English The Islamic understanding of worship allows the whole of one’s life to be an
act of worship, as long as the objective of that life is the pleasure of Allah,
which is achieved by doing good and refraining from evil. This can be seen from
the following:
1. A person can turn everyday activities into acts of worship by
purifying his or her intention and sincerely seeking Allah’s pleasure through
these activities. Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) said:
“Greeting a person is charity. Acting justly is charity. Helping a man with
his steed is charity. A good word is charity. Every step taken on the way to
performing prayers is charity. Removing an obstacle from the road is charity.”
2. Earning a living can be a form of worship if certain conditions are
met.
The Companions saw a man and were astonished by his hard work and industry. They
said: “If he were only doing this much work for the sake of Allah…”
Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“If he is working to support his small children, then it is for the sake of
Allah. If he is working to support his elderly parents, then it is for the sake
of Allah. If he is working to occupy himself and keep his desires in check, then
it is for the sake of Allah. If, on the other hand, he is doing so to show off
and earn fame, then he is working for the sake of Satan.”
3. Even the most natural acts can become acts of worship if they are
accompanied by the proper intention: Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you approaches his wife,
it is an act of charity.”
The same can be said for eating and drinking, as long as it is done out of fear
of Allah and seeking to obey him. In order for these actions to be counted as
acts of worship deserving of divine reward, the following conditions must be
met:
A. The action must be accompanied by the proper intention. Allah’s
Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Actions
are but by intentions, and a person gets only what he intended.”
B. The action must be lawful in and of itself. If the action is something
prohibited, its perpetrator deserves punishment. Allah’s Messenger (may the
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah is good, and He
accepts only what is good.”
C. The activity must be performed in the best possible manner. Allah’s
Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has
prescribed excellence for all things.” He also said: “Allah loves that if
one of you does something, he does it well.”
D. The dictates of Islamic Law must be completely observed. Deception,
oppression, and iniquity must be avoided. Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “He who deceives us is not one of us.”
Allah says:
“…and avoid false speech.”
E. The activity should not keep the person from performing his or her
religious obligations. Allah says:
“O you who believe, do not let your wealth and children distract you from the
remembrance of Allah.”
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