A Quranic Journal

Linguistically ibaadah is derived from abada which means to be subservient and to subjugate. In Islaam, the word ibaadah, or worship is a comprehensive term referring to everything, inward and outward that Allaah Loves and is Pleased with. [Ibn Taymiyyah, "al-Ubudiyyah" [pg. 1]] Its pillars are love, hope, fear, submission and humility. Worship can only be considered to be true worship when the way of performing it is taken from the Messenger (SAW) seeking only the Face of Allaah. So these two conditions have to be present for the action to be considered worship and hence acceptable to Allaah.

...Meaning that we do not seek aid from anyone but You because the affair in its totality is under Your control Alone, no one else has even an atoms weight of control over it. Again the object of the verb has been brought before the verb to stress this fact. In this statement's following His saying, "You Alone we worship" lies an indication that it is not permissible to put our trust in anyone except the One Who deserves worship because no one else has control over the affairs.

The whole of the religion of Islaam revolves around these two principles: we do not worship except Allaah and we do not put our trust in anyone or anything except Allaah. These are the means to everlasting bliss and security from all evils - so there is no path to victory except by establishing these two pillars.