WORSHIP: What God most earnestly desires from human beings is worship. The Quran says: ‘I have not created jinn2 and mankind except to worship Me.’ (51: 56) There are numerous such verses in the Quran which elaborate on how the prophets were sent for this very purpose, that is, to warn or to remind man of this responsibility (16: 36). This is so important a matter that if a man cannot find opportunities for worship in his own country, he is enjoined to leave it for some other place (4: 97). The dictionary defines worship as bowing before someone and humbling oneself. According to the Lisan al Arab (The Arabic Dictionary), ‘The essence of worship is fearfulness and humility’. That is why the Quran uses the word ‘arrogance’ as the antonym of worship. It says, ‘Those who are too arrogant to worship Me will certainly enter Hell.’
From Creature Worship to Creator Worship | November 22, 2009