Note: The table is populated with data obtained from the Quran.corpus.com, and `a denotes the Arabic letter ayn.
Instances of `abd
Out of 131 instances of `abd meaning ‘slave/servant’ in the noun form, 92 instances found in 90 verses of 32 surahs in the Quran are already reviewed, and 39 instances found in 36 verses of 16 surahs are reviewed here to better understand their meanings in different contexts:
[39:7] If you disbelieve, God is free of need from you. And He does not like ungratefulness for His servants (wa-laa-yardaa li’`ibaadihi al-kufra), and if you appreciate, He likes it for you, while no one will be bearer of burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return when He will inform you of what you have done to accomplish. Indeed, He is Knower of what is in the breasts.
[39:10] Say: O My servants, those who have believed (yaa’`ibaadi alladheena aamanuu), you shall fear your Lord. For those who have done good in this world, there is good and an earth of God is spacious. The steadfast only will be paid back in full of their reward without counting.
[39:16] For them from above of them will have coverings of the Fire and coverings from below of them. That God threatens His servants with it (dhaalika yukhawwifu allahu bihi `ibaadahu): O My servants, then you shall fear Me (yaa’`ibaadi fa-ittaquuni).
[39:17] And those who have avoided the false deities lest they worship them, and have turned to God, for them there is a good news. So, you shall give a good news to My servants (fa-bashir `ibaadi).
[39:36] Has not been God sufficient for His servant (a-laysa allahu bi-kaafin `abdahu)? And they threaten you with those other than Him; and whomever God lets go astray, then there is no guide for him.
[39:46] Say: “O God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen; You will judge between Your servants in what they have done to dispute in it (anta tah’kumu bayna `ibaadika fee maa kaanuu feehi yakh’talifuuna).”
[39:53] Say: O My servants, those who have transgressed against their souls (yaa’`ibaadiya alladheena as’raafu `alaa anfusihim), you do not despair from a mercy of God. Indeed, God forgives all the sins. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
[40:15] Possessor of the highest ranks as an Owner of the Throne, He places the inspiration of His command upon whomever He wills of His servants (yul’qee al-ruuha min amrihi `alaa man yashaau min `ibaadihi), that he may warn about a day of the Meeting.
[40:31] “Like a plight of a people of Noah, and Aad, and Thamud, and those after of them. And God does not wish injustice for the servants (wa-maa allahu yureedu zul’man lil’`ibaadi).”
[40:44] So, you shall remember what I say to you and I entrust my affair to God. Indeed, God is Seer of the servants (inna allaha baseerun bil-`ibaadi).”
[40:48] Those who had been arrogant said, “We all are in it; indeed, God certainly has judged between the servants (inna allaha qad hakama bayna al-`ibaadi).”
[40:85] Then their faith did not benefit them when they have seen our punishment. It has been God’s system which has certainly preceded with His servants (sunnata allahi allatee qad khalat fee `ibaadihi), and has lost there the disbelievers.
[41:46] Whoever has done as a righteous, then it is for his soul and whoever has done evil, then it is against it, while your Lord is not of unjust to the servants (wa-maa rabbuka bi-zallaamin lil’`abeedi).
[42:19] God is Subtle with His servants (allahu lateefun bi-`ibaadihi); He provides for whomever He wills, and He is the Possessor of all power, the Almighty.
[42:23] That is the One who gives a good news is God to His servants (dhaalika alladhee yubashiru allaha `ibaadahu) for those who have believed and have done the righteous deeds. Say, “I (Muhammad) do not ask you any payment for it except for the love among the relatives.” And whoever earns any good, we increase good therein for him. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Appreciative.
[42:25] And He is the One who accepts the repentance from His servants (wa-huwa alladhee yaq’balu al-tawbata `an `ibaadihi) and pardons from the evil deeds, and He knows what you do.
[42:27] And if God had increased the provision for His servants (wa-law basata allahu al-riz’qa li’`ibaadihi), they would surely rebel in the earth but He sends down by measure whatever He wills. Indeed, He is Cognizant, Seer of His servants (innahu bi-`ibaadihi khabeerun baseerun).
[42:52] And thus that we have inspired to you (Muhammad) an inspiration by our command. You had not done to know what the scripture was, nor the faith was. But we have made it (Quran) a light; we guide with it whomever we will of our servants (nahdee bihi man nashaau min `ibaadinaa). And indeed, you surely guide to a path to straight.
[43:15] And they have attributed a share to Him of His servants (wa-ja`aluu lahu min `ibaadihi juz’an). Indeed, mankind is surely ungrateful without doubt.
[43:19] And they have made the angels females, those whom of them are servants of the Gracious (wa-ja`aluu al-malaaikata alladheena hum `ibaadu al-rahmaani inaathan). Have they witnessed their creation? Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned.
[43:59] He (Jesus) is not except a servant (of Me) (in huwa illaa `abdun), we have bestowed favor upon him and we have made him an example for children of Israel.
[43:68] O My servants, there is no fear for you on the day, nor do you grieve (yaa’`ibaadi laa-khawfun `alaykumu al-yawma wa-laa antum tah’zanuuna).
[44:18] That you (pharaoh) shall deliver servants of God to me (Moses) (an adduu ilayya `ibaada allahi); indeed, I am a trustworthy messenger (of God) to you.
[44:23] “So, you (Moses) shall travel by night with My servants (fa-asri bi-`ibaadi-I laylan); indeed, you will be pursued.”
[50:8] Explaining and a reminder for every servant of devotee (tabsiratan wa-dhik’raa li’kulli `abdin muneebin).
[50:11] A provision for the servants (riz’qan lil’`ibaadi), and we have given life to a dead land with it (sky water). Thus that is the coming forth (resurrection).
[50:29] “The punishment will not be changed with Me, nor am I unjust for the servants (wa-maa anaa bi-zallaamin lil’`abeedi).”
[53:10] Then He had inspired into His servant (Muhammad) what He revealed (to him through the Gabriel gradually) (fa-awhaa ilaa `abdihi maa awhaa).
[54:9] There had denied before of them was a people of Noah, that they had denied our servant (fa-kadhabuu `abdanaa) and said: “He was a madman and he had been rejected.
[57:9] He is the One who sends down to His servant (Muhammad) clear revelations (huwa alladhee yunazzilu `alaa `abdihi aayaatin bayyinaatin) that He may bring you out of the darkness into the light. And indeed, God with you is very Kind, Merciful.
[66:10] God has set forth an example of those who have disbelieved were wife of Noah and wife of Lot. They had been married to two servants of our righteous servants (kaanataa tahta `abadayni min `ibaadinaa saalihayni), but they both had betrayed them, so, they could not extend help on them in anything against God, and it had been said, “Enter the Fire with the entrants.”
[71:27] Indeed You, if You leave them, they will mislead your servants and will not give birth except a disbelieving wicked (yudilluu `ibaadaka wa-laa-yaliduu illaa faajiran kaffaaran).
[72:19] And that when a servant of God had stood up to call on Him (without associating anyone) (wa-annahu lammaa qaama `abdu allahi yad’`uulu kaduu yakuunuuna `alayhi libadan), they have been almost all to be a band around him.
[76:6] A spring to drink for servants of God from it causing it to gush out in abundance (`aynan yashrabu bihaa `ibaadu allahi yufajjiruunahaa tafjeeran).
[89:29] So, enter with My servants (fa-ud’khulee fee `ibaadi-i).
[96:10] (who forbids) A servant when he has prayed (`abdan idhaa sallaa)?
Instances of `aabid
There are 11 instances of `aabid meaning ‘worshiper’ in the active participle form in the Quran found in 11 verses of 6 surahs, which are detailed below to confirm their meaning in different contexts:
[2:138] It is a system of God, and who has better than a system of God? And we are worshipers to Him (wa-nahnu lahu `aabiduuna).
[9:112] The repenters, the worshipers (al-`aabiduuna), the praisers, the wanderers, the bowers, the prostrators, the advocators of the right and the forbidders from the wrong, and the protectors of limits of God, and you shall give a good news to the believers.
[21:53] They (father of Abraham and people of him) said, “We have found our forefathers worshipers of them (wajadnaa aabaa-ana lahaa `aabiduuna).”
[21:73] And we had made them (Isaac Jacob given to Abraham) leaders, they had guided with our commandments, and we had inspired to them doing of the good deeds, and of establishing the salat prayer and of giving the zakat, and they had been worshipers of us (wa-kaanuu lanaa `aabideena).
[21:84] Then we had responded to him (Job) that we removed what was with him of adversity. And we had given him and his family like of them with them as a mercy from ourselves, and a reminder for the worshipers (wa-dhik’raa lil’`aabideena).
[21:106] Indeed, in this (Quran), there is surely a message for a people of worshipers (inna fee haadhaa la’balaaghan li’qawmin `aabideena) .
[23:47] So, they (people of Pharaoh) said, “Shall we believe for two men like ourselves, and a people of both of them (Moses and Aaron) are slaves for us (wa-qawmuhummaa lanaa `aabiduuna) ?”
[43:81] Say: “If there had been a son for the Gracious, I (Muhammad) would be a first of the worshipers (fa-anaa awwalu al-`aabiduuna) .”
[109:3] And you are not worshipers of what I (Muhammad) worship (wa-laa-`aabiduuna maa a`budu).
[109:4] And I (Muhammad) am not a worshiper of what you have worshiped (wa-laa-anaa `aabidun maa `abadttum).
[109:5] And you are not worshipers of what I (Muhammad) worship (wa-laa-`aabiduuna maa a`budu).
Upon review of the messages of the above instances of `abd meaning servant we may pay attention to the following to understand what would be good for us being servants of God: God’s servants who have believed and have feared Him, are steadfast and have done good in the world, will be paid back in full, while His servants who have transgressed against their souls should not despair of His mercy as He can forgive all the sins being the Forgiving, the Merciful, and He accepts repentance from His servants. God is the Owner of the Throne Who inspired His Command whomever He wills that he may warn about a day of the meeting. Whoever has done as a righteous, it is for his soul, and whoever has done evil, it is against his soul, while God is not unjust with His servants. God inspired His prophet (Muhammad) by His command, who had no knowledge of the scripture and the faith, and made it a light to guide whomever He wills of His servants. Human beings are ungrateful to God as they attribute a share with Him of His servants. Jesus was a servant of God, who came to the people of Israel from among themselves to guide them to a path of their Lord. The reflection on the flawless structure of the sky and the productive earth is a reminder for servants of God. What God inspired once into His servant (Muhammad) was revealed it to him gradually over a period of time, while He sent down a scripture to His servant (Muhammad) that He may bring out the people from the darkness into the light. Noah asked God if You leave the disbelievers, they will mislead Your servants and will give birth the disbelieving wicked. When a servant of God (a messenger of the covenant) called upon Him not to associate partner(s) with Him, then almost all around him (the people around the world) made a band against him to stop this call being disrespectful to the course of divine guidance to bring back humanity to a path to straight from deviation and misguidance.
Upon review of the messages of the above instances of `aabid meaning worshiper we may pay attention to the following to understand what can succeed us being worshipers of God: It is a system of God if we can only be worshipers of Him. There is a good news for the repenters, the worshipers, the praisers, the wanderers, the bowers, the prostrators, the advocators of the right and the forbidders from the wrong, and the protectors of limits of God. God had granted Isaac and Jacob to Abraham, who had guided according to God’s commandments and had been worshipers of Him. There is a message in the Quran for the people to be worshipers of God. God did not give any choice to Muhammad except to be a worshiper of Him that he would inquire whether it is right or wrong, which is the case for all of His sincere servants.
This review may help us to make a right decision for our soul for the Hereafter that we would be worshipers of God as His sincere servants, which is not just His system, but a better system for His servants to return to Him, while He is not unjust with His servants, knowing that who has done as a righteous, it is for his soul, but who has done evil, it is against his soul.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (10/24/2025).