'-b-d

Description

The Arabic root ع-ب-د ('ayn-ba-dal) carries the core meaning of worship, servitude, and devoted submission to God. In the Quranic context, it establishes the fundamental relationship between humans and Allah, where believers are called 'ibad (servants/slaves of God) and are commanded to perform 'ibadah (worship/acts of devotion), emphasizing that true freedom comes through exclusive servitude to the Creator rather than to creation. This root appears throughout the Quran to contrast those who worship Allah alone with those who worship false deities, making it central to the Islamic concept of tawhid (monotheism) and the purpose of human existence.