Worship is a means to acquire divine help and graces.
﴾ ِوَ اعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقينُ ﴿
“And worship you Lord until certainty (or death) comes to you.”[1]
Hadrat Mūsā (Moses) (‘a) engaged in worship and litanies for 40 days and nights on the Mount of Ṭūr for the acquisition of the heavenly book, Tawrah (Torah). The Holy Prophet of Islam (ṣ) was busy in the performance of acts of worship in the cave of Ḥirā for a long time before the acquisition of divine revelation. It is thus stated in the traditions:
.لِسانِهِ عَلىٰ قَلْبِهِ مِنْ الْحِكْمَةَ يَنابيعُ ظَهَرتْ صَباحاً اَرْبَعينَ للهِ الْعِبادَة اَخْلَصَ مَنْ
“He who sincerely worships Allah for forty days, springs of wisdom shall appear from his heart to his tongue.”[2]
Yes, sincere worship is an academy that trains in the course of forty days the sage who would acquire wisdom from the divine fountain and share it with others.
The reciprocal effects of faith and worship
Just as faith draws man toward worship, worship is also effective in strengthening faith. Their similitude is that of a root which delivers water and food to the branches, and in turn, the branches transfer heat and light to the root. Yes, whenever worship improves and increases, man’s enthusiasm toward the Object of Worship is also enhanced.
The philosophy of worship according to the Qur’an
The Qur’an regards the remembrance of God as the philosophy of prayer: ﴾ لِذِكْرِي ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَقِمِ ﴿ “And maintain the prayer for My remembrance.”[3] And the remembrance of God is the source of tranquility of the heart: ﴾ ِأَلا بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ ﴿ “Look! The hearts find rest in Allāh’s remembrance!”[4] And the consequence of tranquility of the heart is soaring to the celestial realm: ﴾ رَبِّكِ اِلى ارْجِعي ٭ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ النَّفْسُ أيّتُهَا يا ﴿ “O soul at peace! Return to your Lord!”[5]
In other cases, the Qur’an considers gratitude to God as the reason behind worship:
﴾ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذي خَلَقَكُمْ ﴿
“Worship you Lord, who created you.”[6]
﴾ الَّذي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَ آمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ ٭ فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هذَا الْبَيْتِ ﴿
“Let them worship the Lord of this House, who has fed them [and saved them] from hunger, and secured them from fear.”[7]
In some verses, the educational function of prayer has been pointed out:
﴾ إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ تَنْهى عَنِ الْفَحْشاءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ ﴿
“Indeed the prayer prevents indecencies and wrongs.”[8]
For the sake of the authenticity or acceptance of prayer, the performer of prayer has no option but to observe the religious precepts as a whole, the observance of which is itself a strong foundation for abstaining from sin and indecency. Yes, anyone who would wear a white garment will naturally not sit on a dirty and polluted ground.
After enjoining prayer, the Qur’an states:
﴾ إِنَّ الْحَسَناتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئاتِ ﴿
“Indeed good deeds efface misdeeds.”[9]
Thus, prayer is a practical repentance for past sins, and through this verse, God gives hope to the sinner that if he would perform meritorious acts such as prayer and worship, his misdeeds will be erased.
