Basic
Foundations
Surah: Adh-Dhariyat (56)
I Created Jinn and Humans Only to Worship Me — The Purpose of Existence
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ
— الذاريات الآية 56
Verse: "And I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me." (51:56)
"To worship Me": Ibn Abbas: "to know Me" — worship here encompasses knowledge, love, and obedience. The only explicitly stated purpose of creation.
"I don't want from them provision": Allah doesn't need our worship — He is free of need. Worship is for our own benefit not His. "Whoever strives strives only for himself."
Practical significance: One who doesn't worship Allah doesn't realize his existential purpose — lives a life empty of meaning no matter how full of pleasures. Complete existence is in worship.
"To worship Me": Ibn Abbas: "to know Me" — worship here encompasses knowledge, love, and obedience. The only explicitly stated purpose of creation.
"I don't want from them provision": Allah doesn't need our worship — He is free of need. Worship is for our own benefit not His. "Whoever strives strives only for himself."
Practical significance: One who doesn't worship Allah doesn't realize his existential purpose — lives a life empty of meaning no matter how full of pleasures. Complete existence is in worship.
Source: Ibn Kathir (7/407); Al-Sadi; Al-Qurtubi (17/56)
Test Yourself
What is Ibn Abbas' interpretation of "to worship Me" and how does it expand the concept of worship?
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