ON THE NATURE OF FAITH AND WORSHIP

When you read this title, your first thought was probably of religion. Indeed, faith and worship are essential parts of any religion. However, neither faith nor worship is restricted to the religious sphere. Have you ever considered that some of your daily actions might reflect faith and worship, even if you have no religious intent? Let’s take a closer look at how this may be the case.

Faith and worship carry meanings rooted in trust and reverence. The word faith, derived from the Latin fides meaning “trust” or “confidence,” refers broadly to a strong sense of belief or reliance on someone or something, such as having faith in a friend’s honesty or in the effectiveness of a method. Worship, on the other hand, comes from the Old English weorðscipe, literally meaning “worthiness” or “honour,” and developed into the sense of showing deep respect, admiration, or devotion. In this broader usage, worship does not need to be directed toward a deity but can describe the high esteem or veneration one shows to people, ideals, or even objects. Thus, linguistically, faith points to an inward trust or confidence, while worship refers to the outward expression of honour or reverence.

If we reflect on what we place importance, trust, and reverence in, we quickly realize that these concepts extend beyond religion. For many, faith and worship are directed toward one’s country, family, friends, or work. In this sense, faith is not only about the unseen but also about the everyday commitments we make, while worship is not only about ritual but also about the respect and devotion we show through our actions.

Modern people often believe that by distancing themselves from faith and worship, they have freed themselves from the “yoke” of God. In reality, however, they have simply placed themselves under the control of other powers. Consider what you dedicate your time and energy to. Think about what occupies your thoughts, what you strive for, and what consumes your days. For many, modern ideologies, philosophies, or economic systems have taken the place once held by religion. When you reflect deeply, you realize that humanity has not abandoned faith or worship at all. Rather, the empty space left by religion has often been filled with material pursuits, especially within the capitalist system, where money, success, and consumption can become the ultimate objects of devotion.

This is not a phenomenon limited to non-believers. Even those who identify with a religion can place their faith in other things. Human nature and the world we live in constantly encourage us to shift our loyalties. Some of these are innocent, such as love for our homeland, family, or friends. Yet others, like the endless pursuit of wealth, status, or professional achievement, are less harmless. These pursuits demand years of our lives, endless effort, and constant sacrifice, resembling forms of worship more than we might like to admit. Even ideologies that appear noble or harmless on the surface can become objects of faith and worship. For instance, nationalism, political ideologies, or even the ideal of “progress” can command a person’s devotion with almost religious intensity.

Another revealing aspect is the way our “faiths” shape the language we use. Recently, we often hear people, whether religious or not, speaking of “sending a message to the universe” or “manifesting” their desires. The idea is that if one wants something strongly enough and “manifests” it, the universe will respond and provide. Does this ring a bell?

Perhaps the most overlooked object of faith and worship, however, is the human self. The human soul never grows old, and its desires never disappear. When interpreting the world around us, we often place ourselves, our thoughts, and our wants at the center. We assume that our own perspective carries more weight than others’. We constantly think about what we lack and what we should achieve, rather than appreciating the wealth already in our hands. We often believe we deserve more, better, or greater, and sometimes we even hesitate to utter simple words of apology or gratitude. The ideologies we defend always seem superior to those of others, and because of this, we feel justified in seeing ourselves as more correct. This, too, is a form of faith and worship as it is placing ultimate trust in the self and devoting energy to its endless demands.

When seen in this light, faith and worship are not limited to sacred rituals or spiritual doctrines. They are deeply woven into the fabric of human life, shaping what we value, where we place our trust, and what we revere. Whether directed toward God, ideals, people, or material goals, faith and worship reveal the priorities of the human heart and the directions of our devotion. The real question is not whether we have faith and practice worship, but rather in what and toward whom we direct them.

From the perspective of Muslims, Allah is the only true and rightful object of faith. While human beings naturally direct their trust, devotion, and reverence toward various things, wealth, power, ideologies, or even other people, these objects are ultimately temporary and fragile. The Qur’an frequently reminds us of this reality: “Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is everlasting” [The Qur’an 16:96]. Everything in the world that humans worship or revere will eventually perish, but Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of all existence, remains eternal.

This is why, in Islam, faith finds its only true fulfillment in Allah. He is not merely one option among many objects of belief; He is the sole Creator, the one who brought the universe into being and who continues to govern it with wisdom and mercy. To place faith in anything else is to rely on what is by nature limited and destined to vanish. Allah, however, is described in the Qur’an as al-Ḥayy (the Ever-Living) and al-Qayyūm (the Self-Sustaining) [The Qur’an 2:255]. These divine attributes emphasize that He alone is worthy of ultimate trust and devotion.

Paradoxically, it is this exclusive faith in Allah that brings true freedom. When humans worship worldly things, they become enslaved to them. The pursuit of money, fame, or power can dominate one’s life, demanding constant sacrifice yet never fully satisfying. In contrast, believing in Allah liberates the human soul from these chains. By directing faith solely to Allah, Muslims are freed from the endless cycle of chasing what is temporary and instead anchored in the eternal.

Thus, in Islam, Allah is the sole and rightful object of faith. All other objects of devotion are fleeting shadows compared to His eternal reality. Recognizing this truth allows a person to live with clarity, peace, and freedom; trusting not in what perishes, but in the One who created, sustains, and will remain forever.