7a] The prostration of everything in the universe to Allaah

7a] This prostration includes the submission and humbling of these createdentities to Allaah and 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 andis subject to His Sovereignty.” Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/107 The prostration of these created entities is a prostration in a real senseas befits each of these entities. So man prostrates in the manner that suits him, in the manner that is well known, on seven parts of the body. The sun prostrates in the manner that suits it, as mentionedin the saheeh hadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Abu Dharr when the sun had set, ‘Do you know where it went?’ I said, ‘Allaah and His Messenger know best.’ 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 understandhow it happens. Similarly it is said that the moon, the trees, the animals andall other entities prostratein a manner that suits them. What the believer should do is not to let the fact that he does not know how some entities prostrate 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./ - - - :-> 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

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

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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