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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Strengthening of the Faith Prostration To Allah and Paying Due Respect To a Messenger It is narrated by Aishah {May Allah have mercy on Her}: The Prophet {Peace be upon Him} was sitting with a group of Muhajirin and Ansar. A camel came walking all the way to the Prophet {Peace be upon Him} and prostrated before him. Upon observing this spectacle, his said: "O Allah's Messenger {Peace be upon Him}! The animals and trees prostrate before you!

And as long as they do it, we are more rightful in doing this to you (i.e. to prostrate before you)." The Prophet {Peace be upon Him} answered: "You must worship your Lord and pay due respect to your brothers." (Musnad Ahmad). It means that all the human beings are brothers to one another. The one who is the most elderly and the most pious is an elder brother. We should respect such a person just like our elder brother. Allah is the Rabb of all and therefore, we should worship none but Him alone.

Thus we understand that all the people who are close to Allah, regardless of whether they are Messengers or saints, are none but the helpless slaves of Allah, and are our brothers, and as long as Allah has bestowed on them marks of greatness, they are like our brothers and we are instructed to obey them. Since we are younger to them, we are instructed to respect them in their capacity as human beings only without giving them a Divine status (i.e. without making them an object of worship).

It is further added to our knowledge that some saints are held in great reverence by animals and trees also and hence we do find some Dargah (sanctums and tombs of saints) being frequented by lions, or elephants or wolves, but the human beings are not supposed to emulate their examples and ape them in their actions. A human being may only respect someone within the limits prescribed by Allah and may not exceed it.

For example, the statutes of Shari'ah do not permit anyone to take a residence in a tomb or around a grave in the capacity of a Mujawir (caretaker or custodian of a grave) and therefore, one must never become a Mujawir even though one may notice the presence of a lion day and night at a certain tomb of a saint, since it is not the becoming of a man to ape an animal.

It is reported by Abu Dawud on the authority of Qais bin Sa'd {May Allah have mercy on him}: I went to the city of Hirah where I saw the people prostrating to their king.