Ibadah in Islam means the ultimate obedience, submission and humility to Allah Subhana Wa Taala (S.W.T) along with ultimate love for Him.
Ibadah in Islam must meet two conditions:
- Following the rules of Allah as stated in the Quran and the command of his Prophets as stated in the Hadiths.
- Truthfully and sincerely following the order of Allah from the heart.
Ibadah is a collective noun that includes everything that Allah (S.W.T.) loves and accepts from sayings and the physical acts; the hidden (acts by heart) and the open (acts by limbs). The acts by limbs include prayer, zakah, fasting, hajj, honesty, loyalty, kindness with parents, a simple smile, cleanliness, having good accord with relatives, keeping promises and treaties, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, kindness with neighbours, with orphans, with the poor, with the wayfarer, with animals, supplication, remembering Allah, reciting Qur’an, and all things of this nature form Ibadah.
The acts by heart include love for Allah and His messenger, asking Him for forgiveness, having sincerity to Him alone in deen, being patient, thanking for His blessings, accepting His judgment, depending on Him, hoping for His mercy, fear of His punishment, and all things of this nature form Ibadah worship. All this is supported by an abundant number of evidences from the book of Allah (S.W.T.) and the sunnah of His messenger (S.A.W.).