of Nekounam, may his secret be sanctified, Session Forty-Nine (25/3/1387 AH)
The noble verse إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ from Surah Al-Fatiha, as one of the most fundamental verses of the Holy Quran, carries profound theological, philosophical, and epistemological meanings. This verse, by emphasising the exclusivity of worship and seeking help from Almighty God, elucidates the foundation of monotheism in worship. In this book, adopting a scientific and academic approach, we have undertaken an interpretative analysis of this verse, focusing on the distinction between commendable and blameworthy worship, the epistemic challenges in recognising the true object of worship, and the necessity of sincerity in worship. The content of this work, derived from the forty-ninth lecture, is rewritten preserving all details and main concepts, in a lofty style befitting a university-level audience. The objective is to provide a systematic and comprehensive analysis that not only elucidates Quranic knowledge but also invites a reconsideration of understanding and practice of worship within the framework of monotheistic cognition.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
You alone we worship and You alone we seek for help.
The use of the plural pronoun نَعْبُدُ instead of the singular أَعْبُدُ in this verse conveys a profound message negating any form of polytheism, individuality, or otherness before God. This linguistic structure manifests the collective unity and existential cohesion of the worshippers before the One God, preventing the prominence of individual distinctiveness which might lead to polytheism.
نَعْبُدُ signifies unity and integrity in worship, negating any polytheism or egoism, and emphasising both essential and active monotheism.
The selection of the plural pronoun in the verse resembles a harmonious note within the symphony of monotheism, indicating the existential cohesion of the worshippers before God. From a theological standpoint, this choice denotes the exclusivity of worship to God and the negation of any non-divine object. Had the verse been revealed as إِيَّاكَ أَعْبُدُ, the individuality of the worshipper might have been emphasised, potentially providing grounds for polytheism. The plural form neutralises this risk and guides worship towards unity and purity.
Worship in the Holy Quran is generally not commendable unless accompanied by a monotheistic context that transforms it into sincere divine worship. General worship, analogous to imitation, is not intrinsically valuable and only becomes praiseworthy when its object is God and it is performed with sincerity. This view is rooted in numerous verses that reproach non-divine worship.
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ * لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Say: O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship.أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَنْ لَا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ
Did I not covenant with you, O children of Adam, that you should not worship Satan?وَلَا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا اللَّهَ
And do not worship anyone except Allah.
These verses, like torches in the darkness of polytheism, emphasise the blameworthiness of non-divine worship and warn the monotheist against any participation in false acts of worship.
General worship, like imitation, is not intrinsically commendable and only becomes valuable under special conditions such as compulsion in imitation or sincerity in worship. This analogy resembles the comparison of two rivers that only reach the sea if their paths are directed towards the true destination. Worship without knowledge of the true object of worship, like imitation without a valid reason, leads to error.
Contrary to the view held by some who consider the human problem to be lack of action and surplus knowledge, the fundamental problem in worship is the absence of true knowledge of God. If true knowledge exists, action naturally follows. This view is like planting a seed in fertile soil, which only bears fruit when the appropriate soil is recognised.
Theoretical wisdom, encompassing knowledge of truth and God, precedes practical wisdom. The problem of humans is not lack of action but weakness in theoretical knowledge which prevents the realisation of correct worship. This principle resembles the construction of a building which collapses without a foundational epistemological base.
Human beings are naturally deity-makers and have a tendency to worship false deities such as idols, tyrants, or the self. This tendency has roots in social and existential psychology and is criticised by the Holy Quran through numerous examples of blameworthy worship.
This inclination is like a stream flowing towards false swamps instead of joining the sea. The Holy Quran, through verses such as إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي (I am God; there is no deity except Me, so worship Me), rectifies this course.
General worship, such as prayer performed without sincerity and knowledge, not only lacks spiritual effect but may lead to hardening of the heart. Such worship, due to lack of knowledge, becomes mechanical habits and fails to prevent indecency and wrongdoing.
إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ
Indeed, prayer restrains from immorality and wrongdoing.
This verse is like a light demonstrating that true prayer, only with sincerity and knowledge, can save the heart from hardness.
Specific worship, such as the prayers of the Divine saints, due to accompanying sincerity and knowledge, has profound effects on the human soul and elevates it to lofty spiritual ranks. This worship resembles a pure spring that quenches the heart and guides the human being towards perfection.
Sincere worship, due to the necessity of complete focus on God and negation of all forms of polytheism, is very burdensome. This burden is beautifully expressed in the following verse:
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۖ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ
Seek help through patience and prayer; indeed, it is difficult except for the humble.
This verse is like a mountain that only the humble can ascend its summit. The heaviness of worship stems from the need for sincerity and knowledge, which become easy only with humility and concentration on God.
To reform worship, knowledge of God and sincerity must be strengthened. This requires revisiting the understanding of إِيَّاكَ (the object of worship) and نَعْبُدُ (the subject of worship). A person must recognise the true object of worship before worshipping and cleanse themselves from any polytheism and egoism. This process resembles cleaning a dusty mirror which only reflects the true image once the dust is removed.
Common approaches in religious sciences sometimes settle for accumulating theoretical knowledge instead of deepening knowledge of God. Religious education must focus on recognising God and teaching sincere worship, rather than merely superficial sciences or mechanical worship.
This critique is like a warning to a gardener who, instead of watering the roots, only adorns the branches and leaves. Religious sciences must strengthen the roots of knowledge for worship to bear fruit.
The concept of the Necessary Being in Islamic philosophy, due to its generality, cannot provide true knowledge of God. The monotheistic God transcends general philosophical attributes, and knowledge of Him requires religious experience and spiritual intuition realised through sincere worship.
The interpretation of the verse إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ is like a key that opens the doors of monotheistic knowledge. This verse, by emphasising the exclusivity of worship to God and negating any form of polytheism, guides humanity towards sincere and knowledge-based worship. The distinction between commendable and blameworthy worship, the necessity of recognising the true object of worship, and the epistemic challenges within religious educational systems are among the most important outcomes of this analysis. Worship is like a river that only reaches its destination by flowing towards the sea of monotheism. This book is an invitation to reconsider the understanding and practice of worship, emphasising knowledge and sincerity, so that the human heart may be led from hardness towards humility and transcendence.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi