ভূমিকা

“One, who performs (all) that Allah has made obligatory upon him, is the most worshipping of all people.” [^2] Short Explanation A Mu'min performs the obligatory and the recommended acts for these are the basis for Allah's obedience and subservience. If one performs these, it is as if he has exhibited his devotion and subservience in entirety. The best worship is that which is protected from external influences and shielded from internal catastrophes.

Should the deeds of a person be continual and flawless, the person shall be successful in his worship, however meagre they might be. Those who seek plain knowledge and mere external excellences but remain heedless of the soul and the reality of worship, do not achieve anything except a mould, as far as the worship of the Beneficent Allah is concerned.[^3] The Outcome of ‘Dry’ Worship The Kharijites were individuals who as a result of their fanaticism and extremism, had gone greatly astray.

Their leader was a person by the name of Hurqus Ibn Zuhair, who, during the time of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w), had drowned himself in prayers, fasts and other acts of worship causing many of the Muslims to become fascinated with him. When the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) had been distributing the spoils of war after the battle of Hunain, this person, who was just an arid and ceremonial worshipper, said to him with great impudence: “O' Muhammad!

Conduct yourself with fairness and equality,” and repeated the sentence three times. When he had repeated it for the third time the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) became greatly disturbed and said: “If I do not behave with fairness and equality, then who shall behave so?” This 'dry' worshipper eventually set out for battle against Imam ‘Ali (a.s) in the battle of Nahrawan and was killed.