Rights in Islam – The Rights of Allah

Islam has given equal rights to everyone. Our God, Allah, being our creator, is the greatest and praiseworthy.

The right of Allah is the greatest, the most important and the one that is to be respected, because it is the right of Allah, the Creator, the Immense, the Ruler; He is the One who manages everything. It is the right of the Sovereign, the True, the Apparent, the Ever-Living, the Ever-Subsisting, the Holder of the heavens and the earth, the One Who created everything and gave it its own proportions with His sacred Wisdom.

Allah is the greatest

It is the right of the One Who created you from nothing when your existence was not even mentioned; it is the right of Allah, Who gave you sustenance while you were in your mother’s womb under three [superposed layers of] darkness and no one could give you food nor the essential elements to your development and to keep you alive. For you, He made flow (the milk) from the breast (that breastfeed you), He has guided you to the two paths (of good and evil), He granted you parents to look after you, He gave you and prepared you. He gave you blessings, reason, understanding, and He prepared you to accept it and to take advantage of it.

Mercy of Allah on Mankind

In Surah An-Nahl, Allah says:

Mercy of Allah on Mankind

Translation: And Allah brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers knowing nothing, and gave you hearing and sight and hearts that haply you might give thanks. – (Soorah an-Nahl, 17:78)

If He prevented you from His blessings, even for a blink of eye, you would perish; if He deprived you of His Mercy, you would not be able to live.


If that is the blessing and the mercy of Allah unto you, then His right on you is the greatest of all rights, because it is the right in compensation for having created you, prepared and given you everything He has granted you. [Nevertheless,] He wants from you neither subsistence nor food.

Why Allah Created Humankind?

In Holy Quran, Surah Taha, Allah says:

Why Allah Created Humankind?

Translation: We ask not of you a provision: We provide for you. And the sequel is for righteousness. – (Soorah Ta-Ha, 20:132)

He wants from you only one thing,from which you will benefit: He wants you to worship Him alone, with no partner.

He wants you to worship Him alone

Translation: I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me. I seek no livelihood from them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. Lo! Allah! He is that gives livelihood, the Lord of unbreakable might. – (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56-58)

He wants you to be His servant in every sense that the lordship includes, in the same way that Allah is a Lord in the full sense of the Lordship. He wants you to be a submitted servant, humble, obedient to His orders, deviating from His prohibitions, believing in all that He informed you, because you see on yourself His multiple and successive blessings.

Are you then not ashamed to exchange those blessings against ungratefulness? If someone granted you his blessings, you would feel ashamed to disobey him and to openly contradict him; then what about your Lord Who grants you all the bessings in your possession, and Who preserves you from all evil by His Mercy?

Allah Always Helps

In Holy Quran, Allah says:

Allah Always Helps

Translation: And whatever of comfort you enjoy, it is from Allah. Then, when misfortune reaches you, unto Him you cry for help. – (Soorah An-Nahl, 17:53)

And this right Allah has imposed for Himself is simple and easy to whom Allah facilitates, because Allah has put in it no difficulty, discomfort, nor pain. Allah says:

Allah has put in it no difficulty, discomfort, nor pain

Translation: And strive for Allah with the endeavor which is His right. He has chosen you and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship; the faith of your father Abraham (is yours). He has named you Muslims of old time and in this (Scripture) that the messenger may be a witness against you, and that you may be witnesses against mankind. So establish worship, pay the poor due, and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protecting Friend. A blessed Patron and a blessed Helper! – (Soorah al- Hajj, 22 :78)

This is exemplary belief, faith in the truth and a pious deed that bears fruit. It is belief based on love and veneration, and whose fruits are sincerity (the cult exclusivity) and perseverance.

What are the Mandatory Rights of Allah?

Five daily and night prayers by which Allah forgives all sins, raises in ranks, purifies the hearts and works out situations, and that the servant performs to the best of his capabilities.

What are the Mandatory Rights of Allah?

Translation: So keep your duty to Allah as best you can. – (Surah at-Taghabun, 64:16)

And the Prophet ﷺ told Imran ibn Husayn (R.A), when the latter was sick, ‘Pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot, then lying on your side’. – (Sahih Bukhari)

Alms (Zakat) which represents a small portion of your belongings and that you give for the needs of Muslims, poor people, beggars, travelers, to indebted persons and others among those who are entitled to this charity.

Fasting for one month in the year, which the sick person or the traveler can do later, and for which the one who is permanently unable nourishes a poor person per day [of fasting missed].

The pilgrimage to the Sacred House [Mecca] once in his existence for the one who has the possibility to perform it.

These are the bases of the rights of Allah, and all other rights become mandatory only in special circumstances, such as Jihad in the path of Allah, or for a reason justifying it, such as helping the oppressed.

Allah’s Rights – Final Words

Look, O brother, this right whose practice is easy but whose reward is immense. If you respect it, you will succeed in this world and in the hereafter, you will be saved from Hell and enter Paradise.

Allah’s Rights – Final Words

Translation: Whosoever is removed from the Fire and is made to enter Paradise, he indeed is triumphant. The life of this world is but comfort of illusion. – (Surah Al-Imran, 3:185)

Learn about Islam from Free Short Courses Online:
Wudu Course
Ayat ul Kursi Tafseer
Quran Courses

Scroll to Top