The best worship is serving the mankind

I have learnt many words of wisdom from taxi drivers. Once, a taxi driver said to me, ‘If I do not pray or fast, I wronged Allah, and He will forgive me for that. But, if I wrong a person, Allah will punish me for it.’

In Islam, above all worship is the greatness of character and behaviour prevails. If a Muslim fails to behave well, he has not learnt the essence of Islamic religion. How sad it is that we do not set good example of behaviour in cultures where Muslims are in majority, and have to learn manners, etiquette, human rights and social welfare from other societies. I am copying below some hadith which mention excellence of having good character and behaviour, and the best worship being serving people.

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, "The one who looks after a widow or a poor person is like a Mujahid (warrior) who fights for Allah's Cause, or like him who performs prayers all the night and fasts all the day." [Bukhari Vol. 7 No. 265]

Abu Hurairah  (radhiallâhu anhu) narrated that the Prophet  (sallallâhu  ‘alayhi wasallam)  said: “The most perfect believer in respect of faith is he who is best of them in manners.”  (Abu Dawud  4665)

Abu Hurairah  (radhiallâhu anhu) narrated that the Prophet  (sallallâhu  ‘alayhi wasallam) said:  “Among the Muslims the most perfect, as regards his faith, is the one whose character is excellent, and the best among you are those who treat their wives well.”  (Tirmidhi  278, 628, 3264 and Abu Dawud) 


Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr Radi Allahu Anhu : A man asked the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam , "What Islamic traits are the best?" The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, "Feed the people, and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know."Sahih Bukhari, Vol 8, Book 74, No. 253

I read a hadith but could not find its reference to copy it here. According to this hadith, if a woman had several husbands in this world, in the Hereafter she will be the wife of the person who was the best in character. Here the excellence doesn’t come in terms of being the best in worship, but being best in character.

Being good in Allah’s worship (prayers, reciting Quran, fasting etc.) doesn’t make a person automatically good in character. If such was the case, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not mention character separately as he did in several hadith.

Recently I posted a video of a Muslim organization that has done very impressive work for Muslims and non-Muslims in Assam and nearby districts. Their work not only include in teaching religion, but in health care, training in farming, training women for employment, and orphanages.

When Allah informed the angels about His intention to create man, He used the word ‘khalifa’ meaning the inheritor of earth. (Al Baqara 2: 30) Man can only be good inheritor of earth, if he cares for those who live on it, and, that way he can be true to the purpose of his creation. When I see people/ organizations like Markazul Maarif, the NGO whose work is highlighted in this said video, I feel that they have truly fulfilled their mission of being a Muslim, who submitted his self, not just to worship Allah, but to serve His creation, because Allah does not seek any other service.