Why we should worship God when he doesn't need our worship?
Worshiping God is an essential aspect of a believer's life, even though God does not require our worship for His own benefit. The Qur'an emphasizes the importance of gratitude and recognition of God's favors. For instance, Allah commands in Surah Al-Baqarah: O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He Whom ye worship.
2:172 This highlights that worship is intrinsically linked to acknowledging the blessings we receive from God, and it reinforces the idea that our worship is a form of gratitude.
Furthermore, in the Shia tradition, it is noted that worship involves deep reflection on God's majesty. Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha (peace be upon him) mentioned: Worship is not in the abundance of prayer and fasting. Rather, worship is to contemplate the matter of God, the Almighty and Majestic.
Al-Kafi 1:110 This indicates that true worship is rooted in understanding and recognizing God's greatness, which enriches our spiritual lives and brings us closer to Him.
Thus, worship is not about fulfilling a need of God, but rather about enhancing our connection with Him and acknowledging His continuous blessings and mercy in our lives.
Sources
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2:172 · Al-Baqara
2:172 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَٰكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِلَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ
O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He Whom ye worship.
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Al-Kafi 1:110
Al-Kafi · Book 1, Hadith 110
I heard Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha (peace be upon him) say: Worship is not in the abundance of prayer and fasting. Rather, worship is to contemplate the matter of God, the Almighty and Majestic. — OR — The use of the siwak is among the practices of the messengers. — OR — The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: Blessing reaches the house from which goodness is disputed more swiftly than a spear reaches the hump of a camel or a flood reaches its destination. — OR — Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) used to say: The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said, "There is no drop more beloved to God Almighty than a drop of blood shed in the path of God." — OR — I asked Abu Abdullah about the newborn child, when the slaughtering, shaving, charity equivalent to the hair weight, and naming should be done. He said: All of these on the seventh day. — OR — Charity is something introduced; people during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) used to give gifts and grants. It is not appropriate for one who gives something for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, to reclaim it. But whatever is not given for Allah and with Allah, such as a gift or grant, it may be reclaimed whether possession was taken or not. A man does not reclaim what he gifts to his wife, nor does the wife reclaim what she gifts to her husband, whether possession was taken or not. Does not Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, say: 'And take not from what you have given them anything'? And He said: 'But if they willingly give you anything from it, accept it with pleasure.' This applies to dowry and gifts. — OR — The example of people on the Day of Resurrection when they stand before the Lord of the Worlds is like an arrow in a quiver: it has no foot on the ground except at the point where it is standing, just like an arrow in a quiver, unable to move here or there.
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