Worship literally means giving something its worth, and faiths define that differently
The English word comes from Old English weorthscipe, roughly worth-ship: assigning value to something. Across religions the practice ranges from Quakers sitting in silence until someone feels moved to speak, to Jewish teaching that returning a lost item or earning a living can itself count as serving God.
For many believers worship is less an emotion than an act of recognition, and it can be solitary, communal or led by a designated figure. In Christianity the New Testament word proskuneo meant bowing down, as before gods or kings. The church in a church service technically refers to the gathered faithful, not the building. Catholics centre worship on the Mass, while popular devotions, even when held in a church with a priest present, remain outside official liturgy.
Quakers offer a sharp contrast. In unprogrammed meetings people wait in silence and speak only when they sense a message worth sharing, and custom says each person ministers just once. Buddhism, by contrast, embraces many forms under its doctrine of skilful means: chanting, bowing and offerings, called puja, performed daily at home, plus mantra recitation and even the tea ceremony. Meditation is central, combining calming the mind with seeing clearly within.
In Islam, worship covers both ritual and any action done in line with divine law, with the five daily prayers, salat, at its core. The translator Muhammad Asad argued that God, being self-sufficient, has no need of worship; its purpose is the believer's inner growth through conscious surrender. Many Muslims avoid applying the word to anything but God.
Jewish worship, called Avodat Hashem, once centred on the Temple rites, but prayer has always been the commonest form, alongside rituals such as the Passover Seder. The Code of Jewish Law cites a verse from Proverbs to argue that ordinary acts done rightly are service too. Hindu devotion, bhakti, is described as a kind of being in love with the object of devotion and is not confined to temples. Sikhs worship one God, called Waheguru, the Wonderful Teacher, before the Guru Granth Sahib.
Source: Worship
