Supplication is worship
Narrator in the source: An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr reported that the Prophet
An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Supplication is worship." Then, he recited: {Your Lord says: "Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, utterly debased."} [Surat Ghāfir: 60]- Grade in the source
- Authentic
- Reported by
- Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Mājah, and Ahmad
- Source entry
- HadeethEnc · 5496 ↗
Original Arabic wording
عن النعمان بن بَشِير رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت النبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ»، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: «{وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ} [غافر: 60]».Understand this hadith
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that supplication is worship. So, it should be purely directed to Allah, whether supplication is that of request, as the supplicant asks Allah Almighty to bring him what is beneficial and avert from him what is harmful in this world and in the Hereafter, or supplication of worship, involving such words and deeds, inward and outward, that are beloved and pleasing to Allah, acts of worship performed within the heart or through one's body or money. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cited as evidence the verse that reads: {Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, utterly debased.}
Lessons from the hadith
- Supplication is the basis of worship and may not be directed to other than Allah.
- Supplication comprises the true meaning of servitude to Allah, the servant's recognition of the self-sufficiency and power of his Lord, and the servant's need of Him.
- The Hadīth contains a stern warning to those who are too proud to worship Allah and refrain from supplicating Him: that such people will enter Hellfire, utterly debased and humiliated.
References (original Arabic)
سنن أبي داود (2/ 603) (1479). سنن الترمذي (5/ 292) (3247). سنن ابن ماجه (5/ 5) (3828). مسند أحمد (30/ 297) (18352). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (7/ 546). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 416). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 480). سبل السلام بشرح بلوغ المرام، للصنعاني (2/ 707).