Section 5: Explanations of Wrong Concepts in the Definition of Worship

Explanations of Wrong Concepts in the Definition of 'Ibadah is Tawqifiyyah19 ‘Whoever performs a deed which we have not given approval, it is That is, his deed is rejected from him and not accepted. Rather, he sins thereby because it is an act of disobedience and not an act of obedience. Therefore, the correct mode of performing the legislated acts of worship is to be balanced between negligence and laziness on one hand, and excessiveness and extremism on the other hand. Allah - the Most High - said: “So stand (ask Allah to make) you /O Muhammad Ml firm and straight (on the religion o f Islam ic Monotheism) as you are commanded and those (your companions) who turn in repentance (unto Allah) with you, and transgress not...” (Qur’an 11:112) This noble verse describes the correct methodology of performing acts of worship. And that is, to be firm upon performing them in a balanced manner; devoid of extremism and laxity, and in accordance with the Shari'ah, “...as you are 19 Something that must not be said or done except with proof from the Qur'an and Sunnah 20 Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim Then He stressed it with His statement: “...and transgress not.” Transgression means to exceed the limits by being fanatical and excessive, this is extremism. When he M learnt that three of his companions had said some things about their deeds; the first said: 7 shall fast and never break my fast ’, the second said: 7 shall stand in prayer and never sleep,' and the third said: 7 shall never marry women.': This means that nothing is legislated as worship except what-the Qur’an and Sunnah point to. Whatever is not legislated (in Qur’an and Sunnah) is an innovation that is rejected as the Messenger M has said: As for me, I fast and I break fast and I marry women, whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of we.’21 Currently, there are two groups of mankind upon these two extremes regarding The first group: They held a narrowed view of worship and were negligent at fulfilling them, till they made ineffectual several of its forms. They restricted worship to a limited number of deeds and symbolic acts, which are performed in the mosques alone. To them, there is no room for worship in the home, nor in the office, nor at the shop, nor in the street, nor in social transactions, nor in politics, nor in government, nor in litigations, nor in any other affair of life. Certainly, the mosque has superiority, and the five daily prayers must be observed therein, but worship encompasses the entire life of a believer; both within and beyond the mosque. The second group: They were excessive in performing the acts of worship to the point of extremism. They raised the preferred acts to the status of compulsion, and they made unlawful, things, which are permissible, and they ruled as errant, anyone who conflicts their own methodology or faulted their understanding. Certainly, the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad and the worst of affairs are the newly-invented ones. 21 Reported by al-BukharT and Muslim