Ibadah

Lore & Background

In Arabic, ibadah is connected with words such as ubudiyyah ('slavery') and has connotations of obedience, submission, and humility. Linguistically it means 'obedience with submission.' In Islam, ibadah is usually translated as 'worship' and means obedience, submission, and devotion to God. Some sources, including noted Islamist author Abul A'la Maududi, give a broader definition that includes keeping speech free from filth, falsehood, malice, abuse, and dishonesty, and obeying Shariah law in commercial and economic affairs and in dealings with parents, relatives, friends, and everyone else.

Reader's Guide

Ibadah is a foundational concept in Islam, as it defines the religious duties of worship incumbent on all Muslims when they come of age and are of sound body and mind. The plural form, ibadat, refers to the jurisprudence (fiqh) governing worship, distinguished from other fields such as muʿāmalāt (interpersonal transactions). Ibadat include the five pillars of Islam: the declaration of faith (Shahada), ritual prayer (Salat), almsgiving (Zakat), fasting (Sawm), and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). According to Oxford Islamic Studies, because these are of central importance to the Muslim community, the ibadat form the first subject matter of Islamic jurisprudence and most collections of prophetic traditions (hadith). Author Faleel Jamaldeen notes that without these religious laws, Muslims would likely create their own rituals and prayers, and the religion of Islam would falter and eventually disappear.

Did You Know?

• Ibadah is linguistically connected to the Arabic word ubudiyyah, meaning 'slavery.'
• The plural form ibadat refers to Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) of Muslim religious rituals.
• Ibadat include the five pillars of Islam: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj.
• According to Oxford Islamic Studies, ibadat form the first subject matter of Islamic jurisprudence and most collections of hadith.