بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ
Muslims adhere to the belief in the singular existence of God, the sole Creator, referred to as Allāh (
) in Islām. According to Islāmic doctrine, Allāh () dispatched sent man to Earth as his viceroy (khalifa), with the fundamental obligation of worshipping Him exclusively according to His directives. In the Qurān, recognized by Muslims as the literal Word of Allāh () and His ultimate revelation to mankind, conveyed orally to the Prophet Muḥammad (
) by the archangel Gabriel (
), Allāh () articulates:
"When thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy on the earth..." (Qurān 2:30)
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." (Qurān 51:56)
The concept of "worship" in Islam encompasses a broad spectrum. Beyond traditional acts of worship such as daily prayers, obligatory fasting, almsgiving (zakah), and pilgrimage (Hajj), virtually every facet of human existence can be construed as an act of worship when undertaken with sincere intent. Therefore, earning a livelihood through lawful means, fulfilling familial responsibilities, engaging in business transactions, social interactions, personal hygiene, nourishment, and rest, among others, can be considered acts of worship if executed in accordance with divine prescriptions with the aim of seeking divine approval.
Muslims maintain that earthly life is fleeting compared to the eternal Hereafter. Existence on Earth serves as a trial for Muslims to ascertain whether they can adhere to divine mandates. Divine guidance on human conduct has been disseminated by Allāh () through His revelations and His chosen messengers. The Quran serves as the ultimate revelation, and Prophet Muhammad is regarded as the final prophet. These constitute the principal sources guiding Muslims on how to lead their lives in order to attain success in the afterlife. Thus, the ultimate aspiration of a Muslim is to attain salvation on the Day of Judgment.
A. Hussain