Sujud

This dua contains the declaration that Allah is free from every deficiency and from everything that is unfit to be ascribed to Him. It also contains an explanation of Allah's attribute of highness. Allah's attribute of being the Most High includes: 1. He is Most High in His Essence, for He is above all His creatures. 2. He is Most High in His rank, for every attribute of perfection belongs to Him alone. 3. He is Most High in His dominion, for He has power over all things, (Surah Al-Ankabut: 17) (See the explanation of Shaykh Shalih al-Fauzan on the name al-'Aliyy in Ayat al-Kursi, in his book Syarh al 'Aqidah al Wasithiyah, p. 26) So what does this have to do with our position when we prostrate? When we throw our bodies down to the ground in prostration, kneeling and lowering ourselves as low as we can go, abasing ourselves as utterly as we can, we place on the ground several parts of the body that represent a person's honour, as has come from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَسْجُدَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَعْظُمٍ عَلَى الْجَبْهَةِ – وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى أَنْفِهِ – وَالْيَدَيْنِ، وَالرُّكْبَتَيْنِ وَأَطْرَافِ الْقَدَمَيْنِ [translation not shown] (Narrated by Al-Bukhari 1/162, no. 812) The nose is one of the noble parts a human being has. That is why the hadiths use the expression “رغم أنف” (his nose pressed to the ground) to express a person's humiliation: because the nose is one of the noble parts, once the nose is pressed to the ground no honour remains. In the same way, in the position of prostration a servant must have his nose pressed down to declare his own lowliness. He lowers himself as low as can be and then exalts his Creator as high as can be, pronouncing with his tongue “subhanaa robbiyal a’laa” while his heart is certain of the highness of the Creator. This is an important part of the prayer, in which prostration may not be directed to anyone other than Allah. لَا تَسْجُدُوْا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلَا لِلْقَمَرِ وَاسْجُدُوْا لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَهُنَّ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ اِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُوْنَ [translation not shown] (Surah Fussilat: 37) This is the state in which a servant is closest to his Lord, and so it is recommended to ask Allah much, as explained in the hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: أقربُ ما يكونُ العبدُ من ربِّه وهو ساجدٌ فأكْثِروا الدُّعاءَ [translation not shown] (Narrated by Muslim, no. 482) For this prostration is proof of his servitude, submission, lowliness and neediness. In such a state it is most fitting for a servant to raise his supplications, because he is very close to Allah and his supplication will be answered. (3) Imam An-Nawawi said: "The meaning of (subbuuh) is the One who is free from every deficiency, from having partners or any shirk, and from everything unfit for Allah; and (qudduus) is the One who is sanctified from everything unbefitting the Creator." Then he continued: "(ar-ruuh) is said to mean a great angel, and it is also said that what is meant may be Jibril." (Al-Minhaj Syarhu Shohih Muslim Bin Al-Hajjaj 4/205) Imam An-Nawawi explains that the Messenger of Allah said this dua in order to fulfil the obligation that Allah laid upon him in Surah An-Nasr: فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا “Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance” (Saheeh International, Qur'an 110:3) This dua contains the declaration that Allah's Essence is free from every deficiency and from everything unfit for Allah; praise for every blessing He has given the servant in the form of enabling guidance (hidayah taufiq), so that he is able to worship Him, none of which comes from his own strength or effort but purely from the blessing of enabling guidance that Allah gives; and it also contains a plea for forgiveness of every sin committed. (5) This dua contains a form of tawhid directed to Allah: in one's prostration, one's faith and one's Islam. Then, if we look at the words that follow, it is mentioned that the prostration is for the One who created, fashioned, and separated out hearing and sight, and who created man in the most perfect form. Is there anyone other than Allah who can do all of these things? Of course the answer is no one, and this is a refutation of those who prostrate to things such as stones, idols, the sun, trees and other weak things that cannot do any of the things above. Never mind doing something great: they certainly cannot even create a tiny fly. Are they worthy of our prostrating to them? Exalted is Allah above the partners that the ignorant ascribe to Him. (7) This dua contains three things: the declaration that Allah's Essence is free from every deficiency and from everything unfit for Allah; praise for every blessing He has given the servant; and then singling out Allah alone in worship. For the Being who has no defect whatsoever and who has granted him so very many favours is the One most deserving of worship. (9) This dua contains the declaration of Allah's transcendence, negating of Him whatever is blameworthy, deficient and unfit for Allah, because Allah is the Being who owns all kingdoms, who possesses true power, and who possesses grandeur and majesty. When a servant knows the reality of his Creator's majesty and knows that there is no rival who can rival his Creator, this makes him depend on Allah alone, and not on anything other than Him, which is weak and full of deficiency.