The Worship

فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوبٌ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ تَفَرَّغْ لِعِبَادَتِي أَمْلَأْ قَلْبَكَ غِنًى وَ لَا أَكِلْكَ إِلَى طَلَبِكَ وَ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَسُدَّ فَاقَتَكَ وَ أَمْلَأَ قَلْبَكَ خَوْفاً مِنِّي وَ إِنْ لَا تَفَرَّغْ لِعِبَادَتِي أَمْلَأْ قَلْبَكَ شُغُلًا بِالدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ لَا أَسُدَّ فَاقَتَكَ وَ أَكِلْكَ إِلَى طَلَبِكَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘It is written in the Torah, “O son of Adam, devote yourself to my worship and I will fill your heart with riches and will not leave you to your own quest. It is upon Me to meet your needs and fill your heart with fear from Me. If you do not devote yourself to My worship I will fill you

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى يَا عِبَادِيَ الصِّدِّيقِينَ تَنَعَّمُوا بِعِبَادَتِي فِي الدُّنْيَا[2] فَإِنَّكُمْ تَتَنَعَّمُونَ بِهَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, has said, “O My truthful servants, enjoy the blessings of worshipping Me in this world; you will enjoy its benefits in the next life.’””

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ أَفْضَلُ النَّاسِ مَنْ عَشِقَ الْعِبَادَةَ فَعَانَقَهَا وَ أَحَبَّهَا بِقَلْبِهِ وَ بَاشَرَهَا بِجَسَدِهِ وَ تَفَرَّغَ لَهَا فَهُوَ لَا يُبَالِي عَلَى مَا أَصْبَحَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى عُسْرٍ أَمْ عَلَى يُسْرٍ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The best of the people are those who love worship (of Allah) intensely. They hold to it, love it in their hearts, accompany it with their body and are devoted in it. Such people are concerned no more about the world, whether it gives them comfort or difficulties.’”

وَ كَتَبْتُ مِنْ كِتَابِهِ بِإِسْنَادٍ لَهُ يَرْفَعُهُ إِلَى عِيسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ عِيسَى بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا الْعِبَادَةُ قَالَ حُسْنُ النِّيَّةِ بِالطَّاعَةِ مِنَ الْوُجُوهِ الَّتِي يُطَاعُ اللَّهُ مِنْهَا أَمَا إِنَّكَ يَا عِيسَى لَا تَكُونُ مُؤْمِناً حَتَّى تَعْرِفَ النَّاسِخَ مِنَ الْمَنْسُوخِ قَالَ قُلْتُ‌ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَ مَا مَعْرِفَةُ النَّاس

‘“Isa ibn ‘Abd Allah once said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, what is worship?’ The Imam said, ‘It is good intention in obedience to Allah concerning the aspects through which He is obeyed. As for you, O ‘Isa, you will not be a believer until you can distinguish the abrogatin

إِنَّ الْعُبَّادَ ثَلَاثَةٌ[1] قَوْمٌ عَبَدُوا اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَوْفاً فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْعَبِيدِ وَ قَوْمٌ عَبَدُوا اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى طَلَبَ الثَّوَابِ فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْأُجَرَاءِ وَ قَوْمٌ عَبَدُوا اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حُبّاً لَهُ فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْأَحْرَارِ وَ هِيَ أَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘There are three kinds of worship: there are people who worship Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, because of fear. This kind of worship is the worship of slaves. There are people who worship Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, for His rewards. This is the worship of people fo

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَا أَقْبَحَ الْفَقْرَ بَعْدَ الْغِنَى وَ أَقْبَحَ الْخَطِيئَةَ بَعْدَ الْمَسْكَنَةِ وَ أَقْبَحُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْعَابِدُ لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ يَدَعُ عِبَادَتَهُ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘How ugly is poverty after riches, sin in destitution and worst of all worshipping Allah and then giving up His worship.’”

مَنْ عَمِلَ بِمَا افْتَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فَهُوَ مِنْ أَعْبَدِ النَّاسِ.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) has said, ‘One who fulfills what Allah has made obligatory upon him, he, among the people, is the one who worships the most.’”