Central Sermon: “Sincere Worship is a Lasting Joy for the Believer” (Gallery)

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, who has guided us to His path and granted us faith as a source of happiness and tranquility. May peace and blessings be upon the last Messenger, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), his noble family, his companions, and all those who follow him until the Day of Judgment.

It is astonishing that some people take as deities creatures similar to themselves, which can neither harm nor benefit them, instead of worshiping Allah, the true Lord. How could we not worship Allah and devote ourselves to Him when He has enveloped us in His mercy and bestowed upon us countless blessings?

To better illustrate this, let us take the example of kindness between people. When someone does us a favor, no matter how small, we remain grateful and never forget it. So how is it possible that we do not forget human kindness, yet we neglect the kindness of our Creator and Sustainer, even though His blessings encompass us completely? We are immersed in an ocean of the immeasurable mercy and favors of our Lord.

Allah created us when we were nothing, without existence or mention. Not only did He create us, but He formed us in the best shape, subjected all other creatures to our service to ease our lives on Earth, and enabled us to worship Him completely. He made the Earth suitable for life and filled it with countless blessings. He gave us intellect, elevating us above other creatures. He sent us Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as the last messenger, with the Quran as a guiding light for our lives. Does Allah not then deserve to be worshiped and to receive our devotion alone?

Of course, He does. A human life has no meaning or value unless it is connected to and dedicated to the One who granted it. In this sense, we should understand the words of Allah, the Most High:

“I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhariyat, 56)

Worship: A Necessity for the Soul

Another reason why worship is the greatest mercy of Allah towards humans is that it is essential for our souls. A human being is made up of both a body and a soul. We sustain our bodies with food and drink, but the life of the soul is unimaginable without worshiping Allah. Even if a person possessed everything they desired in this world, their heart would never find peace through these fleeting blessings alone.

The reason is simple: the human heart is inherently in need of Allah and worshiping Him. Anxiety, sadness, and dissatisfaction cannot be removed by worldly pleasures or material blessings. On the contrary, all these blessings—whether money, children, spouses, cars, or anything else a person desires—become a burden and a curse if the person does not recognize Allah and the true essence of life.

Speaking about this inner distress, sorrow, and emptiness felt by disbelievers, Allah, the Most High, says:

“Guidance will come to you from Me: whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor be miserable. But whoever turns away from My reminder will have a life of hardship, and We will resurrect him blind on the Day of Judgment.” (Taha, 123-124)

This is why it is not surprising to hear young men and women, after spending the night in entertainment they believed would bring them happiness and satisfaction, say in the morning that it was all meaningless, repetitive, and that they return home feeling completely empty and unfulfilled.

The Islamic scholar and philosopher Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi, speaking about the essence of worship, said:

“Whoever understands the true essence of worship will find nothing easier or more delightful than worship, and nothing more difficult than being without it.”

For a sincere believer, worship is not just a formal obligation; it is a source of joy, tranquility, and inner satisfaction. Those who sincerely worship Allah find happiness in every movement of prayer, in every verse of the Quran, in every breath of supplication. Such people do not feel emptiness or meaninglessness because their hearts are filled with love for Allah and a desire to draw closer to Him.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the perfect example of sincere worship. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that:

“After the revelation of the chapter: ‘When the help of Allah and victory come,’ the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) never prayed without saying: ‘Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and to You belongs all praise. O Allah, forgive me.’” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

In another narration, it is mentioned:

“When he was in bowing or prostration, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would frequently say: ‘Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and to You belongs all praise. O Allah, forgive me.’”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also emphasized the differences between those who attend the Friday prayer. Ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“There are three types of people who attend the Friday prayer: one who attends but spends his time talking—that is his share of the prayer. Another attends and makes supplications—he is a person who prays to Allah, and if Allah wills, He will grant his request, and if He wills, He will deny it. The last one attends in silence and peace, without disturbing anyone—his prayer serves as an expiation for his sins until the next Friday, plus three additional days. That is what Allah means when He says: ‘Whoever does a good deed will be rewarded tenfold…’” (Hadith authenticated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud)

We ask Allah to make us among those who sincerely and wholeheartedly worship Him and to make worship a constant source of happiness and peace for us. Amin!

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on January 31, 2025, at the “Centre Culturel Islamique de Luxembourg” in Mamer)