The Quranic ruling on this matter is thus...

The Quranic ruling on this matter is thus; And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration. (Surah 12, Yusuf verse 100). Yusuf (pbuh) was a prophet and his father Yaqub (pbuh) was also a prophet. Yusuf sat both his parents (even though his mother was not a prophet) on the throne. Subsequently everyone prostrated to him.

In this verse Allah does not say that all prostrated ‘except Yaqub’, that is, it was not the case that the whole gathering bar Yaqub (pbuh) prostrated to Yusuf (pbuh).[^1] Now let us reflect: one prophet is prostrating before another prophet: neither is the prostrating prophet hesitant nor is the prophet who is prostrated to objecting. Further, Allah does not say that this is disliked by Him.

If a prostration out of respect and obedience was considered idolatrous, then without a doubt neither Yaqub nor Yusuf (pbut) would have remained prophets after this act, indeed, Allah forbid, they would have become disbelievers. Thus we can conclude from these two prophets’ actions that a prostration of respect and obedience is not idolatry, it is not unlawful and Allah does not forbid it.

Hence no one has the right to say that to kiss, to prostrate with respect or to respect places and items associated with revered personalities, is considered idolatry and innovation. Indeed according to the Quran one who says so would leave Islam. [^1]: This is the translator’s wording: the author originally claimed that Yusuf (pbuh) prostrated – ‘Yusuf sat both this parents (even though his mother was not a prophet) on the throne. Subsequently everyone prostrated.

In this verse Allah does not say that all prostrated ‘except Yusuf’, that is, it was not the case that the whole gathering bar Yusuf (pbuh) prostrated.’ However, in following authentic Quranic translations, Yaqub was the prophet who prostrated to his son Yusuf, in fulfilment of the dream mentioned in verse 4 of this surah. Agha Mahdi Puya writes, ‘Sajada-falling down in prostration. The father, the brothers and the aunt fell down in prostration before Yusuf.

There are two types of sajdahs-one is that which is for Allah in total submission to His will, and the other is done in reverence to pay homage to a divinely chosen representative of Allah (see commentary of al Baqarah: 34) (http://quran.al- islam.org/). Shakir writes, ‘And he raised his parents upon the throne and they fell down in prostration before him, and he said: O my father!