decides to give the monetary equivalent, the Zakaat will not be valid bed use the Lawgivers explicit command is food not money.
Amount (Qadar) The amount and number (qadar), for certain acts of worship have already been established by the Lawgiver, such as five times daily prayers, two-and-a-half percent "f0r Zakaat, tawaaf (circumambulation) during Hajj or Umrah, fasting during Ramadan, etc. If the amount is four, two or three, that is what it should be, no more no less. For instance, if a believer decides to make Zuhr prayer five rakaats instead of four, he may have made them in the most excellent way, but five rakaats for Zuhr prayer is invalid because the prescribed amount of rakaats for Zuhr is four. After all, Maghrib prayer is he only odd numbered daily prayer, not Zuhr. Similarly, nobody has a right to prescribe for himself or for anyone else the amount and number of dhikrs (remembrance of Allaah) and tasbeeh (glorification of Allaah) without first having the bases for it in AI-Quran and or Sunnah. Place (Makaan)
The place (makaan) for the act of worship to take place must be established by the Lawgiver. No one can concoct a holy place for himself or others without approval from the Lawgiver. For instance, if a believer decides to make "tikaaf, (the retreat in the Masjid for the sake of worship) in the last ten days of Ramadan, but makes it in his house instead of the Masjid, his Itikaaf will not be valid because the only place for Itikaaf is the Masjid. Allaah said: "While you are in retreat in the Masjid " (Q2[Baqarah]:I87) So is the case if a person decides to make tawaaf (circumambulation) around a building instead of Kaabah, or stand on a mountain other than the plane of Arafah, the tawaaf and standing will not be valid. Time (Zamaan) The time (zamaan) for every act has already been prescribed.
For instance, if a believer decides to fast Ramadan in the month of December because it is shorter and a cooler month instead of the ninth lunar month (Ramadan), his or her fasting will not be valid because of the wrong time. Similarly, if he decides to stand on the plain of Arafah, but he did so on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah, his standing will be like standing on any plain at any time, but of no religious value.
Therefore, any act that does not comply with these six criteria of reason, method, kind, amount, place, and time will be labeled an innovation, bidah, because Allaah says: "This day have I completed your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. (Q5[Maidah]:4) This verse indicates the religion of Islaam is complete and has been perfected. If the cup is full, can you add anything to it? If you do it will spill, and you may not know whether it is the original that spills or the added. Allaah is the All-Knowing.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited