ibadah

Ibadah is an Arabic term used in Islam to denote worship or service to God. The word derives from a root meaning servitude or submission, and in Islamic use it encompasses both ritual acts of worship and the broader submission of a believer’s life to God’s will. In the Qur’an and hadith, ibadah is presented as the central orientation of a Muslim’s existence, marking obedience, devotion, and reverence directed toward the Creator.

The scope of ibadah goes beyond formal ritual. While classic duties such as prayer (salat), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), almsgiving (zakat), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) are explicit acts of ibadah, the concept also includes ethical and social conduct performed with the intention of pleasing God. Acts like honesty, kindness to others, justice, charitable giving, and fulfilling obligations to family and community are considered ibadah when done with sincerity (ikhlas) and in accordance with divine guidance. Thus ibadah is often described as a comprehensive framework for a Muslim’s relationship with God and with fellow humans.

A key dimension of ibadah is intention (niyyah); actions are not merely outward rituals but means of drawing closer to God. The concept embodies tawhid, the oneness of God, and emphasizes submission to God’s commands while avoiding prohibited actions. Across Islamic traditions, ibadah thus denotes both individual devotion and a morally coherent, God-centered way of life.