According to a tradition of our Prophet –peace be upon him- “The most truthful names are Cultivator and Concerned” [1] This tradition goes deep inside the human being and declares that every human being does not stay static, rather he is dynamic and always there are things in his mind. He continuously thinks and gets concerned with so many matters. However, there are few concerns that goes by his mind without much attention, and there are other matters that attracts him much, and over repeated thinking, this matter becomes an idea in his mind, then, this idea develops into some action (cultivation in the hadith), and over repeated action, it turns into habit.

Let me take a simple example from a recent event that started locally, and then escalated into an international issue. That is the humiliating cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad –peace be upon him- in Danish newspaper. At the very beginning, these cartoons were in the head of few cartoonists. Over repeated hatred towards Islam (or the false intention of gaining fame), these cartoons started to translate into the action of drawing, and then sending to Jyllands-Posten [2]. The role of the cartoonists stopped there, then the role of the newspaper started. Publishing those cartoons was an idea in the mind of the chief-editor, then over repeated thinking, the idea became greater and greater. And –like any other human being- the idea translated into action. The next morning, those cartoons were public. From the recipient side, those who were Muslims got angry, which is an inner feeling in the heart, then this feeling translated into action which varied from person to other. Some decided to boycott Danish produts, some decided to burn the embassies, some decided –like me- to write letters to the editor of the newspaper. And so on.

So, every human being thinks. No one stays without issues in his brain. In this way –as Ibnul Quayyem said- the human mind is like a grinding mill that continuously rotates and grinds it’s contents. The grinding mill never stops, and the contents comes in the mill all the time. If the contents are good ingredients, it will yield beneficial flour. On the other hand, if what poured inside the mill were stones and dust, then useless grains of dusts will come out. Similarly, human mind is a grinding mill of issues and ideas coming in. Depending on the quality on input, the output (action) will result. ‘Garbage in, Garbage out’.

Here are some verses that show the energetic, active, dynamic nature of mankind..

• “O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it.” [Surah al-Inshiqaq (84): verse 6]
• “We have certainly created mankind into hardship.” [Surah al-Balad (90): 4]
• Say: "Everyone acts according to his own disposition: But your Lord knows best who it is that is best guided on the Way." [surah al-Isra’ (17): verse 84]

Now that I made the idea of how ideas evolve in the mind, and then it develops into action and habit, it is time to relate the whole idea to the issue of worshipping.

Allah created mankind to worship him. He created man and built into him all necessary qualities to search for the true God, and worship Him. The issue of continuous thinking, and then working based on the thinking, is the most valuable God gifted quality of mankind.

Every living creature works for it’s benefit. The cat searches for mice to satisfy it’s hunger, and the mice searches for cheese to satisfy its. The most primitive class among the living creature (i.e., plants) also searches deep for water and searches up for light and air. The most advanced creature (i.e., Human being) does that in the first place.

So, till now, the axioms that I laid down so far are:

1. Mankind thinks
2. Mankind works according to it’s thinking
3. Mankind –as well as all living creatures- works for it’s benefit.
4. Mankind was created for worship of Allah which will result him in getting into paradise and eternal salvation.
5. Working for paradise is the greatest benefit.

Worship is Working. In other words, every worker is worshipper. No movement occurs in this universe without a love or fear. You go for dating because of love. You run away from a lion, because love of your life. Those who love Allah, and worship him are ready to give their soul for that sake.

So, love and affection and worship starts in the heart or mind. Then it develops into action or work (of worship). When a teenager meets the opposite sex, the first look fixes an anchor into the heart, then this small look for seconds works in the ‘grinding mill’ of the heart, and produces ‘love’. This inner feeling develops into action (like sending love e-mail, SMS, another meeting, etc.) In fact, that is the primitive form of worship.

The essence of Islam is the full devotion to Allah, so every action becomes based on the heart feeling of love, respect, and fear of Allah. That is the meaning of Islam (full submission) to Allah. Now those who reject this, and does not want to worship, let them not think they are non-worshippers of a god. Because, the question is not if you worship or not (as every one worships), the question is who do you worship? If you do not worship Allah, then you might worship money, an actor, an actress, an artist, a player, sun, moon, the king of a country, Aristotle, cow (hindus), fire, your company, Atheism, etc. (the list goes on and on).

Again, as an example, take the issue of Prophet Cartoons. The west worship ‘Freedom of Expression’ and as a result of the love of this god in the heart, it translated into an act of worship (publishing the cartoons). From the Muslim part, the love of the messenger of Allah is very firm in the heart of a Muslim, and as a result it translated into act of worship (boycotting Danish products, writing protest article, etc.).

According to Ibnul Quayyem, the thinking of the mankind should be concentrated in the issues that would cause benefit to him. These issues –according to their importance- are:

1. What are the beneficial things that will help me in the world hereafter?
2. What are the acts that will result in entering paradise in the world hereafter?
3. What are the harmful things that will endanger me in the hereafter?
4. What are the acts that will result in avoiding these harmful consequences in the hereafter?
5. What are the beneficial things that will help me lead a successful life in this world?
6. What are the acts that will result in attaining these successful life ingredients in this world?
7. What are the harmful things that will cause me to lead an unsuccessful life in this world?
8. What are the acts that will result in avoiding these harmful spoiler of this life’s success?

Finally, since we all are human being, and that means we all think, then let us think on the 8 points mentioned above- according to their order of importance. Then, these repeated thinking will translate into action which will be nothing but act of worship. If we do not worship Allah, then knowingly, or unknowingly, we will worship other silly things which does not deserve to be worshipped.

“Then seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who, then, will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn Guidance)? Will ye not then receive admonition?” [Surah al-Zathiah (45): verse 23]

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[1] this hadeeth was related by Ahmad [4/345] and Abu Dawood [4950], Ibn Taymiyah authenticated it
[2] the newspaper that first published the cartoons in September 2005 (www.jp.dk)