Kama ilivyo kwa maneno mengine mawili ya msingi yaliyoshughulikiwa tayari, neno ’ibadah nalo lina maana kadhaa tofauti, ingawa zote zinahusiana. Dhana ya msingi inayodokezwa na mzizi wa neno, ’abd, ni kwamba: • Ni kukubali kwamba mwingine asiyekuwa nafsi ya mtu ana ukuu na mamlaka ya kutawala, na kuachilia uhuru na kujitegemea kwa mtu kwa ajili ya kumfurahisha huyo mwingine.

Like the other two basic terms already dealt with, the term ’ibadah too has several different meanings, though all related to each other. The basic concept implied by the root word, ’abd, is that • Of acknowledging someone other than oneself as holding supremacy or enjoying over lordship and of abdicating one’s freedom and independence in big favour.

• Kuacha upinzani wowote dhidi yake au kutomtii.

• Of relinquishing any resistance to or disobedience of him.

• Kuhusu kujisalimisha kikamilifu kwa mamlaka yake.

• Of surrendering oneself totally to his authority.

Kwa kuwa utumwa au ukandamizaji pia ni sawa na hali kama hiyo, maana ya kwanza ambayo neno hili huijia akili ya Mwarabu yeyote ni hii hasa, yaani utumwa au ukandamizaji.

Since slavery or bondage too are tantamount to similar status, the first sense the word conveys to the mind of any Arab is of this very factor, namely, slavery or bondage.

Kwa kuwa jukumu kuu la mtumwa ni kumtii bwana wake na kutekeleza matakwa yake, neno hilo pia hubeba maana ya unyenyekevu na utiifu.

Also, since the primary role of a slave is to obey his master and carry out his wishes, the word also carries the sense of submission and obedience.

Ifuatayo, mtumwa hajisalimishi kwa mapenzi ya bwana wake kimwili tu, bali pia kiakili anakubali ukuu wake. Iwapo wakati huo huo ana hisia za shukrani kwa wema wake na fadhila zake, anaelekea kwa hiari yake kufanya juhudi za ziada kumsifu bwana huyo na kuonyesha heshima na kumthamini. Anaonyesha na kudhihirisha wajibu wake kwa njia nyingi ili kuonyesha mapenzi yake ya dhati kwake, kwa namna inayokaribia kufikia kiwango cha ibada, ingawa, bila shaka, hili hujitokeza tu pale ambapo, pamoja na utumwa wa kimwili, kuna pia kushikamana kiakili.

Next, a slave not only submits himself to the will of his master physically, but mentally too he accepts his supremacy, and if he at the same time has feelings of gratitude for his kindnesses and favours, he is inclined spontaneously to go out of his way in extolling the master and in showing respect and regard for him. He expresses and demonstrates his obligation in many ways to show his deep attachment, in a manner amounting almost to worship although, obviously, this comes into play only when, in addition to physical bondage, there is mental attachment too.

Kuna maana mbili nyingine ambazo neno hili au matokeo yake pia hutumika, lakini hizi ni za pili, hivyo si lazima kuzieleza kwa kina katika hatua hii.

There are two other senses also in which the word or its derivatives are employed, but they are secondary, and hence it is not necessary to go into them at this stage.

Tunapochunguza Qur'ani, tunaona kwamba neno hili linatumika kikamilifu katika maana tatu zilizofafanuliwa hapo juu, isipokuwa kwamba wakati mwingine maana ya kwanza na ya pili hudokezwa pamoja, katika nyakati nyingine ya pili pekee, katika nyakati nyingine nyingine ya tatu pekee, na katika sehemu nyingine zaidi, maana zote tatu hudokezwa.

On studying the Qur'ān we find that, the word is used wholly in the three senses explained above, except that on occasion both the first and the second senses are implied, on others the second only, on still others the third only and, in yet other places, all the three.

Hapa kuna mifano ya matumizi katika maana ya kwanza na ya pili:

Here are examples of use in the first and second senses:

Kisha Tulimtuma Musa na nduguye Haruni, pamoja na hoja zilizo wazi za Utume wao, kwa Firauni na wakuu wake, lakini wakawadharau kwa sababu ya kiburi kilichozaliwa na madaraka. "Je, tuamini," walisema, "watu wawili tu kama sisi, na tena kutoka kwa kaumu ambayo ni watumwa wetu?" (Al-Mu'minuun 23:45-47)

(i) Then We sent Musa and his brother Haroon, with clear proofs of their Prophethood to the Pharaoh and his nobles, but they treated them with disdain because of haughtiness born of power. ‘Should we,’ they said, ‘believe in two mere humans like ourselves, and that too of a nation which is in bondage to us?’ (al-Mu’minoon 23:45-47)

(ii) Firauni akamkumbusha Musa kwamba alimlea tangu utotoni, (naye Musa akajibu):"Kuhusu wajibu huo unaonikumbusha, je, si kweli kwamba ulitokea tu kwa sababu wewe ulikuwa umewafanya Bani Israili kuwa watumwa wako (na ingekuwa si kwa jambo hilo, huenda nisingeingia katika nyumba yako)?"

(ii) And the Pharaoh reminded Musa of having reared him from his childhood, (to which Musa replied):‘as for the obligation you remind me of, is it not a fact that happened only because you had made the Bani Israel your slaves (but for which fact I may never have come into your household)?”’(ash-Shu’araa’ 26:23)

Maneno ’aabidoon na ’abbadta yaliyotumika kwa mtiririko katika aya hizo mbili yanadokeza utumwa, kunyenyekea, na kutii. Firauni alipotumia neno la kwanza kuhusu taifa la Hazrat Musa na Hazrat Haroon, alimaanisha kwamba Bani Israili walikuwa watumwa wa Wamisri na wanyenyekevu kikamilifu kwao. Na Hazrat Musa (amani iwe juu yake) alipotumia neno la pili kumjibu Firauni, alimaanisha kwamba Firauni alikuwa amewafanya Bani Israili kuwa watumwa na kuwalazimisha kufanya amri zake.

The words ’aabidoon and ’abbadta employed respectively in the two verses imply bondage, submission, and obedience. When the Pharaoh used the first word in respect of Hazrat Musa and Hazrat Haroon’s nation, what he meant was that the Bani Israel were in bondage to the Egyptians and fully subservient to them. And, when Hazrat Musa (on whom be peace), used the second word in reply to the Pharaoh, he meant that the latter had enslaved the Bani Israel and made them do his bidding.