To whom do Muslims prostrate (Sujud)? The wall? The big black box?

Prostrate is an act of lying with the face down and arms stretched out, especially as a sign of respect or worship. It also had a second meaning which is to reduce (someone) to extreme physical weakness.

Prostrating has always been associated with respect or worship, more for the latter. It is not the norm for a human to lay with the face down and arms stretched, humbling himself down unless he is worshipping a particular God or someone who is powerful enough to give him what he wants. Thus, Prostrating is an act of praying or worship in most of the religion such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, etc.

Humans will prostrate as an act of worship only to whom they regarded as their God. This is the case in Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.

Hence, you will not see them prostrate only when they are facing their Idol which they regarded as God.

Prostrating in Islam

However, for Muslims, that is not the case. You can see Muslims prostrating anywhere, in front of a wall, in front of a tree, or even in the open field when there is nothing in front of them like how Mo Salah from Liverpool prostrates after he scores a goal.

So looking at the Muslims comes the question.

Whom do Muslims prostrate(Sujud) to? To a wall? To a bag? To a black-squared building called the Kaabah? Or to any objects in this world?

To answer the question, we must ask three fundamental questions and answer them:-

1- Why do Muslims prostrate in the first place?

2-How do Muslims pray? Is prostration enough to perform prayers?

3- When do Muslims prostrate?

Why do Muslims prostrate in the first place?

Fundamentally, there is one answer to this.

Because it is the order of Allah and His beloved Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him.

Being a Muslim, we witnessed that there is no God But Allah and that His Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

This means that we vowed to obey Allah as He is our god. We promised to follow Prophet Muhammad as whatever that he brings and teaches is what Allah wanted and that our obedience of the Prophet is the obedience of God.

The order to prostrate is in the Holy Quran (Words of Allah) and Prophetic Sunnah (Sayings, Actions & Approval of Prophet Muhammad).

Thus, we prostrate.

Allah said in the Holy Quran Surah Baqarah Verse 43:

??????????? ?????????? ??????? ?????????? ??????????? ???? ????????????? ????

?And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].

Allah makes it an obligation for us to perform prayers and Prophet showed us how to perform it which includes prostrating.

In the Holy Quran, Allah also mentioned in Surah Al-’Alaq verse 19:

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No, Do not obey him (Lying, Sinning Forelock) and Prostate then you will be near.

Allah obligates us to prostrate so that we can become near to him.

This holy verse tallied to the Prophetic Hadith

???? ????? ?????????? ????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ????????? ????? ???????? ??? ??????? ????????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????????? ??????????

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The servant is closest to his Lord during prostration, so increase your supplications therein.”

Why are we close to God when we prostrate?

Because we are willing to do something which can be considered as weak and humbled which we will not do on a normal day.

Because we are willing to put aside all of our status and position in this world and go into prostration; an act which confirms that we truly are servants of God.

Because we obey His commands and follow His Prophet when we prostrate.

There are also numerous prophetic hadiths which emphasize the merits of prostration (Sajdah).

Amongst them are:

?? ??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ????:? ?"? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ?????:? ?"??????"? ?????:? ????? ??????? ?? ??????.? ?????:? ?{? ????? ???????"? ????:? ?? ??? ????:? ?"? ????? ??? ???? ????? ???????"? ?(??(????? ?????)??

Rabi'ah bin Ka'b Al-Aslami (May Allah be pleased with him (a servant of the Messenger of Allah and also one of the people of As-Suffah) said:

I used to spend my night in the company of Messenger of Allah (?) and used to put up water for his ablutions. One day he said to me, "Ask something of me." I said: "I request for your companionship in Jannah". He inquired, "Is there anything else?" I said, "That is all." He said, "Then help me in your request by multiplying your prostrations".[Muslim].

???? ????? ??????????? ????? ????? ??????? ??????? ? ??? ???? ???? ???? ? ? "? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ??????????? ???????? ????????? ???????????? ??????? ??????? ??? ???????? ?????? ????? ????? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?"?

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah (?) said: ‘When the son of Adam recites a Sajdah* and prostrates, Satan withdraws weeping, saying: ‘Woe is me! The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate and he prostrated, and Paradise will be his; I was commanded to prostrate and I refused, so I am doomed to Hell.’”

Hence, Prostration is the decisive factor between obedience and disobedience, the criterion between being near (to Allah and the Prophet) and being far, the determining factor between being connected and being cut off.

That my brothers and sisters is the long answer.

The simple answer is that Muslims prostrate because we obeyed Allah and His Prophet.

How do Muslims pray? Is prostration enough to perform prayers?

Muslims pray in accordance to how Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him prays.

In the prophetic hadith, Prophet Muhammad says:

???? ??? ???????? ????

Pray o Muslims as to how you saw me praying.

The definition of prayers is “The worship and glorification of Allah by specific words and actions, commencing with the words ‘Allah is the Greatest’ and ending with the words ‘May peace and mercy of Allah be upon you’;

The integrals of prayer as to how Prophet Muhammad taught us is:-

1- Intention

2- Opening Takbir

3- Recitation of Fatihah

4- Ruku’- bowing movement

5- Standing after bowing (Qiyam)

6- First Prostration (Sajda)

7- Sitting between two prostrations

8- Second Prostration

9- Recitation of Syahadah during the final sitting

10- Recitation of Salawat to Prophet Muhammad in the final sitting

11- Ending Salutations which indicates the end of prayers

12- Order as to how is being performed by Prophet Muhammad

Hence, Prostration is not enough to perform prayers. It must be completed with all the integrals of prayer.

Besides prayers, when do Muslims prostrate?

There are 4 types of prostration in Islam that has been taught by Our Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him.

First is the prostration which is one of the integrals in prayers.

In this prostration, we are encouraged to read zikr (most common is ????? ??? ?????? ?????? Glory be to my Great Sustainer, Most High, and I praise Him) and to read supplications.

Second is the Sajdah Sahwi; prostration which is performed when you forget something in the prayers. Thus, you prostrate in order to ensure your prayers are completed.

Of course, to explain the rules of this sujud sahwi, we will need another full article.

The third is the Sajdah tilawah; prostration which is performed when certain verses are read.

There are around 14 places in the Holy Quran where you must prostrate when they are being read.

Usually, the meaning of the verses will revolve around the order or obligation to prostrate.

Fourth and lastly is the Sajdah Syukr. This prostration is being performed anywhere and anytime, whenever we received blessings and happiness in our life.

We prostrate to show our utmost gratitude towards Allah for granting us the happiness and blessings.

These blessings can be anything, from aceing an important exam, getting a good job, getting hitched and also scoring an important goal in the finals. This sujud is what the Egyptian Mohamad Salah of Liverpool always did after he scored a goal.

Conclusion

After going through the three fundamental questions, the answer to our initial question (Whom do Muslims prostrate(Sujud) to?) is quite clear.

It is not about what is in front of the Muslims. They did not prostate to anything physically.

Rather, the act of prostration symbolizes our obedience and full submission to Allah and His Prophet and also an indication that we are His servants and creations who are weak and needed His assistance in this world.