Worship AND Work

Eastern Religions

Both Islam and Hinduism say work is worship. Now just because they say it, doesn’t prove it’s wrong, but you have to wonder where this idea comes from.

Islam

“Worshipping God is a comprehensive concept within Islam. Along with traditional rituals, such as praying and fasting, it also consists of any lawful action a person does with God-consciousness and in the hopes of earning reward from Almighty God. Therefore, devoting oneself to God in Islam does not require a person to enter a place of worship nor embrace monasticism. Rather, fulfilling this purpose of life is an active daily pursuit from the Islamic perspective. Hence, a Muslim can be engaged in worship throughout the day, be it at home, work or anywhere else.”

https://www.whyislam.org/brochures/worship-in-islam/

YouTube video: https://youtu.be/-4hLhyuTRxo

Hinduism

“A man attains perfection when his work is worship of God, from whom all things come and who is in all. Greater is thine own work, even if this be humble, than the work of another, even if this be great. When a man does the work God gives him, no sin can touch this man.” - Bhagavad Gita 18.45-47.

https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/july-august-september-2004/2004-07-work-is-worship/

Bahai

“The Bahá'í belief that work done in a spirit of service is a form of worship is already apparent in the passage from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas quoted above. `Abdu'l-Bahá further explains the spiritual dimension of work as follows:

Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer. A physician ministering to the sick, gently, tenderly, free from prejudice and believing in the solidarity of the human race, is giving praise.”

https://bahai-library.com/gandhimohan_gandhi_bahais_nonviolence#63

Mahatma Gandhi

“I cannot imagine anything nobler or more national than that for, say, one hour in the day, we should do the labour that the poor must do, and thus identify ourselves with them and through them with all mankind. I cannot imagine better worship of God than that in His name I should labour for the poor even as they do.”

http://www.gandhiashramsevagram.org/truth-is-god/chapter-38-work-as-worship.php

“For those who are filled with the presence of God in them, to labor is to pray. The life is one continuous prayer or act of worship.”

https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/quotes/quotations/view/13685/spiritual-quotation

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Freemasonry

Worship is distinct

Biblical View of Work