The purpose of worship
7-10-2010 | IslamWeb
Question:
I know that Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.} [Quran 51:56] What then is the rationale behind the creation of mankind and the Jinn and behind the worshipping of Allaah the Almighty, especially since if we worship Allaah or if we do not, this does not affect the authority, sublimity or greatness of Allaah the Almighty?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
The rationale behind creating mankind is for them to worship Allaah the Almighty. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.}[Quran 51:56]
Ar-Raaghib Al-Asfahaani 
said that the honor of mankind lies in the purpose for which it was created - which is to worship Allaah the Almighty - and, similarly, dishonor lies in disregarding worship. Indeed, animals are better than humans who do not worship Allaah the Almighty. Al-Asfahaani also said that Allaah the Almighty rebukes those who do not worship Him in the verse which means: {Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.}[Quran 7:179]
Why do we worship Allaah the Almighty, although He has no need for our worship? What is the purpose of assigning humans to worship Allaah the Almighty? Who benefits from worshipping Allaah the Almighty, us or Him? What is the benefit, if any? Is the purpose of worshipping Allaah the Almighty fulfillment of the orders of Allaah the Almighty? The answer to these questions can be summarized as follows:
1- Humans must worship Allaah the Almighty and obey His orders. Allaah the Almighty, due to His Lordship and Perfection, deserves to be worshipped, which stands even if the Messengers had not ordered us to worship Him. In a Hadeeth on the authority of Mu‘aath 
the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that the right of Allaah is that His slaves should worship Him and associate nothing with Him. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, added that the right of the slave (Allaah's creation) is that Allaah the Almighty will not punish anyone who does not associate anything with him. [Bukhari and Muslim]
2- In a sense, worshipping Allaah the Almighty can be an aim in and of itself because of its reforming effect on man's character. However, if a man prays and fasts only to reform himself, not bearing in mind that it is his duty to worship Allaah the Almighty, then his acts of worship would not count. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {And not [giving] for anyone who has [done him] a favor to be rewarded. But only seeking the countenance of his Lord (Allaah), Most High. And he is going to be satisfied.}[Quran 92:19-21]
3- Worship keeps man aware that he is more soul than body. The soul has needs just like the body does. The food of the soul is its worshipping its Creator. If a person neglects the fact that he has a soul, he will be more harmful to humanity than the fiercest of destructive weapons. A predator would be more merciful than such a person: a predator kills to eat, but a man who does not worship Allaah can be so ruthless that he enjoys killing for killing’s sake.
- Worship reminds man of the fact that he is mortal, and makes him more conscious of Allaah the Almighty, who created, proportioned, destined and then guided His creation. If one does not worship Allaah the Almighty, he will forget the fact that Allaah is the Lord, Creator, and sustenance-Provider. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {And establish prayer for My remembrance.}[Quran 20:14]
There is a Hadeeth indicating that the purpose of Salah (prayer) is to remember and mention Allaah the Almighty. [Abu Daawood]
As for Hajj (pilgrimage), Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {And for all religion We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allaah.}[Quran 22:34]
Worship is fleeing to Allaah the Almighty from the burdens of life that harden one's heart. Concerning those who forsake worship for self-indulgence, Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient.}[Quran 57:16]
5- Worshipping Allaah the Almighty liberates man from worshipping anything other than Allaah the Almighty. Allaah the Almighty decreed that if a person did not worship Him, he would worship anything other than Him, whether a stone, the moon, worldly desire, some party, an ideology, or a charlatan.
6- Worshipping Allaah the Almighty liberates a person from fear, meanness, degradation and all vices. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing.}[Quran 29:45]
Comprehensive worship leads a person towards having all virtues. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means):
• {And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [Saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allaah."}[Quran 76:9-10]
• {And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace.}[Quran 25:63]
And Allaah Knows best.