Zeal and Enthusiasm Described in the Qur'an: Worship

For believers seeking Allah’s good pleasure, His approval and love takes priority over everything else. Thus, throughout their lives they continually seek ways to draw nearer to Him. Allah has commanded: "O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means [of nearness] to Him."

Believers regard fulfilling the obligations of worship ordered in the Qur’an as among the means that brings them near to Allah. However, they are aware that performing these alone is not sufficient, and what matters more is the sincerity and enthusiasm one feels while performing worship. As a matter of fact, Allah has stated that it is not the flesh and blood of sacrifices which reach Him but the piety in the hearts of those who offer them: "Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may glorify Allah for that to which He has guided you; and give good tidings to the doers of good."

Awareness of this fact leads believers to engage in all good deeds with the enthusiasm for fulfilling an obligation of worship. They understand that sincerity is the attribute most appreciated by Allah. That sincere acts done for Allah are invaluable in His Sight is also related in a narration of the Prophet Muhammad, where a believer of good character is defined as a person who finds pleasure in prayer, who performs the worship of his Lord well, and who obeys Him in secret.

In addition to the commandments Allah has revealed to all Muslims, there are also those He has revealed to Muslim women. One distinguishing feature of Muslim women is their care over the measure of modesty in clothing and their covering their heads. Muslim women have observed this obligation with great fervor and scrupulousness in all ages. The verses concerning covering the head in Surat an-Nur were revealed in the period following the Hegira: Safiyyah bint Shaybah said: "When we were with A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her), we mentioned the women of Quraysh and their virtues. A'isha said, 'The women of Quraysh are good, but by Allah I have never seen any better or more strict in their adherence to the Book of Allah than the women of the Ansar. When Surat al-Nur was revealed (...that they should draw their veils over their bosoms...) their menfolk went to them and recited to them the words that Allah had revealed. Each man recited it to his wife, his daughter, his sister and other family relatives. Every woman among them got up, took her decorated wrapper, and wrapped herself up in it out of faith and belief in what Allah had revealed. …" (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surat an-Nur, "The Rulings of Hijab") A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "When Allah revealed the verse: 'and to draw their veils all over their bosoms,' they tore their aprons and covered themselves with them." (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surat an-Nur, "The Rulings of Hijab")