Is It Permissible To Prostrate To Anyone Other Than Allah, Even If It Is Only By Way Of Veneration And Showing Respect?

Sujood (prostrating) is one of the greatest acts of worship due to it symbolising utmost humility and submission. The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

The closest a slave is to his Lord is when he is in Sujood…

The Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to honour him and venerate him, and venerate his Sunnah. In the early days of Islam, when some of them saw that the People of the Book prostrated to their bishops and patriarchs, they thought that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was more deserving of that, out of respect for him and veneration of him. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade them to prostrate to him.

Ibn Maajah (1853) and al-Bayhaqi (14711) narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa said: When Mu‘aadh ibn Jabal came from Syria, he prostrated to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who said, “What is this, O Mu‘aadh?” He said, I went to Syria and saw them prostrating to their archbishops and patriarchs, and I wanted to do that for you. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Do not do that. If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone other than Allah, I would have commanded women to prostrate to their husbands. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, no woman can fulfil her duty towards Allah until she fulfils her duty towards her husband. If he asks her (for intimacy) even if she is on her camel saddle, she should not refuse.” 

This version was narrated by Ibn Maajah, and was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah. 

Abu Dawood (2140) and al-Haakim (2763) narrated that Qays ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I went to al-Heerah and saw them prostrating to a noble of theirs (i.e., a courageous knight who was prominent among them). I thought: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is more deserving that people should prostrate to him. So I came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: I went to al-Heerah and saw them prostrating to a noble of theirs, but you are the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and are more deserving that people should prostrate to you. He said: “Do not do that. If I were to instruct anyone to prostrate to anyone, I would have instructed women to prostrate to their husbands, because of the rights that Allah has given them over them.” 

Classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, and adh-Dhahabi agreed with him. Also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

Ibn Hibbaan (4162) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered one of the gardens of the Ansaar, where he saw two restless camels. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) draw close to them and they knelt down and lay their necks on the ground. Those who were with him said: They have prostrated to him. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “It is not appropriate for anyone to prostrate to anyone else. If it were appropriate for anyone to prostrate to anyone else, I would have instructed the wife to prostrate to her husband, because of the great rights that Allah has given him over her.”

Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (7/54) 

It is a foundational belief of Islam that worship is only directed to Allah Most High. This is a direct implication of the statement of faith: la ilaha illa’l Llah — there is no god but God, whose meaning is, “There is none worthy of worship but God.” [Bajuri, Tuhftat al-Murid `ala Jawharat al-Tawhid]

Prostration is an act of worship, and therefore impermissible for other than Allah. Allah Most High says, “Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon. Rather, only prostrate to God, who created them–if you indeed are true in worshipping Him.” [Qur’an, 41.37]

Prior To Sharia of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Sajdah at-Tazeem (Prostration of Respect) was allowed in the previous prophets sharia’s and we have some evidences from Quran:

Behold! Joseph said to his father: “O my father! I did see eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves to me!” [The Glorious Quran 12:4]

Qur’an then states: And he raised his parents high on the throne (of dignity), ”AND THEY FELL DOWN IN PROSTRATION (ALL), BEFORE HIM”. He said: “O my father! this is the fulfilment of my vision of old! Allah hath made it come true! He was indeed good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you (all here) out of the desert, (even) after Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Verily my Lord understandeth best the mysteries of all that He planneth to do, for verily He is full of knowledge and wisdom. [The Glorious Quran 12:100]

A Matter of Consensus

There is scholarly consensus that it is not permitted to prostrate to other than Allah. Without the intention of worship it is not outright disbelief (kufr), though it remains one of the greatest of sins. The adults would bear the sin until they repent.

Prostration is for Allah alone, and the law of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the most perfect and most complete of laws, according to which it is not permissible to prostrate to anyone or anything other than Allah, either by way of greeting or by way of worship. As for worship, it cannot be devoted to any except Allah alone, according to all laws and teachings, but in the past prostration was used as a greeting and by way of honouring people, as the parents and brothers of Yoosuf did, and as the angels did to Adam. This was by way of greeting and showing respect, not by way of worship. But according to the law of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has forbidden that and has made prostration for Allah alone, may He be glorified and exalted; it is not permissible to prostrate to anyone else, either the Prophets or others, to the extent that Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade anyone to prostrate to him and stated that prostration is for Allah alone, may He be glorified and exalted.

Statements of other scholars regarding prostrating for respect

Imam An-Nawawee [died: 676h] said: “What many ignorant people do, in prostrating to their Shaykhs, is absolutely Haraam, in every situation, regardless of whether it is towards the Qiblah or another direction, regardless of whether he intended prostration for Allah, or was negligent. And in certain situations this action necessitates Kufr (disbelief), or is close to it…

Imam Al-Qurtubee [died: 671h] said: “This prostration is forbidden; the ignorant amongst the Soofiyyah have taken it as a custom during their singing and when they go to their Shaykhs and in seeking forgiveness; one of them will be seen, when he is overcome by his state – as claimed by him – he will prostrate to a person who approaches.
And this is due to his ignorance – regardless of whether it is towards the Qiblah or towards another direction. Their efforts are misguided and their actions are lost.”

Ibn Taymiyyah [died: 728h] said: “The texts of the Sunnah, as well as the Ijmaa’ (consensus) of the Ummah show the impermissibility of prostrating to other than Allah in our Sharee’ah, [regardless] of whether it is done as a greeting or worship, like the Prophet’s prohibition to Mu’adh Ibn Jabal  when he returned from Shaam (Syria) and prostrated to him as a greeting.”

Muhammad Ibn Ibraheem Aal Ash-Shaykh [died: 1389h] said: “Bowing down during greeting is Haraam (forbidden) if only a greeting is intended; and it is Kufr (disbelief) if worship is intended.