Islam Rediscovered
9. The Islamic Way of Life
~ 120 ~
This is the stuff of
iman
. And it was this
iman
which
enabled the Prophet and his companions to
produce, as one historian remarked, “the most
miraculous of all miracles.”
IBADAH (WORSHIP)
Ibadah, or worship, is not simply the observation of
a set of rituals. It is more a profound kind of
religious experience. In fact, it is the physical and
spiritual expression of the human personality on a
higher plane of consciousness.
Addressing man, the Qur’an says, “Prostrate
yourself in adoration and bring yourself closer
(to God)” (96:19). The Prophet Muhammad, may
peace be upon him, was once asked ‘What is the
essence of
ibadah
? He replied: “The worship of God
as though you are seeing Him. Or if you are not
seeing Him, He is seeing you.”
There are two kinds of ibadah, or worship, in Islam,
the first kind of
ibadah
have been prescribed at
specified times—
salat, sawm, zakat, hajj
, (prayer,
fasting, almsgiving, pilgrimage) These forms of
devotion are called the pillars of Islam. Then there
