Article appeared Friday, July 6th, 2018 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (531) yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Have we given a thought to how or in what ways we worship God? Can there be different ways
or different points-of-view? To understand human habit let’s look at what we normally do. For
example, should worship be only to gain something from Him? Something like spiritual points for
self, wealth, children, success in a venture, relief from trouble, forgiveness of sin, status, ability
to oppress others, help with taking revenge or fulfillment of a personal vendetta? If so, how
would this exclusively selfish behavior go down with God?

In the above example, who is the focal point or beneficiary of what we are asking from God? Are
we seeking Him out as one would seek out medical help or just take a pill when needed? And
subsequently forget the benefactor when benefit is received? So has God created us to serve
our self or have we created god/s to serve our needs/wants?

Logically, if God has created the universe and everything in it, what would be another way to
worship Him? As an analogy, could we think of Him as we would the boss of a company – a
company which has given us employment? In the company, would it be worthwhile to find out
what the boss wants and want to please him? Similarly, could worship be giving Him importance
and trying to work out what He would want from His created beings? A question to consider:
would it be possible that God has created human beings and the universe without His Own
purpose? Would a boss set up a company without his/her own purpose?

So from the discussion, we see that there are essentially two approaches to God. The first,
making ourselves most important and imagining God and/or other things/objects to be there
only to serve our needs/wants. In contrast, the other way would be to make God most important
and wonder about the purpose of our creation. This would lead to questions like, who am I in
relation to God and what would be the purpose of my creation – what could God possibly want
from me? Has He created me to be His creation for a short while? Then doing things in an
attempt to please God?

Can we run away from the fact that in the first case, we ourselves are the object of worship as it
is our needs and our purpose being fulfilled and in the second case; it is God we want to
worship/please? In both cases, how is religion defined? As self benefit can be sought in any
number of ways (and from anyone or anything), there can potentially be as many religions as
there are human beings {1}, however, in the second case there can only be one religion –
pleasing God, just as in a company, the work ethic would be pleasing the boss or fulfilling the
purpose for which the boss has set up the company. Why? As the boss has given existence in
the company for a reason, continued stay and progress would also depend on him/her.

If there are only these two ways to worship God, how is it that there are so many religions in the
world – there should in fact, be only two religions – worship of self and worship of God. Let us
then take a closer look at the religions of the world with these two points of view in mind. The
website Religion Facts {2} provides a very basic comparison of 40 religions of the world and a
downloadable Big Religion Chart. The comparison in the tabular chart is done on the basis of
adherents, history, gods, meaning of life, afterlife, practices and texts. Going through the list,
wherever there are multiple gods, it seems that each god has an individual purpose – a purpose
that can be linked with the needs/wants/desires of human beings. The Wikipedia site List of
religions and spiritual traditions {1} attempts to classify the religions according to its origins. It
shows that many religions are based on the traditions of Prophet Abraham but have deviated
into multiple sects. The Christian faith alone has multiple sects. One of these sects maintains
that forgiveness of sin, which fulfills a need of humans, has been achieved through the sacrifice
of Jesus {2}.
Why has so much importance been given to Abraham? Abraham was born into a household
where his father not only worshipped multiple gods, but also sold idols of various gods {3}.
Abraham set out to find which god is the real God and developed a strong faith in Him. Having
discovered God, the Creator of the heavens and earth, Abraham set up rites and rituals to
worship and please God {4} – as followed by the followers of the religion of Islam. According to
the Bible, Abraham is humanity's last chance to establish a relationship with God {3}. This is
confirmed by the Al-Qur’an, the sacred text of the followers of Islam, in the following Verse.
“And who turns away from the religion of Abraham but such as debase their souls with
folly? Him We chose and rendered pure in this world: and he will be in the Hereafter in
the ranks of the righteous.” [2.130]

The Al-Qur’an confirms the existence of only one religion – the worship of the Creator of the
heavens and the earth – God, by reaffirming what Jesus said,
“(Jesus said,) verily God is my Lord and your Lord {5}: Him (alone) therefore serve: this
is a Way that is straight. But the sects differed among themselves (regarding what was
said) {6}: and woe to the Unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a
momentous Day!” [19.36 – 19.37]

The Al-Qur’an also furnishes reasons for the formation of various sects – at the same time it
warns mankind against the division of the pure religion into sects.
“As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects (make sure that) you have
no part in them in the least: their affair is with God: He will in the end tell them the truth
of all that they did.” [6.159]

In the Al-Qur’an, God confirms the unity of all religion, that all prophets have brought the same
message.
“The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - that
which We have sent by inspiration to you – and that which We enjoined on Abraham,
Moses and Jesus: Namely that you should remain steadfast in Religion and make no
divisions therein: to those who worship things other than God hard is the (way) to which
you call them…” [42.13]

To provide Guidance through the ages, He has Revealed Words from the same Book with Him
[43.4] repeatedly through the Prophets and Jesus spoke God’s Words directly from the cradle.
“Those to whom (previously) We have given (from) the Book rejoice at what has been
revealed to you (now): but there are among the clans those who reject a part thereof…”
[13.36]

Rejecting any inconvenient portion of the Al-Qur’an [43.1 – 43.4] is disbelief. As human beings,
do we ever reject any part of a product manual? So, to those who prefer to serve their own
needs and insist that they believe [23.53] – that their religion is the religion:

21.112 “Say: "O my Lord! Judge You in truth!" "Our Lord Most Gracious is the
One Whose assistance is sought against that (concocted lies) you utter!"”
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{Notes}:
{1} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religions_and_spiritual_traditions
{2} http://www.religionfacts.com/big-religion-chart
{3} http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/abraham_1.shtml
{4} https://www.whyislam.org/common-ground/place-of-abraham-in-islam-christianity-judaism/
{5} Most likely referring to John 20:17; http://biblehub.com/john/20-17.htm
{6} http://www.pbv.thunder-bay.on.ca/NetSermons/John%2020%2010-18ser.html