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What is the meaning of "the worshipped one" (al-ma'būd), and is anyone other than Allah worshipped?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Worship, linguistically: Submission and humility. Technically: A comprehensive term for all that Allah loves and is pleased with, comprising outward and inward sayings and actions. The worshipped (Ma'bood) is the obeyed deity, whether rightfully or wrongfully. Thus, the correct meaning of "Lā ilāha illallāh" (There is no god but Allah) is: "There is no god worthy of worship except Allah," because there are many false deities in existence, as the Holy Quran mentions the condemnation of disbelievers for worshipping what does not deserve worship. As for general servitude ('Ubūdiyyah 'āmmah), it is the servitude of subjugation and ownership by Allah over all creation, including humans, animals, and inanimate objects.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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