Worship(Ibadat)
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What is worship?
Worship has a very broad meaning and several dimensions. It is reverence shown to the Divine Being. The meaning of the word worship cannot be confined to specific acts or rites but it also applies to one?s beliefs and intentions. There are certain acts which can be acts of worship or a mere show of respect or obedience but NOT worship depending upon the circumstances and purpose of the acts, example Bowing, Kneeling, Prostrating. Such acts as bowing, kneeling or prostrating are basically done as a show of honour or obedience but the same acts are considered worship depending upon the intention and to whom such acts are done.
The acts of bowing, kneeling and prostrating done to God as a show of reverence or obedience are acts of worship. But the same acts when done to idols, statues, images, objects, heavenly bodies like Sun, Moon, Stars or any other creatures like cow, snake etc, are acts of worship done to ones other than God. Also, bowing, kneeling or prostrating when done to fellow humans just as a show of honour cannot be considered acts of worship but the same acts are considered worship if done with the intention of worshipping ie thinking that such humans are divine or worth of worship.
Types of Worship
There are two types of worship as mentioned below
1.Ritual Worship
2.Non-Ritual WorshipRitual Worship
Ritual worship is an act of worship which involves performance of certain rites/rituals. A systematic method is normally followed in performing the rituals. There are many rituals prescribed by God in religions revealed by him, to be performed by humans on specified occasions. Such rituals when done are acts of ritual worship.
Following are ritual worships
1.Yajna/Yasna/Salat
2.Animal Sacrifice
3.Pilgrimage Rites
4.Any other RitesThe special thing about the ritual worship is that the act of performing rituals can always be considered an act of worship but not a mere show of honour in any circumstance.
Non-Ritual Worship
Worship can be done even without performance of any rite. As such, certain acts and mere beliefs can be considered acts of worship. One can perform worship simply by doing certain acts or just by having certain beliefs. This kind of worship is known as non-ritual worship.
Non-ritual worship is done in two ways viz., 1. by acts and 2.by beliefs.
I.Non-Ritual Worship by Acts
Certain acts are considered non-ritual worship. Following are the acts that constitute non-ritual worship
1.Bowing
2.Kneeling
3.Prostrating
4.Praying(Supplication)
5.Meditating(Dikr)
6.Singing praises
7.Invoking the name(ie in the name of God, God willing, etc)
8.Observing God?s laws
9.All other acts done with the intention of worshipThere is a very thin distinction between some acts of non-ritual worship and show of honour/obedience. This distinction derives from the purpose and to who such honour/obedience is shown.
Below mentioned acts are non-ritual worship offered to ones other than God
1.Paying respect to statues, objects, pictures or any other images;
2.Giving honour to heavenly bodies like Sun, Moon, Stars;
3.Giving salutation to national flags;
4.Paying homage to the dead whether at their graves or by other means like observance of silence;
5.Giving salutation to mother land/home land;
6.Paying reverence to creatures like cows, snakes, trees,etc(as practiced in India);
7.Praying the dead;
8.Praying the angels or other sprits(Jinns);
9.Praying the socalled saints, spiritual leaders, gurus, et al.II.Non-Ritual Worship by Beliefs
Worship is performed not only by acts but also by certain beliefs. If any person has any one of such beliefs, he or she is said to have worshipped by such a belief.
Following beliefs are considered non-ritual worship offered to ones other than God
1.There is a partner to God in god-head;
2.There is a partner to God in dominion over the universe;
3.There is a partner to God in creation;
4.Anyone can become god ie Godhead can be attained by anyone;
5.There are semi-gods;
6.God has appointed anyone as semi-god or temporary god;
7.God has spouse/offsprings;
8.The dead people have power over the living humans;
9.Angels or other sprits can do favour or evil;
10.Heavenly bodies like Sun, Moon, Stars have power over humans ie belief in astrology;
11.Belief in witchcraft(black magic);
12.Belief that natural elements have power to do favour or evil.
13.Anyone besides God has authority to make religious laws;
14.Anyone besides God has authority to change or abrogate religious laws;
15.Prophets, messengers, saints have authority to intercede with God;
16.Belief that any one besides God posseses any attribute which can be ascribed only to God.Who do we worship?
We have been commanded by God to worship HIM ALONE. A careful scrutiny of the above detailed, will give one an insight into whether one worships God Alone or anyone besides God.
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Website restorereligion.blogspot.com/ -
Peace be upon you,
Ibadat means "serve", not "worship". The God is not some being outside of "you" which needs to be bowed down to, God is the Conciousness that we all are, we serve as vehicles of conciousness in the world. God is that which is seer, hearer, etc. But Itself cannot been seen, heard, etc. That which percieves cannot itself be percieved. We do not worship some object out there, we serve God by purifying the nafs, providing a vehice through which God can come through to act in he world.
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Peace be upon you,
Ibadat means "serve", not "worship". The God is not some being outside of "you" which needs to be bowed down to, God is the Conciousness that we all are, we serve as vehicles of conciousness in the world. God is that which is seer, hearer, etc. But Itself cannot been seen, heard, etc. That which percieves cannot itself be percieved. We do not worship some object out there, we serve God by purifying the nafs, providing a vehice through which God can come through to act in he world.
Peace,
The English word service also means worship and 'to serve' means 'to worship'. The Arabic word Ibadat means "worship or in other word service".
The concept of 'God within' is a false doctrine and a satanic tool to misguide people from worshiping God alone and making them believe that God resides in everything and hence everything is God. This blasphemous doctrine was first introduced into Hinduism(a monotheist religion) by some misguided theologists who propagated the Sanskrit phrase "Aham Brahmano" meaning I'am God.
Even though God blew his spirit into us he does not reside in us. God and we are separate beings. It is detailed in Advaidya philosophy in Hinduism i.e God's soul and our souls are separate beings and our souls are not part of God.
Peace,
K.Vivekanandan
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Peace be upon you Vivek,
The English word service also means worship and 'to serve' means 'to worship'. The Arabic word Ibadat means "worship or in other word service".
Does a waiter "worship" your food, or SERVE your food? The word worship has come to stand for something that is done from a distance..God is CLOSER THAN THE JUGULAR VEIN, not restricted to out there beyond the stars. We are created to SERVE God, not Worship some object "out there". This makes us responsible doers and not innocent bystanders.
The concept of 'God within' is a false doctrine
So you only blindly agree to the concept that "God is closer than the Jugular Vein"? Is the Jugular Vein inside of your Body?
Or is it that you blindly agree to the concept that God is Omnipresent? Is there some place in existence that God is not present? God is the core of your being. If you disagree with what I am saying, then please elaborate on how this is a false doctrine. But I hope that after showing you the verses you will state we are on the same page with this statement.and a satanic tool to misguide people from worshiping God alone and making them believe that God resides in everything and hence everything is God.
A satanic tool to misguide people? No indeed, this is the most powerful tool, KNOWING that God is ONE! God says you are seen looking to the stars, you are given a new qibla, look WITHIN!
Your last statement "hence everyting is God" is incorrect...you cannot look at a rock and say "That is God", because that is only a manifestation WITHIN God's vehicle. God is the NO-THING from with ALL THINGS manifest.
This blasphemous doctrine was first introduced into Hinduism(a monotheist religion) by some misguided theologists who propagated the Sanskrit phrase "Aham Brahmano" meaning I'am God.
Even though God blew his spirit into us he does not reside in us. God and we are separate beings.
I hope that you will not hold so firmly to that belief and allow some ideas to marinate in your mind for a moment...on the physical level, all objects, you , me, rocks, toast, fingernails, etc are all made from electrons, protons and nuetrons, all of these objects! The only difference is thier configuration. So when you look at it as a bunch of the VERY SAME MATERIAL in different configurations, where do you and I seperate? It is the illusion of this world that teaches us seperation. And since we are not really seperate on the physical plane, how about Conciousness within us? Is it many different SEERS or is there one SEER through many eyes? We do agree that GOD is Seer, Hearer, etc? Right?
Every Prophet started thier message with ONENESS. It is the tool of the wicked to DIVIDE(seperate) and conquer, Strength is in unity!
It is detailed in Advaidya philosophy in Hinduism i.e God's soul and our souls are separate beings and our souls are not part of God.
I am not concerned with books that have different views, verification rules out all guessing/beleif, and allows uf to walk on firm foundation of law.
Look at it like this, you are a vehicle of God, you are responsible for the portion of God's creation given to you (nafs- so called sub concious of which the physical body is the densest layer).
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Background
http//www.quranicteachings.co.uk/ibada.htmThe link is sadly not working.
