Purpose of Worship

But, before I explain in greater detail how Muslims perform the namaz, or before I proceed to translate the various passages a worshipper recites therein, I consider it necessary to first discourse on two essential matters.

One objective of worship is to articulate gratitude to that holy being Who in Arabic is called Allah and in English is called God. Human beings are naturally compelled to feel gratitude towards their benefactor. According to a hadith:

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The constitution of the heart compels human beings to love their benefactor.

Hence, one of the most important functions of namaz is that individuals are able to come before their Lord and affirm the favours He has bestowed on them in their own language and tongue.

Besides this, worship also serves another purpose: it cleanses people of their sins and evil inclinations. Allah the Exalted does not stand in need of human adoration; the true purpose of the commandments He has imparted is to purify people, for Allah the Exalted is pure and cannot establish a relationship with that which is tainted. He desires that those who draw near to Him also be pure. All forms of worship that are ordained by God, aim to free the self from evil and mischief, and endow people with the strength to forgo their gratuitous desires. Worship ought to help individuals better their relationship with Allah the Exalted, as well as solidifying their bond with His creation.

Accordingly, religion as defined by Islam, is that which strengthens the human relationship with the divine and enhances the kinship of people. A system of belief which fails to satisfy any of these essentials, cannot be considered a religion, because it does not fulfil the requirements of faith. Thus the real purpose of all prescribed religious practice is to bring people nearer to God Almighty and to give them the strength to eschew sin. Any act of worship which provides the means for the fulfilment of these two needs is beneficial, and to occupy oneself in that which fails in these objectives is to idle away one’s time. The Holy Qur’an has explained this in the following terms:

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Namaz is a safeguard against indecency and evil. In other words, it fulfils the purpose of worship.