Editor's note: The Qur'an says it explains itself [6:115, 10:37, 75:17-19] and It repeats its verses from diverse angles for clear understanding. [17:41, 17:89, 18:54]. So, the translations presented here will seem unfamiliar, because they are rendered in reference to the Qur'an itself, not dependent on external text such as hadith or asbabul nuzul (unverifiable records of the circumstances of revelation).
For reference, please see The Qur'an as it Explains Itself.
51:56 And I have not created the ‘jinn’ and the ‘ins’ but that they serve Me alone.
("serve", not, as traditionally rendered, "worship")
Does God, the creator of the universe, need our service? Surely not...
In the Qur'an, Allah gives us the way to serve him. “Righteous deeds” are deeds that benefit others without expectation of a reward from the beneficiary of the deed. Instead, Allah will reward you, and that is how you serve him, by serving his creation.
61:14 O You who have chosen to be blessed with belief! Be God’s helpers...
2:25 Convey the happy news to those who have chosen to be graced with belief, and have done acts of service to humanity. For them will be a most pleasant reward, Paradise in both lives...
2:58 Then We commanded you, “Enter this town and enjoy the provisions therein, partake as you desire. But enter the gate with heart-felt humility, saying, “Hittatun.”(O Our Lord! Pardon our misdeeds as we mend our ways). And We shall forgive you your faults and amply reward the doers of good.”
2:62 Those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Christians and the Sabians; whoever truly believes in God and the Last Day and does works that benefit humanity, their reward is with their Lord. For them shall be no fear from without, nor shall grief touch them from within.
2:112 Nay, whoever submits his whole being to God, and he is a doer of good to humanity, his reward is with his Lord. Then, no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve.
2:262 Those who spend their wealth in the cause of God and afterward do not follow their giving with reminders of their generosity or injure the feelings of the recipients; their reward is with their Lord. No fear shall be on them, nor shall they grieve.
2:264 O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Do not cancel your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injuring the self-respect of the recipients; like those who spend their wealth for show-off. This kind of behavior contradicts the true belief in God and His Law of Recompense. Charity has been ordained to help individuals and not to hurt them and God has promised you manifold reward...
2:274 Those who spend their wealth on the needy, by night and by day, secretly or publicly, have their reward with their Lord. They shall have nothing to fear or regret.
2:277 Those who believe in God’s laws, do works beneficial to the society (وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ) and strive to establish the Divine System (وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ) and the Economic Order of Zakaat, have their reward with their Lord. They will have nothing to fear and no reason to be despondent.
3:134 And for those who, in ease and in adversity, keep their resources open for others. They divert and sublimate their anger and potentially virulent emotions to creative energy, becoming a source of tranquility and comfort to others. They pardon people gracefully. God loves the benefactors of humanity.
3:172 For those who respond to God and the Messenger even after harm has struck them - and continue to work for the betterment of humanity and live upright, is a tremendous reward.
3:198 But those who remain mindful of their Lord, for them are Gardens with streams flowing beneath, therein to abide - a Gift of Welcome from their Lord. For, with God is the best reward for those who have grown in humanity and eased the way for others.
4:114 There is no good in most of their secret meetings except if such meetings are intended towards acts of charity, virtue, and reconciliation between people. Whoever does this seeking God’s approval, We shall soon bestow a great reward on him.
4:173 God will give rewards and add of His bounty on those who attain belief and contribute to the society. But His Law of Requital will dispense an awful doom to those who were scornful and proud. And they will find no one besides God to protect or help them.
5:9 God promises the protection of forgiveness and a great reward to those who attain belief and do good works
5:69 Those who attain belief (and call themselves Muslims) and those who are Jews, and the Agnostics, and Christians; whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and does acts of welfare, for them shall be no fear from without, nor shall grief touch them from within.
6:84 We gave him Isaac the son, and Jacob the grandson, and We guided them. Before Abraham, We guided Noah and from his descendants, We guided David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. We thus reward the benefactors of humanity.
7:161 And remember it was said to them, “Dwell in this town (Palestine 5:21) and enjoy the provisions as you wish. Enter the gate humbly and say, ‘Hittatun’, ‘Our Lord! Absolve our misdeeds as we mend our ways.’ Then do what you say and We shall forgive you your misdeeds. We increase the reward for the doers of good.”
9:20 Those who attained belief, and left the domain of evil, and strove in the cause of God with their wealth and their lives, have a much greater rank with God. They are the ones who are truly triumphant.
10:4 To Him is your return, of all of you. God’s promise is the unwavering truth. He created the first creation, and He will create it again, so that He may reward with justice those who attain belief and do works that help the society. And those who reject the truth, for them will be a burning drink of despair and a painful doom because of their persistent refusal to acknowledge the truth.
10:26 For those who benefit humanity is an excellent reward and more. Not even the dust of sadness nor a trace of insult will come near them. They are the rightful dwellers of the Garden; they will abide therein.
11:9-11 Thus it is: If We let the human being taste some of Our grace, and then take it away from him, he abandons all hope, forgetting all gratitude. [10] But if We let him taste a blessing after adversity had afflicted him, he will say, “All adversity has gone away from me!” He is exultant, boastful. [11] Except those who are steadfast in adversity and prosperity, and work to improve human potential. For them is the protection of forgiveness and a great reward.
11:115 Resort to patience and steadfastness, for, God never fails to reward the doers of good.
12:22 When he reached his prime, We bestowed upon him wisdom and knowledge. This is how We reward the doers of good to others.
16:97 Whoever - male or female - does works that help others and is a believer, We shall certainly cause them to live a good life, and We shall grant them the rewards considering the best of their actions.
17:9 Surely, this Qur’an guides to what is most upright, and gives good news of a great reward to those who accept it, and benefit the creation.
18:2 It is a perfect Book, unerringly straight so that He may warn all of a strict retribution from Him (which is the destructive result of their wrongdoings). And that He may give good news to the believers who benefit the society, that theirs shall be an immensely pleasant reward.
18:30 As for those who attain belief and do works that help others, We never fail to reward such benefactors of humanity.
18:88 But whoever chooses to believe and helps others, he will have a goodly reward and we will make his task easy by our command.”
19:76 God increases in guidance, those who seek it and seek to live upright. The lasting good deeds that fulfill the needs of others, are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and are best for eventual returns and better for resort.
27:89 Those who benefit mankind will be rewarded better than the recompense for their good deeds. And they will be secure from terror that Day.
28:84 Anyone who brings actions that benefit others, the reward to him will be better than what he has done. And anyone who is unfair in his dealings with others, such will be punished, but not more than the like of what they have done.
29:7 As for those who come to believe and help others, We shall blot out their previous misdeeds, and We shall certainly reward them generously for what they do.
29:58 Whereupon to all those who have attained belief, and worked for the betterment of humanity We shall certainly assign mansions in the Garden underneath which rivers flow, therein to abide. How excellent a reward for the workers!
33:29 “But if you desire God and His Messenger, and the Home of the Hereafter, then certainly, God has prepared for those among you who benefit humanity, an immense reward.”
34:4 That He may reward those who believe and do good works. To them will be a forgiveness and a generous provision.
34:37 And it is not your money or your children that will bring you closer to Us, but only those who believe and do good work, they will receive double the reward for their works, and they will reside in the high dwellings in peace.
35:7 Those who reject will have a painful retribution, and those who believe and do good works they will have a forgiveness and a great reward.
37:79-81 Peace be upon Noah among the worlds. Thus do We reward all those who do good. Surely he was one of Our truly believing servants.
37:105 You have already affirmed the vision. We – This is so - We must reward the doers of good.”
37:109-111 Peace and salutation to Abraham! Thus do We reward all those who do good. He was one of Our truly believing servants.
37:120-122 Peace and salutation to Moses and Aaron! Thus do We reward all those who do good. Both of them were Our believing servants.
37:130-132 Peace and salutation to Elijah! Thus do We reward all those who do good. He was one of Our truly believing servants.
39:10 Say (thus speaks God) “O You servants of Mine who have attained belief! Be mindful of your Lord. Good is the reward for those who do good in this world, and spacious is God’s earth. The steadfast will be given their reward in full, beyond count.”
39:34-35 With their Lord, they have all that they could ever desire. Such is the reward of the doers of good to others. God will blot out the imprints of their faults and will give them a reward par excellence, more than befitting for the best of their deeds.
41:8 Surely, those who believe and do good works, they will receive recompense that will not end.
103:1 Time that flies and has flown, bears witness. 103:2 That man is, and has been, in a state of loss. 103:3 Except those who have chosen to be graced with belief, do works that help others and exemplify truth and exemplify perseverance.
107:1 Have you seen him who proclaims allegiance to the Divine System, but denies it in action? 107:2 He is the one who repels the orphan, the widow, the helpless, the one in a lonely state. [89:10, 69:34] 107:3 And urges not the feeding of the needy. And participates not in helping those who have lost their jobs, whose businesses have stalled, and whose hard earned income is insufficient to meet their basic needs. 107:4 Ah, woe to the praying ones! 107:5 Those who know not what their prayer is meant to be. 107:6 They only want to be seen and praised.