May prayers and my service of sacrifice, my life and death, Are (all) for Allah: The Cherisher of the whole world. Q6:162.

Worship or devotion is the main bond between the Lord and the servant. In Islam, every living creature most especially human beings, are created to serve Allah on the earth.

The position of being Allah’s servant is an esteem position because all other creatures were created as subjects to human beings-The sun, the moon, the stars, the land/soil, and all its contents; the rivers, the seas and the oceans including the trees and the forests were all meant for the benefit of human beings.

Man, at the top of all these creatures of Allah is expected, therefore to subject himself to Allah who has fashioned him in a manner and form most suitable for lowering himself for Allah, the Most High.

Worship in is exclusively reserved for Allah who combines the attribute of being the creator and Nourisher with that of the Controller of all the activities both in the heavens and the earth. Everything comes to pass with His permission. He dictates the state of affairs in the whole universe. Blessed be His Holy name.

Therefore, a Muslim should not direct any of his act of ibaadah to a co-creative but to Allah who creates and was never created. Ibaadh according to scholars can be broadly classified into four. These are- Ibaadatul-Badaniyah. This refers to those acts of worship that are performed with parts of the body, like solat (five daily prayers and superogatory prayers), fasting, Holy Pilgrimage to Makkah and Tawwaf.The second category of ‘Ibaadah is called Ibaadatul-Maaliyyah.

This refers to the forms of worship that involves spending our wealth-like Zakat, Sodaqah, slaughtering of animals, fulfilling a vow etc. Ibaadatul-Qalbiyyah. This refers to the those acts of worship which we do with our heart.

This involves repentance, reliance, fear and hope, love etc.The fourth classification is called Ibaadatul-Qaoliyyah.

This means those acts of worship that are carried out with the tongue i.e that which has to be professed. Examples of such acts of Ibaadah is our act of supplication i.e Ad-duau; also seeking refuge al-Istiqhathah, swearing an oath etc.The above mentioned classification is a summary of what the scholars refer to as acts of Ibaadah in Islam.

This means that “worship” is not restricted to praying five times daily alone; it emcompasses almost all our daily activities. A Muslim should therefore be mindful of his words and action and ensure that they are well-guided.Starting with the first category mentioned above, our bowing down, prostration, sitting and rising should be to please Allah and according to His dictates and also the practice of our noble Prophet Muhammad.A Muslim is totally forbidden from prostrating for idols and whatever they stand for.

He is also not allowed to perform hajj for the sake of any other thing beside Allah the Lord of the Holy House of Ka’abah.

Those who perform these acts to please fellow human beings or acting to satisfy their (Qareen) friends among the Jinns should know that their efforts are in vain and no reward shall accrue to them on the day of judgement.Today, there are those who observe fasting because their Shaykhs (Shehu) recommended such fasting for them; it should be noted that these are efforts in futility because all acts of worship should be exclusively reserved for Allah.

Allah(SWT) says: “Your Guardian Lord is Allah; Who created the heavens and the earth the heavens and the earth in six days: then He established Himself on the throne of Throne (of authority). He draweth the night as a veil over the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession. He created the sun, the moon and the stars; all governed by laws under His command.

Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed is Allah, the cherisher and sustainer of the worlds. Q7:54.