Faith Is Not Just Knowledge, And Prostration To Allah Is The Path To Happiness
Selections from the Book The Story of The Beginning of Creation and The Creation of Adam, peace be upon him …
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (71)
The important principle that every believer should keep in mind is that faith is not merely knowledge. Iblees (Satan) knew that Allah existed, and he later recognized that He sent Noah, Abraham, and Muhammad, peace be upon them. He knows that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, and that Jesus and Moses, along with the other prophets, peace be upon them all, are messengers of Allah. His knowledge of these matters is so strong and firm that it surpasses the understanding of many believers. However, despite this knowledge, he is expelled from Allah's mercy because faith is not just knowledge; it is also humility and responsiveness, a combination of speech, action, and belief. It is prostration, and if one cannot prostrate, then there is no faith. This is supported by Allah's statement: {But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.} [An-Nisa: 65].
Sa'id bin Jubair, may Allah have mercy on him, used to say, "I do not lament anything from this world except for prostration." As for Ali ibn Abdullah ibn Abbas, he was nicknamed "The prostrater" due to his frequent prostration. He often prostrated—this is what comes to mind—to stand in stark contrast to Iblees.
There is no doubt that prostration, in its true sense—meaning the prostration of the heart and limbs to Allah Almighty is a response to Allah and submission to Him. In this sense, it leads a person to Paradise.
Imam Muslim narrated in his Sahih from Abu Firas Rabi' ibn Kab Al-Aslami, the servant of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and one of the People of Suffa, may Allah be pleased with him. He said: "I used to spend the night with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, bringing him water for his ablution and his needs. He said to me: "Ask". I said; "I ask your company in Paradise". He replied; "Or something else?" I said; "That is it (i.e. that is what I desire)". He said; "Then help me to achieve this for you by devoting yourself often to prostration.''
Prostration, then, is among the means that help to train the soul to purify itself, and in this way, it is one of the pathways that lead to Paradise. In this context, Imam Muslim also narrated from Abu Abdur Rahman ibn Thawban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, who said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say: 'Perform Salah more often. For every prostration that you perform before Allah will raise your position one degree and will remit one of your sins'".
The prostration that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him, desires, as mentioned in these hadiths, is not merely the physical act we are familiar with. Rather, it encompasses a profound meaning within the soul that reflects the majesty, greatness, mercy, and love of Allah. It embodies submission to this majesty and greatness, as well as total surrender to the mercy of Allah as manifested in the Islamic message—its commands and prohibitions.
If prostration is an expression of humility and submission to Allah Almighty which is its true meaning when it is performed as an act of worship and obedience to Him, then it becomes a pathway to Paradise and even more than Paradise; it is a means of drawing closer to Allah Almighty.
Allah Almighty says: {But prostrate and draw near [to Allah].} [Al-'Alaq: 19], meaning draw near to Allah through prostration. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, also said: "The closest that the slave comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so invoke Allah much (in prostration)".
This meaning of prostration is what the angels achieved, while Iblees refused it. Iblees did not prostrate due to his arrogance; he stubbornly refused and was among the disbelievers. His pride led him to persist in his actions, justifying his refusal. If only he had turned back to himself, regretted, sought forgiveness, and repented, Allah Almighty would have accepted his repentance. However, he defied and insisted, and as a result, Allah expelled him from His mercy and love, casting him out from the gardens of His pleasure and compassion, depriving him of His blessings.
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, The Story of The Beginning of Creation and The Creation of Adam, peace be upon him, pp. 516-519.
- Stories of the Prophets in the Universe, Abdul Halim Mahmoud, p. 45-46.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of The Story of The Beginning of Creation and The Creation of Adam, peace be upon him on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
