This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Irshad Ullah Maan's book The Search for Truth.
Worship is of four types:
[1] Physical Worship
[2] Financial Worship
[3] Heartfelt Worship
[4] Verbal Worship
Worship that is performed with the body is physical worship. For example, prayer, fasting, jihad, standing (in prayer), bowing, prostration, circumambulation, traveling for Hajj, Sa’i, stoning, kissing the Black Stone, observing etiquette when going towards and turning away from the Kaaba, considering the Kaaba while relieving oneself, giving the Kaaba an annual bath, all matters related to mosques such as construction, lighting, cleanliness, seclusion (I’tikaf), and attachment to mosques, etc., all these are included in physical worship. Every kind of physical worship is only for Allah Almighty and these physical acts of worship are exclusively for Allah Almighty.
For prayer see:
Reference: Al-An’am:163,162
For standing (Qiyam):
Reference: Al-Baqarah:238
For bowing and prostration:
Reference: Al-Hajj:77
For circumambulation and seclusion see:
Reference: Al-Baqarah:125
But some people can be seen performing all these acts at the graves of deceased saints or with living saints; these people are committing shirk in worship.Spending on Hajj, Zakat, Sadaqah, Qurbani, Nazr, Fitrana, spending in Jihad, and Qurbani, meaning spending any kind of wealth in the way of Allah, are included in financial acts of worship. Every kind of (فی سبیل اللہ) financial worship is exclusively for Allah.
Reference: Al-An'am:163,162
, [Al-Baqarah:190,177, 195 to 203[/ref] Slaughtering and Qurbani, etc., are exclusively for Allah: O Prophet! Pray and sacrifice for your Lord.
Reference: Al-Kawthar:2
Nazr, vows, promises, offerings in the name of anyone other than Allah are forbidden. This is the work of the polytheists. Nazr is for Allah: O my Lord! Indeed, the child in my womb is dedicated to You, so I will free him from worldly affairs.
Reference: Aal Imran:35
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever makes a vow to obey Allah, he should obey Allah, and whoever makes a vow to disobey Allah, he should not disobey Him.
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Faith and Vows, Chapter on Vows in ... etc.:6700,6696
One who slaughters in the name of anyone other than Allah is accursed.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: [ولعن الله من ذبح لغير الله] And whoever sacrifices in the name of anyone other than Allah, Allah will curse him.
Reference: Muslim, Book of Sacrifices, Chapter on the Prohibition of Sacrificing for Other than Allah.... etc:1978
But it is regrettable that today some who recite the Kalima are offering sacrifices in the name of other than Allah. At the grave of Ali Hujwiri in Lahore and countless other shrines, what is happening is that the four types of worship which are established by the Quran and authentic Hadith and which are the rights of Allah alone are being performed at these graves; this is manifest (i.e., apparent) shirk.
Like fear of Allah, reliance, fear, hope, desire, humility and submissiveness (that is) those things which are connected to the heart, these are included in heartfelt worship. In numerous places in the Holy Quran, it is stated that all the noble Prophets (peace be upon them) kept telling their nations to fear Allah and obey me.
Reference: Ash-Shu'ara:110,108
And when we study the Quran deeply, we reach the conclusion that all the Quranic verses revolve around the fear of Allah as a staff, and those who fear Allah without seeing Him will have forgiveness and great reward in the Hereafter.
Reference: Al-Mulk:12
Allah Almighty said: Is not Allah sufficient for His servant? And they show you (O Muhammad) the fear of others besides Allah, while it is Allah alone whom those whom Allah leads astray have no guide.
Reference: Az-Zumar:36
And have you heard the story of the two disputants who climbed over the wall of the worship place? When they came to Dawud (peace be upon him), he was afraid of them. He said, "Do not fear, you are two disputants; one has wronged the other, so judge between us with justice and do not turn away, and guide us to the straight path."
Reference: Sad:22,21
The reason for fear is clearly evident: firstly, they entered by climbing the wall instead of the door, and secondly, by taking such a bold step, they did not fear the king of the time. According to apparent causes, fearing something that causes fear is a natural human instinct. This is neither against the position and perfection of prophethood nor against monotheism; the fear that contradicts monotheism is the fear of something other than Allah that is beyond the natural causes. The same theme is mentioned regarding Prophet Musa (Moses) عليه السلام in
Reference: Taha: 64 to 68
. Reliance on Allah (i.e., trusting Allah and considering Him as one's disposer of affairs) is declared an essential consequence of faith and Islam.
Reference: Yunus: 84
, [Hud: 123[/ref] Allah Almighty commanded the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to make Allah his trustee (i.e., disposer of affairs); He is the Lord of the East and the West. There is no deity besides Him. So make Him your disposer of affairs, for there is no deity besides Him.
Reference: Al-Muzzammil: 9
In this noble verse, considering Allah as a trustee (i.e., disposer of affairs) is equated with considering Him as the deity. Pleasure, patience, grace, fear, hope, trust,Further references for reliance (Tawakkul):
Reference: Al-Baqarah: 272, 218, 107
, [Aal Imran: 173, 160, 159, 123[/ref]It should be remembered that whichever nation committed shirk, they certainly committed shirk in worship. For example
The people of Noah:
Reference: Al-A'raf:59
The people of Hud:
Reference: Al-A'raf:70,65
The people of Salih:
Reference: Al-A'raf:73
The people of Shu'ayb:
Reference: Al-A'raf:85
And Christians and Jews (as previously detailed) no prophet taught people the lesson of worshiping themselves. Rather, they commanded the worship of Allah because commanding the worship of anyone other than Allah is disbelief.
Reference: Al-Imran:80,79
Therefore, understanding Tawhid in worship in the light of the Quran and Hadith is extremely necessary, so that there is belief and practice in Tawhid in worship, and it is also essential to understand Shirk in worship in the light of the Quran and Hadith, so that one can avoid Shirk in worship. Verbal worship or oral worship includes supplication, remembrance, glorification, praise, gratitude, seeking help (i.e., asking for assistance), seeking refuge (i.e., asking for protection), etc. These things are exclusive for Allah, including all the remembrances whose performance is commanded in the Quran and Hadith. For example: during prayer, fasting, Hajj, Zakat, sacrifice, etc., all the remembrances, glorifications, and praises are included, including those remembrances in which the words سبحان اللہ and الحمد اللہ appear. And it is commanded to recite them on various occasions. Expressing gratitude for Allah’s blessings is also included in worship.
Reference: An-Nahl:114, Al-Baqarah:172,53
Seeking help means that help without causes can only be asked from Allah alone, and this is a part of worship.
Reference: Al-Fatiha:4
Its details are coming in the discussion of supplication. Seeking refuge (i.e., asking for protection) without cause, seeking refuge can only be asked from Allah alone.
Reference: (Al-Falaq)
