creatures,beasts, etc.) prostrate to Allaah. What is the nature of
this prostration?
Praise be to Allaah.
Note that this universe and all the created beings in it is in thrall
to Allaah, whether by choice or by force. The believer worships Allaah
by choice and is rewarded for his worship. Even though the kaafir may
be alienated from his Lord and failing to worship Him, the atoms of
his body and everything in him is worshipping Him and glorifying Him,
but because our understanding and perception are limited, we are
unaware of that tasbeeh (glorification of Allaah) and unable to
understand its nature. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him
and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand
not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving"
[al-Isra' 17:44]
What this means is that every created being is ina state of submission
to Allaah and worships Him in a manner appropriateto its situation.
The sun, moon, stars, trees and animals are all in a state of
subjugation to Allaah and prostrate to Him, and all of them worship
Him in an appropriate manner. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"See you not that whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the
earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains,
and the trees, and Ad-Dawaabb [moving (living) creatures, beasts], and
many of mankind prostrate themselves to Allaah. But there are many
(men) on whom the punishment is justified. And whomsoever Allaah
disgraces, none can honour him. Verily, Allaah does what He wills"
[al-Hajj 22:18]
"Have they not observed things that Allaah has created: (how) their
shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration
untoAllaah, and they are lowly?
And to Allaah prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in
the earth, of the moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they
are not proud [i.e. they worship their Lord (Allaah) with humility]"
[al-Nahl 16:48-49]
Imaam Ibn Katheer said: Allaah is telling us of His Might, Majesty and
Pride,for everything submits to Him and all things andcreatures humble
themselves before Him, inanimate objects and animals, and those which
are accountable among mankind and thejinn, and the angels. Allaah
tells us that everything that has a shadow that inclines towards the
right and towards the left – i.e., morning and evening – prostrates to
Allaah. Mujaahid said: When thesun passes its zenith everything
prostrates to Allaah.
Allaah has confirmed that all beings prostrate to Him, and He has
explained how some of them prostrate, which is by the inclining of its
shadow towards the right and the left. It doesnot mean that everything
prostrates onseven parts of the body; that applies only to the
Muslims. The prostration of all other beings is in accordance with
their nature. The fact that this prostration is prostration in the
real sense is indicated by the apparent meaning of the text, because
there isno valid reason for not interpreting the text as it appears to
be, so we must accept it. That is also supported by the fact that the
prostration of the sun, moon, stars, trees and animals is mentioned in
conjunction with the prostration of the angelsand humans, which
indicates that this is prostration in a real sense for all the
entities mentioned. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said:
Prostration is a form of humility, so the prostration which includes
all creatures implies the utmost submission and humility.For every
created thing submits to His greatness and humbles itself before His
might and power. This does not mean that everything prostrates like
human beings do, on seven parts of the body, putting the forehead on
the ground. This kind of prostration is only for human beings. Some
other nations bow but do not prostrate, and that is their prostration.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
'and enter the gate in prostration (or bowing with humility) and say:
"Forgive us"'
[al-Baqarah 2:58]
It was said that this means enter it bowing, and some of them
prostrate on their sides like the Jews. Sujood (prostration) is a
genericterm but because the way in which Muslims prostrate is so well
known, many people think that this is how everything prostrates.
Jaami' al-Rasaa'il, 1/27
And he said:
It is known that everything prostrates according to its nature, and
the prostration of these created entities does not mean that they put
their foreheads on the ground.
Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 21/284
This prostration includesthe submission and humbling of these created
entities to Allaahand their surrendering to His Lordship, Might and
Sovereignty. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said:
"It is the prostration of humility and submission,for everything
submits to His Lordship, humbles itself before His Might and is
subject to His Sovereignty."
Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/107
The prostration of these created entities is a prostration in a real
sense as befits each of these entities. So man prostrates in the
mannerthat suits him, in the manner that is well known, on seven parts
of the body. The sun prostrates in the mannerthat suits it, as
mentioned in the saheehhadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased
with him) who said: "The Prophet (peace andblessings of Allaah be upon
him) said to Abu Dharr when the sun had set, 'Do you know whereit
went?' I said, 'Allaah and His Messenger knowbest.' He said, 'It has
gone to prostrate beneath the Throne, then it asks for permission to
rise, but soon it will prostrate and its prostration will not be
accepted, and it will ask for permission to rise and that will not be
granted to it, and it will be said to it, "Go back from whence you
came," and it will rise from the west. This is what Allaah says:
"And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is
the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing"
[Yaa-Seen 36:38].'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3199)
So it prostrates in a real sense, as is suited to the sun, but how
does it prostrate to Allaah beneath the Throne? Allaah knows best how
this prostration happens. The apparent meaning of the hadeeth proves
that what this prostration means is not simply submission to the
command of Allaah and obedience to Him. Indeed, it is submission,
humility and surrender by prostrating in a real sense, but we do not
understand how it happens. Similarly it is said that the moon, the
trees, the animals and allother entities prostrate in a manner that
suits them. What the believer should do is not to let the fact that he
does not know how some entitiesprostrate prevent him from believing in
this prostration, rather he must believe in what Allaah has told him
about other entities prostrating to Him.
And Allaah knows best. - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
http://translate.google.com/m/ ▓███▓ - -
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