7] The prostration of everything in the universe to Allaah

7] It says in Soorat al-Hajj 22:18 that the dawaab (moving living 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, weare unaware of that tasbeeh (glorification of Allaah) and unable to understand its nature. Allaah says (interpretationof 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 in astate of submission to Allaah and worships Him in a manner appropriate to 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 (interpretationof the meaning): “See you not that whoever is in the heavensand 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 thepunishment 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 unto Allaah, and they are lowly? And to Allaah prostrate allthat 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 and creatures humble themselves before Him, inanimate objects and animals, and those which are accountable among mankind and the jinn, andthe angels. Allaah tells us that everything that has ashadow that inclines towards the right and towards the left – i.e., morning and evening – prostrates to Allaah. Mujaahid said: When the sun passes its zenith everything prostrates to Allaah. Allaah has confirmed that all beings prostrate to Him, and He has explainedhow some of them prostrate, which is by the inclining of its shadow towards the right and the left. It does not mean thateverything prostrates on seven 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 is no valid reason for not interpreting the text as it appears to be, so we mustaccept it. That is also supported by the fact thatthe prostration of the sun,moon, stars, trees and animals is mentioned in conjunction with the prostration of the angels and humans, which indicates that this is prostration in a real sensefor 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. Thisdoes 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 themeaning): ‘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 generic term but because the wayin 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 theground. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa,/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Should he focus on purifying his heart or ondoing naafil acts?

Which is more important – dealing with feelings and thoughts that Allaah dislikes, such as destructive envy, hatred, arrogance, showing off, thinking highly of one's deeds, hard-heartedness, etc., which form the evil that resides in the heart, or focusing on doing outward naafil deeds suchas prayer, fasting and other acts of worship and fulfilling vows even though those other thingsare present in the heart? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Some of the acts mentioned are obligatory,and those which are obligatory should be given precedence, as Allaah says according to the hadeeth qudsi narrated from His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "My slave doesnot draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined on him." Then He says: "And My slave continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him." Outward physical acts are not valid and acceptable unless they are accompanied by appropriate actions of theheart, because the heart islike the king and the physical faculties are like his troops. If the king is evil his troops will also beevil. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "In the body there is a piece of flesh: if it is soundthe whole body will be sound and if it is corrupt then the whole body will be corrupt." Similarly the (hidden) actions of the heart
inevitably affect the (visible) physical actions. So precedence must be given to that which is more obligatory, whether it is called inward or outward. Perhaps things that are called inward may be more obligatory, such as refraining from destructive envy and arrogance, for that is more essential than observing naafil fasts. Or acts that are described as outward or physical may be better, such as qiyaam al-layl (praying at night), which is better than simply giving up some thoughts that may cross one's mind such as (non-destructive) jealousy, etc. Inward and outward deeds support one another, and prayer keeps one from doing evilactions and generates fearof Allaah, and has other important effects. It (prayer) is the best of good deeds and charity. And Allaah knows best.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 6/381
So there is no separation between correcting what is inward and correcting what is outward or physical.
The outward acts of worship which a person performs with his physicalfaculties – if he does themfor the sake of Allaah – will undoubtedly have an effect on his inward nature.
For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Shall I not tell you of something that will take away the evil of the heart? Fasting three days of each month." (Narratedby al-Nasaa'i, 2386; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa'i, 2249). The evil of the heart refers to rancour, hatred and destructive envy.
One of the most important remedies for diseases of the heart is to study and ponder the texts which include warnings to the one who leaves these diseases to fester in his heart, such as the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No one will enter Paradise who has an atom's-weight of arrogance in his heart." (Narrated by Muslim, 91).
And the hadeeth according to which Hell will say, "My share is the arrogant." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4850; Muslim,2846)
And the hadeeth: "On the Day of Resurrection the arrogant will be gathered like ants in the form of men." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2492; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2025).
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The disease of the nations who came before you has started to spread among you: destructive envy and hatred. These are the shavers. I do not mean that they shave hair but they shave away religiouscommitment. By the One in Whose hand is my soul,you will not enter Paradise until you believe,and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something which ifyou do it, you will love one another. Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2510; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2038).
Whoever ponders with true insight such warnings about the diseases of the heart will undoubtedly strive to cleanse his heart thereof, and will seek help in doing so by doing outward physical acts, praying to his Lord to cleanse his heart of hatred, destructive envy, rancour and so on, as Allaah says, describing theprayer of the believers:
"and put not in our heartsany hatred against those who have believed"
[al-Hashr 59:10 – interpretation of the meaning]
And Allaah knows best.
Keyword: Acts of Worship

Is it permissible to slaughter an animal with the intention of offering a sacrifice?

I have been married for four years and have not been blessed with children. Praise be to Allaah, I have recently heard the news that my wife is pregnant, and on my father's advice I slaughtered two animals (as a sacrifice) and distributed the meat among needy Muslims, purely for the sake of Allaah on behalf of myselfand my wife. What is the Islamic ruling on that? May Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
If this sacrifice and feeding the needy was done as an act of thanksgiving to Allaah, then it is permissible, for feeding people is a way ofdoing good to people, and Allaah loves those who do good.
But if your sacrifice was aimed at warding off evil and bringing about good,then it is not permissible. This is what is well-known among people when the word "sacrifice" (fadw) is used, because they think that by doing this they will ward off evil and bring about good, so they do this when accidents or sickness happen to them or their loved ones.
In Islam, sacrifice is not a means of warding off thatwhich has been decreed by Allaah, whether good or bad.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about slaughtering an animal when a building is completed or halfway through building. He said:
This action is subject to further examination. If the intention behind the sacrifice is to protect oneself against the jinn orsome other intention by which the owner of the house intends to achieve something, such as keeping it or its occupantssafe, this is not permissible, and it is a kind of bid'ah (innovation). If it is done for the jinn then it is major shirk, because it is an act of worship done forsomeone other than Allaah.
But if it is done as an act of thanksgiving for a blessing that Allaah has bestowed, such as reaching the roof or completing the house, so the person gathers his relatives and neighbours and invites them to this feast, there is nothing wrong with this. This is what many people do as an act of thanksgiving for a blessing from Allaah, as He has enabled them to build a house and live in itinstead of renting. Similar to this is what some people do when they come back from a journey, and they invite their relatives and neighbours as an act of thanksgiving to Allaah for their safe arrival. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back from a journey he would sacrifice a camel and invite the people to eat. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3089).
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 5/388.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
What some people do when they move into a new house and slaughter an animal and invite their neighbours and relatives is fine so long as it is not accompanied by any corrupt beliefs, as is done in some places where, when a person moves into a new house, the firstthing he does is to bring asheep and slaughter it on the threshold so that the blood will fall onto it, and they say that this will prevent the jinn from entering the house. This isa corrupt belief which has no basis in Islam. But if a person slaughters it as an expression of joy and happiness, there is nothing wrong with that.

And Allaah knows best.
Keyword: Acts of Worship