Surah 51:56 "did not create mankind and jinn except to worship me"

[miracle114]

Salaam all
Looking for some more reasoning on this verse.
Is Allah the Almighty saying

1) we are to do nothing else but worship and devote our whole life to him. (I. E not marrying, no children no career, no past times).
2) carry on as normal  ONLY WORSHIP HIM If you do decide to worship a God
3) or both options are OK but one earns a higher rank with option 1.

Peace and Thanks

[Wakas]

Quran tells us what God wants us to do.

Quran does not ban marriage or having children for example, therefore your option 1 is easily ruled out.

Quran tells us what "ibada" means, "worship" is only one aspect.

[Duster]

1) we are to do nothing else but worship and devote our whole life to him. (I. E not marrying, no children no career, no past times).

Then why would Allah dedicate passages upon passages on marriage ...divorce ....children....seeking his bounty....financial transactions ........inheritance etc etc etc?

[miracle114]

Salaam duster and wakas
I agree but similarly God is not forcing us to marry or chase worldly desires and he does say in the Quran that children and wealth can be a distraction from the true purpose.
It's obviously not a prohibition to marry or seek a profession etc but is it better in God's eyes to devote oneself completely to God. Just a thought and I wanted to know if verse 51:56 had an support for it.

Salaam and thanks


 

[Duster]

Shalom / peace miracle114 ..... What's your view on the fact that Allah has He didn't prescribe monasticism on those that ended up practising it (Christians) ..... I don't think such a cutting of from worldly things is expected ...Hence where's the test if you sit on a mountain and just meditate ... isn't it in the daily tests that one is tested ??

[miracle114]

Peace duster
I agree with you. This is that verse

57:27
Then We made Our messengers follow them one after the other, then We sent after them ‘Īsā, the son of Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary), and gave him the Injīl, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of his followers. As for monasticism, it was invented by them; We did not ordain it for them, but (they adopted it) to seek Allah’s pleasure, then could not observe it as was due. So We gave the believers from among them their reward. And many of them are sinners.

ALLAH doesn't however condemn or prohibit it (unless he does in other verses).  Also, one can be devoted to God and seek a profession in a charity, hospitals or feeding the poor and look after children by adopting orphans. All this without the need for monasticism.
I used to associate worship with consistent and constant prayer but every other verse I read in the Quran God is consistently reminding us to strive for his cause of good deeds, alms giving, and prayer. Then another verse (sorry I can't remember what one) clearly says you can stay at home (mountain for a monastic) and pray a lot but you won't be rewarded as much as the one that goes out and strives in God's cause. With a full time job and kids I can vouch for the very little out of work striving in God's cause I do.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the normal worldly life we take for granted is just there to distract us from the true purpose of life and I appreciate and admire those that sacrifice this life's attachments for higher ranks in the hereafter and even more for those that do it solely for the love of God.

Peace and Thanks

[Amira]

Everything is worship if done correctly, even everyday matters. The verse refers to turning your entire life into a means of worship.

[Duster]

Everything is worship if done correctly, even everyday matters. The verse refers to turning your entire life into a means of worship.

I agree 100%