Call upon Me, worship Me. And the supplication means worship is abundant in the Qur'an. This is indicated by His saying, 'Indeed, those who are arrogant towards My worship' and the response: the reward. In the interpretation of Mujahid: 'Worship Me, and I will reward you.' And regarding this, Al-Hasan was asked: 'What should we do?' He said: 'Work and rejoice, for it is a right upon Allah to respond to those who believe and do righteous deeds and to increase them from His bounty.' And Al-Thawri was told: 'Supplicate to Allah,' and he said: 'Leaving sins is the supplication.' In the hadith: 'If My servant is occupied with My obedience instead of supplication, I will give him better than what I give to the supplicants.' [Narrated by Abdul Razzaq from Sufyan from Mansur from Malik ibn Al-Harith, who said: 'Allah says: If My servant is occupied with praising Me instead of asking Me, I will give him better than what I give to the supplicants.' This is an interrupted narration. And in Tirmidhi from Abu Sa'id: 'Whoever is occupied with reciting the Qur'an instead of asking Me, I will give him better than what I give to the supplicants.'] Al-Nu'man ibn Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated from the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him: 'Supplication is worship.' [Narrated by the Companions of the Sunan, and it was previously mentioned in Maryam.] He recited this verse. It is possible that he means supplication and response in their apparent meanings, and by My worship, he means My supplication, because supplication is a door of worship and one of its best doors. This is confirmed by the saying of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them: 'The best of worship is supplication.' [Narrated by Al-Hakim in the chapter on supplication from two chains from him.] And from Ka'b: 'Allah has given this nation three qualities that He has not given to any prophet sent: He would say to every prophet, 'You are a witness over My creation,' and He said to this nation, 'So that you may be witnesses over the people.' And He would say: 'You have no blame,' and He said to us: 'What does Allah want to make upon you of hardship?' And He would say: 'Call upon Me, I will respond to you,' and He said to us: 'Call upon Me, I will respond to you.' And from Ibn Abbas: 'Unify Me, I will forgive you.' This is an interpretation of supplication as worship, and then of worship as unification, humbly and submissively.