Note: The table is populated with data obtained from the Quran.corpus.com and `a denotes the Arabic letter ayn.
Instances of `abada
Out of 122 instances of `abada meaning ‘to worship’ in the verb form I, 95 instances in 85 verses of 31 surahs in the Quran are already reviewed, and 27 instances in 26 verses of 12 surahs are reviewed here:
[39:2] Indeed, we have sent down to you (Muhammad) the scripture with the truth that you shall worship God being sincere to Him in the religion (fa-u`’budi allaha mukh’lisan lahu al-deena).
[39:3] No doubt, to God belongs the religion is the perfect one, and those who have taken protectors other than Him: “We do not worship them except that they may bring us near to God in nearness (maa na`buduhum illaa li’yuqarribuunaa ilaa allahi zul’faa).” Indeed, God will judge between of them about what they dispute in it. Indeed, God does not guide whoever he is a liar, a disbeliever.
[39:11] Say, “indeed me, I (Muhammad) have been commanded that I (Muhammad) worship God being sincere to Him in the religion (an a`buda allaha mukh’lisan lahu al-deena).
[39:14] Say, “I (Muhammad) worship God being sincere to Him in my religion (allaha a`budu mukh’lisan lahu deeni-i).”
[39:15] “That worship whatever you have willed other than Him (fa-u`’buduu maa shi’tum min duunihi).” Say, “Indeed, the losers are those who had lost their souls and their families on a day of the Resurrection.” No doubt that it is the real loss.
[39:17] And those who have avoided the false deities that they worship them and have turned to God (an ya`buduuhaa wa-anaabuu ilaa allahi), for them there is good news. So, you shall give good news to My worshipers.
[39:64] Say, “Is there then other than God you exhort me (prophet) to worship (a-fa-ghayra allahi tamuruunni a`budu), O you the ignorant ones?”
[39:66] Nay, God that you (Muhammad) shall worship (bal allaha fa-u`’bud) and shall be with the grateful ones.
[40:66] Say, “Indeed me, I (Muhammad) have been forbidden that I (Muhammad) worship those whom you call other than God (inni-i nuheetu an a`buda alladheena tad’`uuna min duuni allahi), when there had come to me the clear proofs from my Lord, and I (Muhammad) have been commanded that I (Muhammad) submit to Lord of the worlds.”
[41:14] When there had come to them the messengers from before of them and from after of them that you do not worship except God (allaa ta`buduu illaa allaha). They said, “If our Lord had willed, surely, He would have sent down angels. So indeed, we are disbelievers of what you have been sent with it.”
[41:37] And of His signs are the night and the day as well as the sun and the moon. You do not prostrate to the sun, nor to the moon but you shall prostrate to God, the One who has created them if you have been to worship alone Him (in kuntum iyyaahu ta’buduuna) .
[43:20] And they said, “If the Gracious had willed, we would not have worshiped them (in shaa-a al-rahmaanu maa `abadnaahum).” For them there is no knowledge of that; they do nothing except they guess.
[43:26] And when Abraham said to his father and his people, “Indeed, I am disassociated from what you worship (innani-i baraaun mimmaa ta`buduuna).”
[43:45] And you (prophet) shall ask to whomever we have sent of our messengers from before of you; had we made gods other than the Gracious to be worshiped (a-ja`alnaa min duuni al-rahmaani aalihatan yu`’baduuna)?”
[43:64] “Indeed God, He is my (Jesus) Lord and your Lord; so, you shall worship Him (fa-u`’buduuhu). This is a straight path.”
[46:21] And remember a brother of Aad (Hud) when he had warned his people at the dunes; and certainly, there had passed away the warners from before of him and after of him, that you do not worship except God (allaa ta`buduu illaa allaha). Indeed, I (Hud) fear for you a punishment of a great Day.
[51:56] And I (God) have not created the jinns and the humans except that they worship Me (illaa li’ya`buduuni).
[53:62] Therefore, you shall prostrate to God and shall worship (Him) (fa-us’juduu lillahi wa-u`’buduu).
[60:4] Certainly, there had been a good example for you in Abraham and those who were with him, when they said to their people, “Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from what you worship other than God (wa-mimmaa ta`buduuna min duuni allahi). We have denied in you, and there has appeared the enmity and the hatred forever between us and you until you believe in God alone,” except saying of Abraham to his father, “that I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I do not have power of anything for you from God. Our Lord, upon You we have put trust, and to You we have turned, and to You is the final return.”
[71:3] “That you shall worship God and shall fear Him (ani u`’buduu allaha wa-ittaquuhu), and shall obey me.”
[98:5] And they (the people of the previous scripture) had not been commanded except that they worship God (illaa li’ya`buduu allaha) being sincere to Him in the religion of Monotheists, and they establish the salat prayer, and they give the zakah. And that is the established religion.
[106:3] That they shall worship Lord of this – the House (fal-ya`buduu rabba haadhaa al-bayti).
[109:2] I (Muhammad) do not worship (laa-a`budu) what you worship (maa ta`buduuna).
[109:3] And you are not worshipers of what I (Muhammad) worship (maa a`budu).
[109:4] And I (Muhammad) am not a worshiper of what you have worshiped (maa `abadttum).
[109:5] And you are not worshipers of what I (Muhammad) worship (maa a`budu).
Instance of `abbad
There is one instance of `abbad meaning “to enslave” in the verb form II found in the Quran in the following verse:
[26:22] And that is a favor you (Pharaoh reproach it on me (Moses) that you have enslaved Children of Israel (an `abbadtta banee is’raa’eela)!”
Instance of `aabidaat
There is one instance of `aabidaat meaning “worshiper” in the adjective form found in the Quran in the following verse:
[66:5] It may have been his Lord, if he (prophet) has divorced you (his wives) that He will substitute for him (prophet) wives better than you, are submitters, believers, obedient, repentant, worshiper (`aabidaatin), fasting, previously married and virgins.
Instances of `ibaadat
There are 9 instances of `ibaadat meaning “worship” in the noun form found in 9 verses of 8 surahs in the Quran, which are detailed out below to understand their meaning in different contexts:
[4:172] The Messiah would not disdain to be a servant of God, nor the angels being the nearest ones (to Him). And whoever disdains from His worship (wa-man yas’tankif `an `ibaadatihi) and becomes arrogant, then He will gather them all together to Him.
[7:206] Indeed, those who are with your Lord, they do not be arrogant from His worship (laa-yas’tak’biruuna `an `ibaadatihi). And they glorify Him and they prostrate to Him.
[10:29] So, it has sufficed with God as a Witness between of us and of you that we have been surely unaware of your worship (in kunnaa `an `ibaadatikum la’ghaafileena).
[18:110] Say, “I (Muhammad) am only a human being like yourselves, it is inspired to me that your god is One god. So, whoever has been hoping for meeting of his Lord, then he shall do deed as righteous and he does not associate anyone in worship of his Lord (wa-laa-yush’rik bi-`ibaadati rabbihi ahadan).”
[19:65] Lord of the heavens and the earth, and whatever between both of them; so, you shall worship Him and shall be steadfast for His worship (wa-is’tabir li’`ibaadatihi). Do you know any likeness for Him?
[19:82] Nay, they will deny in worship of them (kallaa sa’yak’furuuna bi-`ibaadatihim), and they will be opponents against them.
[21:19] And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth, and whoever is with Him, they do not be arrogant from His worship (laa-yas’tak’biruuna `an `ibaadatihi), nor do they tire.
[40:60] And your Lord said, “Call upon Me and I will respond to you. Indeed, those who will be arrogant from My worship will enter Hell being humiliated ones (inna alladheena yas’tak’biruuna `an `ibaadati-i sa’yad’khuluuna jahannama daakhireena).”
[46:6] And when there had been gathered the people, they had been enemies for them, and they had been deniers in their worship (wa-kaanuu bi-`ibaadatihim kaafireena).
Upon completing review of 122 instances of `abada in the verb form in 111 verses and 9 instances of `ibaadat in the noun form in 8 verses we may understand that we must worship God through bowing and prostrating to Him establishing faith in our hearts that there is no god except He, while God is Lord of the heavens and the earth, and whatever between them, and He has created the jinns and the humans only to worship Him, and those who will not worship Him will enter the Hell. It may also help to understand that God has mentioned Abraham as an example, who had not only abandoned the idols to ensure the worship of One god but also called his father and his people not to worship the idols that do not hear or see, while Muhammad has been commanded to worship God abandoning the worship of the idols when he was blessed with the clear proof from his Lord that many of us are not clear about it, and God was Lord of Jesus as well as Lord of his followers that the trinity doctrine is a falsehood and He had mercy upon those who took shelter in the cave to avoid this invented falsehood.
God is merciful on us and has given truth in the guidance that we may be successful at our meeting with Him, and whoever believe in God and trust upon Him should say, “Why do we not accept what is from God?”, even it is against their tradition due to misguidance of the Satan, the disobedient to God.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (10/03/2025).