I Created Jinn and Humans Only to Worship Me — The Purpose of Existence
tadabbur
Level: basic
foundations
td-200
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ
— الذاريات 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.
Source: Ibn Kathir (7/407); Al-Sadi; Al-Qurtubi (17/56)
Question: What is Ibn Abbas' interpretation of "to worship Me" and how does it expand the concept of worship?
Answer: "To know Me" — true worship encompasses knowledge of Allah, love, and obedience. It is not mechanical performance but a knowledge and emotional relationship.