And all the messengers commanded their peoples to worship Allah and associate nothing with Him. Allah Most High says:

“We certainly sent a messenger to every nation, saying, ‘Worship Allah and shun false gods.’”

And He, Most High, says:

“Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Have We appointed gods besides the Most Merciful to be worshipped?”

These “three things” come down to obeying the command because, when a person is commanded to perform an obligatory duty, such as the five daily prayers, Hajj, or the like, he needs to carry out that command. When circumstances conducive to sin arise, he needs to refrain from that sin, hate it, and restrain himself from committing it. This is doing what he has been commanded to do at that time. As for someone to whom the sin has never occurred, he has done nothing for which he is rewarded. Nevertheless, his not committing the sin necessarily means that he is safe from its punishment.

A mere absence that simply continues is not something one is commanded to bring about. Rather, a servant is commanded to do something within his power, and this must involve a new occurrence, whether bringing something into existence or causing something to cease to exist.

As for “the decree with which one is content,” when a person is afflicted with illness, poverty, or fear, he is commanded to be patient as an obligation. He is also commanded to be content, either as an obligation or as a recommendation; scholars of our school and others hold two views on this. Patience and contentment in the face of calamities are themselves obedience to Allah and His Messenger. They therefore fall under obeying the command and constitute worship of Allah.