Like most issues the meaning of worship has been subjected to commission and omission so much so that some people (who did not consider God’s might and Lordship) considered it right to prostrate before others.

Like most issues the meaning of worship has been subjected to commission and omission so much so that some people (who did not consider God’s might and Lordship) considered it right to prostrate before others. And to support their view they have presented the example of the prostration before Adam and the prostration before Joseph by his brothers. On the other side declared reverence of the Imams and appeal to them for closeness and intercession as polytheism and those who did so as polytheists but in reality both these ideologies are erroneous.

This can be explained because as we have said earlier the linguists say according to the explanation in the dictionary worship is done for god with all due humility and extreme humbleness. According to the Islamic viewpoint every thing is for God and prostration before any one else is polytheism. In other words, we can say that there are various stages of humility, e.g. when we say humility before friends then the opposite is pride. Show humility to the respected ones like the parents in the first place as is said in the Qura’n verse 24 of Surah Isra, “Lower to them the wing of humility and out of compassion.”

Humbleness and weakness is a stage above it and that is what should be done for the apostles and infallible Imams. The Muslims did not have the right to raise their voices above that of the messenger’s. In verse 2 of Surah Hujurat the Qura’n says, “O you who believe! Do not raise your voice above the Prophet’s voice, and do not speak loudly to him as you speak to one another” But showing humbleness in the sense of worship before any other than God by lowering oneself, expressing weakness and humility is reserved only for God and the most evident sign of it is the prostration . So prostration before others with humility and expressing weakness and humbleness without religious belief is worship and is exclusive for God. This is why it is not permissible to prostrate before anyone but God.

The author of Tafsir Al Minar has explained the Surah Fateha in the following words, “Worship is not just the extreme expression of humility but it should be with the belief that God is great and He controls everything.

 This control is such that its reality is beyond comprehension. It is possible that the lover may show extreme devotion and humility that his will is merged with that of the beloved but it will still not be termed as worship. In the same the devotion and humility shown by some people in front of their superiors is not termed as worship. (1)

The great commentator Allama Tabatabai says something similar in Al Mizan.

“Worship is not just showing humility but declaring and believing one to be God’s servant is worship. In Surah Baqarah discussion the issue of the angels’ prostration before Adam God says, “The act of worship” is an act that declares the might of the creator and shows the expression of humility of the worshipper. Prostration before believing someone to be God is impermissible to him. So the prostration done in reverence but not in worship is not impermissible. But the religious outlook that comes from performing of acts showing the inclination to worship is judged for God only and should not be done before any other than Him. (2)

If study the word “Worship” under the context of Qura’n, the Sunnah , the dictionary and the daily common use we will discern that its literally means, “ showing great humility but without the belief of God being the Lord and the person being the servant.” If a person prostrates before the sun, moon and fire considering their benefits then it will be called sun-worship, moon-worship, and fire-worship. In the same way if someone prostration before statues of the ancient elders will be called worship. Prostration before the Imams because of their greatness will also be considered as worship.

This is why the Qura’n commands us not to prostrate before the sun and the moon in verse 37 of Surah Fussilat, “Do not prostrate in obeisance to the sun or to the moon”

The Hadith and traditions too accordingly have asked us not to prostrate the others. Seven traditions are recorded in the Book Wassail-us-Shia in chapter 27 on prostration and in one of the them the Holy Messenger says, “Tell me when you worship idols in god’s presence and invoke them then put your foreheads to the ground before them then what is left for the God of the worlds?’ Do you not know that he who should be worshipped should not be considered as equal to the others He has created?” (3)

Then there is the tradition from Imam Reza that declare that the prostration before Adam and the prostration before Joseph by his brothers was the prostration before God because it was in thanksgiving but included the respect of both Adam and Joseph”

 There is a tradition from Imam Hasan Al Askari tells us that Adam and Joseph were like the “Qibla”, the people faced them only but worshipped God.

. Some traditions tell us that since the prostration to Adam was commanded by god it should be considered as a prostration to Him. The conclusion derived from the traditions is that there should be no prostration before others. Allama Majlisi has recorded many Hadith on the issue in Behar-ol-Anwar. (4)

The migration of Muslims to Ethiopia is very famous.

When they were presented in the court of Najashi the Christian priests asked them to prostrate before him and Jafar Ibn Abi Talib replied, “We do not prostrate before anyone but God” (5)

All these traditions contain the proof that it is not permissible to prostrate before others and explain the truth about worship most beautifully.

1. Tafsir Al Minar Vol. 1 Page 56-57

2. Tafsir Al Mizan Vol. 1 Pages 22 and 124

3. Wassail-us-Shia Vol.6 P) age 386 H.3

4. Behar-ol-Anwar Vol. 11 Page 138 and 139 H. 2, 3, 4, and 6

5. Behar-ol-Anwar Vol.18 Page 420 Hadith 8