Arabic root

ع-ب-د

2 words from this root family

A1noun

عَبْدٌ

ʿabd

servant / slave (of God)

Example

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا

subḥāna alladhī asrā biʿabdihī laylan

Exalted is He who took His Servant by night (17:1)

Root: ع-ب-د Quranic

Grammar

Masculine noun. Plural: عِبَادٌ (ʿibād) or عَبِيدٌ (ʿabīd). Related: عِبَادَةٌ (worship), عَابِدٌ (worshipper). Common in names: عَبْدُ اللَّهِ (Abdullah).

Culture

Being called 'abd Allāh' (servant of God) is the highest honor in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is referred to here as God's servant during the Night Journey (al-Isrāʾ).

A2noun

عِبَادَةٌ

ʿibādah

worship / devotion

Example

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

wa-mā khalaqtu al-jinna wal-insa illā liyaʿbudūn

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me (51:56)

Root: ع-ب-د Quranic

Grammar

Feminine verbal noun (maṣdar). Related: عَبْدٌ (servant), عَابِدٌ (worshipper), مَعْبُودٌ (the one worshipped). The verb عَبَدَ means 'to worship/serve.'

Culture

ʿIbādah in Islam is comprehensive: it includes prayer, fasting, and charity, but also honesty, kindness, and fulfilling one's duties - any act done seeking God's pleasure.