The Inner Secrets of Worship by Imam Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi [d. 689H]

Allah, the Most High, said:

“I have only created the Jinn and mankind for My worship”
[Qur’an (51):56].

In Islam worship is the right of Allah, the Most High. Worship is only directed
to Him alone, without association or reverence to anything or anybody else.
It is the right of Allah alone that His servants fulfil the acts of worship that
Islam has prescribed. Worship is everything that Allah loves, including
actions, deeds and speech.

If you desire to build a close connection with your Lord, gain His pleasure,
increase your love for Him, or to draw near to Him then this text is vital for
you. This work will not only change your perspective on worship, but it will
enrich your soul towards being an obedient servant of Allah and give you a
spiritual uplift that your soul needs.

Often people complain about not finding inner peace, or the motivation to
increase in doing good deeds, this work with the permission of Allah will fill
that void.

In this third instalment, Imam Ibn Qudamah sets out the importance of
worship and how worship has to be done with knowledge of the Qur’an and
Sunnah, as well as giving examples of our pious predecessors. It covers many
aspects of worship, such as Knowledge, Purification, Prayer, Zakat, Fasting,
Hajj, Reciting the Qur’an, supplications and the excellence of the Night Prayer.