Why were we created? The Qur’an answers that question in one verse, and everything on this page follows from it. What follows is quoted from the books listed at the end; the words between the quotations are mine, kept plain.
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen, in his book Fiqhul ‘Ibaadaat [Understanding Worship], first settles that nothing Allah ordains is without wisdom, even when the wisdom is unknown to us. Then he writes:
“Once this is decided, then we say that indeed Allah has Created the Jinn and mankind for a great wisdom and a noble objective, and that is the worship of Him, the Most Blessed and Most High, as He said:”
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.”
That is Qur’an 51:56, in this book’s printing. So the purpose is worship. Why we were created, and what follows from it, is taught in full on What Is the Purpose of Life in Islam? This page stays with the question underneath it: what is this worship that we were created for?
What Worship Means
The Shaykh gives his own definition of the word:
“And al-‘Ibaadah (worship) is humiliating oneself to Allah, The Mighty and Majestic, with love and awe by doing that which He has ordered and avoiding that which He has forbidden, in the manner prescribed by the Sharee’ah.”
Take the definition apart. Worship is humbling oneself before Allah, and the humility is joined to love and to awe [reverent fear]. It is not bare obedience done with a hard heart. And it moves in two directions at once: doing what Allah has ordered, and leaving what He has forbidden, each of them in the manner the Sharee’ah [the Islamic law] prescribed, not in a manner a person picks for himself.
On the same page, the book states the command behind the definition. Allah says:
“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him).”
That is Qur’an 98:5, in this book’s printing. Worship is for Allah, and none but Him is worshipped along with Him.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s definition is wider, and the book quotes it near the start of its discussion:
“Al-‘Ibaadah, as was defined by Shayk-ul-Islaam ibn Taymeeyah, Rahimahullaah (may Allah bestow His Mercy upon him), is a comprehensive term for everything that Allah loves and is pleased with, both sayings and actions, the apparent, and the hidden.”
The two definitions look at the same thing from two sides. The Shaykh’s describes the servant: humbled, loving, in awe, obedient. Ibn Taymiyyah’s describes the size of the thing: everything Allah loves and is pleased with, in words and in deeds, seen and hidden.
What Worship Includes
Asked whether worship has a meaning in detail that we can know, the Shaykh answers with Ibn Taymiyyah’s definition again, this time with its examples named:
“It is a comprehensive name covering whatever Allah loves and is pleased with, both sayings and actions, the apparent and the hidden, such as fearing (Khawf), having awe (Khashyah), having true trust and reliance (Tawakkul), Prayers (Salaat), Zakaat (obligatory charity), Fasting (Siyaam) and the like, from the ordinances of Islaam.”
The examples run in both directions at once. Fear, awe, and true trust and reliance are acts of the heart; no one sees them but Allah. Prayer, zakah [the obligatory charity], and fasting are acts of the limbs, done openly. Both kinds are worship, and the definition leaves neither kind out.
And the book draws the conclusion plainly:
“It is apparent that the concept of Al-‘Ibaadah comprehends all aspects of life. And thus it is a bounding duty upon the worshipping slave that he does not desist from obeying His Creator in that which originates from conduct and transactions at all times during his life span.”
So worship is not a corner of life, shut inside the prayer times. Conduct and dealings, at all times, fall inside it.
The Two Conditions of Accepted Worship
Not every act called worship is accepted. The book ties acceptance to the two testimonies: that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Through the tawheed [singling out Allah alone] of Allah and the testimony to His Messenger’s ﷺ message, two things are realised in the worshipper:
“And it is through the Tawheed of Allah, the One free of all imperfection, and the testimony as to His Messenger being entrusted with the Message, that Ikhlaas and Mutaaba’ah, both of which constitute the prerequisite for the acceptance of every worship, would be realized.”
The book defines both words in its own notes. Ikhlaas [sincerity] first:
“Ikhlaas means to purify, and it signifies that the Muslim by his worship intends and desires the Face of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and to reach al-Jannah, the place where Allah bestows honour and favours. So the Muslim worships none along with Allah, making the religion purely and sincerely for Him.”
And Mutaaba’ah [following]:
“Mutaaba’ah (inf.n. of Tabi’ah i.e. to follow, to comply with, adhere, etc.): the pursuing of the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) guidance in all matters of Deen.”
The same point is made in the book’s note on the two testimonies themselves:
“The testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah is a single pillar of Islaam even though it consists of two complementary parts. The first part [Laa Ilaaha Illallaah] necessitates that all acts of worship must be sincerely devoted to Allah alone. The second part [Muhammad Rasoolullaah] obligates that all worship must be done in accordance with the way of the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, no worship will be accepted unless it fulfills the obligations of both parts.”
As-Sa’di says the same over the last verse of Surah al-Kahf. Allah says:
“So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and include no one else in the worship due to his Lord.”
That is Qur’an 18:110, in Tafsir as-Sa’di’s printing. As-Sa’di explains it:
“«So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds» that are in accordance with the laws of Allah, both obligatory and recommended deeds. «and include no one else in the worship due to his Lord» that is, he should not show off in his deeds; rather he should do deeds sincerely for the sake of Allah. This refers to one who combines sincerity with following Islamic teachings; he is the one who will attain that which he hopes for and seeks.”
And over the verse quoted earlier on this page, the command to worship Allah with sincere devotion, he writes:
“In all laws they were enjoined only «to worship Allah with sincere devotion to Him» that is, in all their acts of worship, both outward and inward, to seek only the pleasure of Allah and to draw close to Him, «being true in faith to Him alone» and turning away from all religions that are contrary to the religion of pure monotheism.”
So the two conditions guard each other. Sincerity without following is not enough, because the act may be one Allah never prescribed. Following without sincerity is not enough, because the act may be done for people to see. Acceptance belongs to the worship that joins the two.
Worship Is Not Invented
Because worship must follow the Prophet ﷺ, it cannot be made up. Straight after Ibn Taymiyyah’s definition, the book says:
“For this meaning to be realized and implemented, it is inevitable that man must worship Allah, with submissiveness and compliance, according to the way He has prescribed and in the manner that He, the One free of all imperfection, is pleased with. Al-‘Ibaadah cannot be according to what people come up with from desires and opinions.”
One point, said once: worship is taken from what Allah prescribed, not from what people prefer. What counts as an innovation [something newly invented in the religion], and why invented worship is rejected, is taught on Innovation (Bid’ah), and is not gone over again here.
Two Kinds of Servitude
One thing remains. Every creature is a slave of Allah, yet not every creature worships Him. The book’s note on ‘uboodiyyah [servitude] sets out its two aspects. The first:
“The term ‘Uboodiyyah has two aspects to it. (a) ‘Uboodiyyah in its universal aspect which means everything is being enslaved to Allah. In this case it pertains to the Ruboobiyyah of Allah (He is the Rabb of all that exists). Accordingly, it is the submission to what Allah has commanded and decreed in the creation, and this kind of submission is common to all creation, none is able to escape it. Allah (the Most High) said: There is none in the heavens and the earth but will come to Ar-Rahmaan [The One Whose Mercy encompasses everything (Allah)] (on the Day of Resurrection) as submissive slaves.”
That is Qur’an 19:93, in this book’s printing, and the book names this first kind Kawniyyah [universal, by Allah’s decree in creation]. No one escapes it. The second kind is different:
“(b) The second kind of ‘Uboodiyyah comprises the obedience of the believers, whereby the slaves of Allah are acting according to Allah’s right to be worshipped alone. Therefore, it is specific to those who comply with the Sharee’ah of Allah.”
The book’s main text then separates the two slaves:
“The slave (‘Abd) of Allah, who obeys Allah, is a ‘worshipping slave.’ In the general sense, he is part of the creation and thus he is also a ‘submissive slave.’ The Kaafir, however, is a ‘submissive ‘Abd’ in the general sense only. The believing slaves fulfill the exclusive meaning of the ‘Uboodiyyah.”
So the servitude that is worship is the second kind: obedience, willing and chosen, for Allah alone and in the way of His Messenger ﷺ. That is the worship we were created for, and it is the worship that is rewarded.
References
Fiqhul ‘Ibaadaat — Understanding Worship (Section One) — The Creed: Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen; rendered into English by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh. The copy held for this site is an electronic rendering that names no publisher, edition, or year (printed pp. 8-10, 17-19, 22-23, 48).
Tafsir as-Sa’di, Vol. 6 (Juz 16-18): Shaykh Abdur-Rahman ibn Nasir as-Sa’di; IIPH, English Edition 1, 2018, translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (printed p. 49).
Tafsir as-Sa’di, Vol. 10 (Juz 28-30): the same author, edition, and translator (printed pp. 430-431).
Further Reading
- Tawheed (Monotheism): singling out Allah alone with worship.
- What Is the Purpose of Life in Islam?: why we were created, taught in full.
- What Is Shirk?: the opposite of worshipping Allah alone.
- Who Is Allah?: the One who is worshipped.
- Innovation (Bid’ah): why invented worship is rejected.
Verified on 2026-10-24 against the books listed above.