Worship is essential not only for the afterlife but also for enhancing the soul and community.
Worship in Islam is recognized both as an individual duty and a social obligation. In other words, worship is not solely for the afterlife; its impacts on worldly life are also evident. In the Holy Quran, Allah commands Muslims to worship Him and emphasizes the importance of good morals and behavior in daily life. In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 177, Allah states that righteousness is not merely about facing poverty or being kind to orphans; it also involves engaging in worship for the sake of goodness. This indicates that worship serves not just as a means to earn rewards in the afterlife but also as a tool to bring about change in society and improve human behavior. Therefore, worship encompasses practices such as prayers, fasting, charity, and other good deeds that address both the spiritual needs of individuals and the social and economic needs of the community. In this way, worship provides peace to the human soul and guides individuals toward virtuous behavior and ethics, which in turn affects both their worldly lives and their lives in the afterlife.
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is in one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, and the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of his love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; and [who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.
Who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.
On a beautiful day, a young man named Ali was sitting by the sea, gazing at the stars. He was pondering the benefits of worship and realized that worship not only brings him closer to God but also grants him peace and happiness. Ali decided to dedicate time every day to worship and prayer, as well as to help his community. Gradually, he noticed how worship and good deeds filled his life with light and hope.