Worship: Difference between revisions
TheIslampill (talk | contribs) Created page with "== What is “worship”? == An object of worship— no matter what its nature is —is believed to have an unseen authority whose effect is reflected in reality. Worshippers try to draw closer to the worshipped, to gain benefit or ward off harm. On one hand, they may believe the unseen authority is predicated a self-authority; they consider the worshipped as one who independently benefits & harms. This applies to worship of the sun and stars, believing in their effe..." |
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The god/ilaha/entity that, alone, is deserving of all worship, is the One with maximally-great properties — having all of the attributes of perfection, and thus being without partner, likeness, or shortcoming. | The god/ilaha/entity that, alone, is deserving of all worship, is the One with maximally-great properties — having all of the attributes of perfection, and thus being without partner, likeness, or shortcoming. | ||
The word for this | The word for this (as ''ilaha'' is Arabic, and ''god'' is English) — the object of worship that deserves of all worship; the One with all of the greatest properties and names; this is encompassed by "Allah", the name being a contraction of "ilaha" (an object of worship), and "Al-" (the definite article — indicating the only One, besides Whom there is no other). | ||
This name therefore entails the reality of all other names of Allah. | This name therefore entails the reality of all other names of Allah. | ||
Revision as of 15:45, 1 June 2026
What is “worship”?
An object of worship— no matter what its nature is —is believed to have an unseen authority whose effect is reflected in reality.
Worshippers try to draw closer to the worshipped, to gain benefit or ward off harm.
On one hand, they may believe the unseen authority is predicated a self-authority; they consider the worshipped as one who independently benefits & harms.
This applies to worship of the sun and stars, believing in their effect on the laws of the universe and management of creation.
On the other hand, they may believe that this unseen authority is not a self-authority; worshippers consider the worshipped an intermediary between them and a superior power that has an independent self-authority of inflicting harm and bringing about benefit.
Worship of this object is to intercede for them with the one who possesses the power to benefit and harm.
This applies to the polytheists who believe that their objects of worship get them closer to the Almighty and intercede for them.
What is the meaning of the words “ilaha” and “Allah”?
A god/ilaha is an object of worship.
This can be any entity.
Money. Men. Women.
Dogs. Rats. Cars.
War. Carvings. Trees.
An "entity" is a fundamental unit of existence, possessing discernible properties or attributes that distinguish it from others.
The god/ilaha/entity that, alone, is deserving of all worship, is the One with maximally-great properties — having all of the attributes of perfection, and thus being without partner, likeness, or shortcoming.
The word for this (as ilaha is Arabic, and god is English) — the object of worship that deserves of all worship; the One with all of the greatest properties and names; this is encompassed by "Allah", the name being a contraction of "ilaha" (an object of worship), and "Al-" (the definite article — indicating the only One, besides Whom there is no other).
This name therefore entails the reality of all other names of Allah.
An absence of an understanding of "worship" will often lead to a misunderstanding of what an object of worship is.
Worship in truth belongs to only One alone, without partners, upon Whom all depend:
Allah — the Creator & the Provider — the Lord of the Worlds.