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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Quran And Mourning for Hussain Prostration Prostration before Allah is the sole prostration of worship. But prostration out of respect and obedience to one other than Allah, has indeed been ordered by Allah Himself. We find in the Quran; And when We said to the angels: Prostrate before Adam, they did prostrate, but Iblis (did it not). He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers.

(Surah 2, al-Baqarah verse 34) Iblis the Shaytan used to prostrate himself before Allah for he was one who worshipped Allah a great deal. However he refused to prostrate before Allah’s creation Adam (pbuh) and on the basis of this he was rejected from Allah’s Heaven. Now if a respectful prostration was considered idolatrous, why would Allah the Generous Lord have asked his angels to prostrate themselves before Adam (pbuh)?

If it were in any sense an idolatrous prostration, Allah would never have commanded it in Adam (pbuh)’s honour. If there is disagreement on this view then it has to be said that Allah forbid, Allah Himself ordered idolatry! Indeed in defence of this prostration it may be said that Allah Himself commanded the prostration before Adam (pbuh). Thus the prostration of the angels was not to Adam (pbuh) as such but it was a prostration to Allah’s command.

And there is nothing wrong at all with prostrating before Allah’s command. (We are all agreed in this matter that the prostration here was one of respect, on the basis of Allah’s command.) The question arises, where did Allah give the command to kiss the shrines of the martyrs or to bow before them? A sufficient answer would be, when did Allah expressly prohibit such actions?

A second reply would be that even without Allah’s explicit command, there have been other instances of bowing and prostrating out of respect. At no point did Allah prohibit those prostrations of respect, and further, they have been proved by the actions of two prophets. The two prophets in question neither hindered the prostrations that were offered out of respect, nor did they reprimand and stop those prostrating.

Allah Himself in turn did not advise the two prophets that such prostrations should not be offered. Further, Allah did not term those offering the prostrations as unbelievers or idolaters. Therefore it has to be admitted that a prostration of respect is not a reprehensible act in Allah’s sight.