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يَا اَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ وَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ٭ اَلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُم اْلاَرْضَ فِرَاشًا وَالسَّمَاءَ بِنَاءً وَاَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَاَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَكُمْ فَلاَ تَجْعَلُوا لِلّٰهِ اَنْدَادًا وَ اَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ1

Introduction

Know that it is ‘ibâdah that makes the aqâid firm in man and makes it a manner and habit; if ibâdah, which consists of obeying the commands of Allah and abstaining from His prohibitions, does not do tarbiyyah and strengthen the matters and acts of the conscience and mind, the effect and influence of the aqâid will be weak. The present state of the Islamic world testifies to this.

Know, too, that ‘ibâdah is the cause of happiness in this world and the âkhirah, the cause of establishing order in life in this world and the âkhirah and the cause of attainment and perfection for both individuals and mankind. It is an exalted and esteemed relation between Al-Khâliq and ‘abd. There are several reasons for ‘ibâdah being the cause of happiness in this world, which is the tillage of the âkhirah:

Firstly: Man has been created with a subtle, strange disposition that distinguishes him from all other living beings and makes him an exception to them. This distinguished disposition of his has caused an inclination to choose, an inclination for the most beautiful things and beauty and an inclination in fitrah to have a livelihood and to live a life befitting humanity. Because of these inclinations, man must acquire his needs, such as food, clothing, and accommodation, and beautify and arrange them through many crafts and arts that he is incapable of doing on his own. He needs, therefore, to socialise with his fellow men and cooperate with them so that they can assist each other and exchange the fruits of their labour, but in order to secure mankind's progress by means of juz’ al-ikhtiyârî, As-Sâni’, Who is Hakîm, did not place fitrî limits on quwwa ash-shahawiyyah, quwwa al-ghadhabiyah and quwwa al-aqliyyah as He did for the limited powers (quwwa) of animals; therefore, dissipation and transgressions have arisen. Due to the mystery of no limit being placed on those powers (quwwa), the dissipation and transgressions of those powers made the community needy of Justice in order to exchange the fruits of their labour. But because the minds of individuals in society are incapable of comprehending Justice, mankind needs a universal mind to find Justice from which all can benefit. And that mind is the universal law, and that law is the Sharî’ah. Then, in order to preserve the effectiveness of the Sharî’ah and its enforcement, someone who establishes those laws, delivers them, and is the protector and authority of those laws is necessary, and that can only be a Prophet (Nabi) ‘Alayhissalâm.

Then, in order to preserve his rule exteriorly and interiorly over the minds and natures, a Prophet (Nabi) needs to be distinguished and superior in material and ma’nawî aspects, disposition, morals, features and fitrah. He is also in need of proof of the strength of the relation between him and Al-Mâlik al-Mulk, Who is the owner of ‘âlam, and such proof is the miracles. Then, in order to establish obedience to the commands and to secure abstinence from the prohibitions, he is in need of preserving in the minds the idea of the grandeur of As-Sâni’ and the Owner of the dominion and sovereignty, and it is only possible through the manifestation of ‘aqâid.2 Then, in order to preserve this idea and make aqâid firm in minds, there must be a constant repeating reminder and renewing act, and that repeating reminder is nothing but ‘ibâdah.

Secondly: The purpose of ‘ibâdah is to turn thoughts towards As-Sâni’, Who is Hakîm; it is to turn thoughts towards establishing obedience and submission, and this obedience leads to reaching the perfect order in the universe and binding with it. The purpose of following this order is to acknowledge the mystery of hikmah3. And the strength of art in the universe testifies to this mystery of hikmah.

Thirdly: Man resembles a tree, on the top of which are joined electric cables; the tips of all the laws of creation’s order are attached to his head; the fitrah laws are extended to him; and the rays of Ilahî laws and principles in the universe are reflected and centred on him. So, man with such an essence has to complete those laws and principles in himself, adhere to them, and cling to them in order to facilitate the general current, the universe’s order, lest his feet slip, he falls, and the wheels moving on the different orders, levels and stages of ‘âlam throw him from their backs. And, this can be achieved only through ‘ibâdah, which consists of obeying the commands of Allah and abstaining from His prohibitions.  

Fourthly: By means of obeying commands and abstaining from prohibitions, numerous connections are formed between a person and the many levels of society, and the individual becomes like a species. Indeed, there are many commands — especially those connected with shaâ’er and the general good — that resemble threads on which morals, qualities, ranks, laws and arrangements, and many public and personal rights within them are set. If there were no thread of obeying commands and abstaining from prohibitions, all those rights and duties would be torn and scattered to the wind.

Fifthly: A Muslim man has firm relations with all other Muslims, and there are strong bonds between them. Because of the ‘aqâid of îmân and Islamic traits, these relations cause a firm brotherhood and true love. However, it is ‘ibâdah that makes aqâid visible and effective in man and makes aqâid his firm manner and habit.

As for the aspect of personal attainment and perfection:

Know that despite having a small, impotent and weak body and being one of the animals, man bears within him an exalted rûh and perfect dispositions. There are unrestricted inclinations in him. He has infinite hopes and desires, unrestrained ideas and unlimited powers (quwwas), and a fitrah so strange that it is as if he is an index of all the species and all ‘âlams. As for ‘ibâdah, it expands his rûh and raises his value; it causes his dispositions to unfold and develop, and it causes him to rise to a degree worthy of eternal happiness. Thus, ‘ibâdah is the only means of rectifying and purifying his inclinations, realising his hopes and making them fruitful, arranging his ideas and setting them in order and also bridling and limiting his powers (quwwas). ‘Ibâdah also removes the dirt and rust of nature from his external and internal members. When those members become transparent through the nûr of ‘ibâdah, they will be windows opening to the ‘âlam they belong to. Furthermore, when performed with both conscience, mind, heart and body, ‘ibâdah raises man to the dignity of which he is worthy and to his determined perfection. It is a subtle, elevated relation and a noble, precious connection between the ‘abd and Ma’bûd. This relation consists of infinite ranks of human perfection.

As for the ikhlas in ‘ibâdah:

It is performing it only because it is commanded. Although each command comprises numerous hikmahs and each of these hikmahs can be a reason for obeying that command, ikhlas necessitates that the real and effective cause (‘illah) be the command to perform it. The ‘ibâdah is null and void if the hikmah becomes the reason to perform it, but it is permissible (jâiz) if those hikmahs and benefits remain as the reason for being preferred.