Is It Wrong to Prostrate (Sujud) to One’s Parents?

Is It Wrong to Prostrate (Sujud) to One’s Parents?

Respecting parents is one of the most emphasized matters in Islam. Being dutiful to them is a mandatory righteous deed in Islam. Disobedience to them is among the major sins that invite Allah’s wrath and the punishment of Hellfire. However, this does not mean one is permitted to do anything in the name of honoring their parents. Respecting parents and treating them with ihsan (kindness) are commands from Allah; therefore, it is only proper to follow the Shari'a of Allah and His Messenger. Do not let the pretext of glorifying parents lead one into matters condemned by the Shari'a. We have written this article as a response and correction to those who consider prostrating to parents "natural" on the basis of glorification and devotion. Indeed, due to deep ignorance (jahiliyyah), some even refuse to believe that Islam strictly forbids such acts.

The companion Abdullah bin Abu Aufa narrated:

لَمَّا قَدِمَ مُعَاذٌ مِنَ الشَّامِ سَجَدَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: مَا هَذَا يَا مُعَاذُ؟ قَالَ: أَتَيْتُ الشَّامَ فَوَافَقْتُهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ لِأَسَاقِفَتِهِمْ وَبَطَارِقَتِهِمْ، فَوَدِدْتُ فِي نَفْسِي أَنْ نَفْعَلَ ذَلِكَ بِكَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: فَلَا تَفْعَلُوا، فَإِنِّي لَوْ كُنْتُ آمِرًا أَحَدًا أَنْ يَسْجُدَ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ، لَأَمَرْتُ الْمَرْأَةَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ لِزَوْجِهَا، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ، لَا تُؤَدِّي الْمَرْأَةُ حَقَّ رَبِّهَا حَتَّى تُؤَدِّيَ حَقَّ زَوْجِهَا، وَلَوْ سَأَلَهَا نَفْسَهَا وَهِيَ عَلَى قَتَبٍ لَمْ تَمْنَعْهُ 

“When Muadz (bin Jabal) arrived from Syria, he prostrated to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet asked, ‘What is this, O Muadz?’ Muadz replied, ‘I visited Syria and found the people there prostrating to their bishops and patriarchs. I wished in my heart to do the same for you.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Do not do that. For if I were to command anyone to prostrate to other than Allah, I would have commanded the woman to prostrate to her husband. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, a woman has not fulfilled the right of her Lord until she has fulfilled the right of her husband. Even if he asked her for herself (for intimacy) while she was on the back of a camel, she should not refuse him.’” (Narrated by Ibn Majah: 1853)

The wording, “If I were to command anyone to prostrate to other than Allah, I would have commanded the woman to prostrate to her husband,” is supported by many narrations from several companions, including Aisha, Abu Hurairah, Qais bin Sa’ad, Anas bin Malik, and Muadz bin Jabal (1). These supporting reports are narrated by the famous authors of the Sunan used as references—An-Nasai, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah—through various transmission paths. This indicates the undeniable authenticity of the hadith (2). Imam Ash-Syaukani stated regarding this phrasing, "These various narrations support and strengthen one another." (Nailul Authar, 6/248)

If prostrating to the Messenger of Allah himself was not permitted by him, then prostrating to any other creature is certainly even more prohibited. There is no human more noble in the sight of Allah and more deserving of honor than the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said:

لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ وَوَالِدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ

“None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his child, his parent, and all of mankind.” (Narrated by Muslim: 70 from Anas bin Malik) (3)

This indicates that the one most glorified by a Muslim after Allah Ta’ala is the Messenger of Allah. If the Messenger of Allah forbade the companions from prostrating to him, then prostrating to parents is even more forbidden, even if that prostration is intended only for respect and glorification. The same applies to prostrating to kings, emperors, teachers, spiritual guides (mursyid), or any other creature. Imam Al-Mudzhiri Al-Hanafi said:

يَعْنِي لاَ يَجُوزُ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ لِغَيْرِ اللهِ، وَلَوْ جَازَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ أحدٌ لِغَيْرِ اللهِ لَأَمَرْتُ الْمَرْأَةَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ لِزَوْجِهَا

“It means that it is not permissible for anyone to prostrate to other than Allah. Had it been permissible for someone to prostrate to other than Allah, I would have commanded the woman to prostrate to her husband.” (Al-Mafatih fi Syarh Al-Mashabih, 4/88)

Explanations from the Scholars

Scholars agree on the prohibition of prostrating to other than Allah (including parents), even if the intention is for respect or glorification rather than worship. Imam An-Nawawi stated:

وَأَمَّا مَا يَفْعَلُهُ عَوَامُّ الْفُقَرَاءِ وَشِبْهُهُمْ مِنْ سُجُودِهِمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ الْمَشَايِخِ... فَهُوَ حَرَامٌ بِإِجْمَاعِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

“As for what is done by the common folk and their like, such as prostrating before sheikhs—even if they were new to Islam—this act is haram according to the consensus of the Muslims. It makes no difference whether the person is in a state of purity or not, or whether they face the Qibla or not. Many of them imagine that this is a form of humility...” (Al-Majmu’ Syarh Al-Muhaddzab, 2/67)

Syaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

وَأَجْمَعَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَلَى أَنَّ السُّجُودَ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ مُحَرَّمٌ

“The Muslims have agreed that prostration to other than Allah is forbidden.” (Majmu’ Al-Fatawa, 4/358)

Even if the intention of the prostration is for Allah, it remains forbidden if intentionally performed in front of a human. Imam An-Nawawi stated:

... بَلْ ذَلِكَ حَرَامٌ قَطْعًا بِكُلِّ حَالٍ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ إلَى الْقِبْلَةِ أَوْ غَيْرَهَا وَسَوَاءٌ قَصَدَ السُّجُودَ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى أَوْ غَفَلَ

“...Rather, that is categorically haram in every circumstance, whether it is toward the Qibla or otherwise, and whether one intends the prostration for Allah Ta’ala or is heedless. In some forms, it can entail disbelief (kufr) or border upon it.” (Al-Majmu’ Syarhul Muhaddzab, 4/69)

This is reinforced by explanations from the four schools of thought. All of them prohibit prostrating to other than Allah, including parents, because prostration in the Shari'a of Muhammad ﷺ is exclusively for Allah. Imam Az-Zaila’i (Hanafi) stated:

وَمَا يَفْعَلُونَ مِنْ تَقْبِيلِ الْأَرْضِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَحَرَامٌ وَالْفَاعِلُ وَالرَّاضِي بِهِ آثِمَانِ

“What they do by kissing the ground (prostrating) before scholars is haram. The one performing it and the one pleased with it are both sinful because it resembles the worship of idols...” (Tabyin Al-Haqaiq, 6/25)

Imam Ibn Hajar Al-Haytami (Shafi'i) commented:

... وَقَدْ يَكُونُ حَرَاماً بِأَنْ قَصَدَ بِهِ تَعْظِيمَهُ أَوْ أُطْلَقُ, وَكَذَا يُقَالُ فِي الْوَالِدِ

“...It may be haram if the intention is merely to glorify the creature or if it is done without a specific intent. The same ruling applies to (prostrating to) a parent.” (Al-I’lam bi Qawati’ Al-Islam, 1/75)

Imam Ar-Ruhaibani (Hanbali) stated:

... وَالتَّحِيَّةُ لِمَخْلُوقٍ بِالسُّجُودِ لَهُ كَبِيرَةٌ مِنْ الْكَبَائِرِ الْعِظَامِ

“...Honoring a creature by prostrating to it is a major sin among the greatest major sins... Prostration can only be for Allah.” (Mathalib Uli An-Nuha, 6/279)

Imam Al-Qurthubi (Maliki) wrote in his tafsir:

قُلْتُ: وَهَذَا السُّجُودُ الْمَنْهِيُّ عَنْهُ قَدِ اتَّخَذَهُ جُهَّالُ الْمُتَصَوِّفَةِ عَادَةً... ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ وَخَابَ عَمَلُهُمْ

“I say: This forbidden prostration has been taken up as a custom by the ignorant among the Sufis... they are astray in their efforts and their deeds are in vain.” (Al-Jami’ li Ahkam Al-Quran, 1/294)

Some scholars even declare disbelief for anyone who prostrates to a creature regardless of intent. For example, Imam As-Sarkhasi (Hanafi) said:

... أَنَّ السُّجُودَ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَى وَجْهِ التَّعْظِيمِ كُفْرٌ

“...Prostrating to other than Allah Ta’ala with the intention of glorification is kufr (disbelief).” (Al-Mabsuth, 24/130).

This is further emphasized by Imam Ibnul Qayyim Al-Jauziyah (Hanbali):

وَمِنْ أَنْوَاعِ الشِّرْكِ سُجُودُ الْمُرِيدِ لِلشَّيْخِ... وَالْعَجَبُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: لَيْسَ هَذَا بِسُجُودٍ، وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ وَضْعُ الرَّأْسِ قُدَّامَ الشَّيْخِ احْتِرَامًا وَتَوَاضُعًا

“Among the types of shirk (polytheism) is the prostration of a student to his teacher... It is strange that they say: ‘This is not prostration! It is just placing the head before the teacher out of respect.’ To them it is said: whatever you name it, the reality of prostration is placing the head before the one prostrated to...” (Madarij As-Salikin, 1/352)

Conclusion

Prostrating to parents is haram according to the consensus of the scholars; no scholar has ever disputed this except for those who are ignorant or misguided. The prohibition of prostrating to other than Allah remains haram regardless of the reason, even with good intentions like glorification. Prostrating to other than Allah (including parents) on the basis of worship is shirk and kufr that can take one out of Islam. Prostrating to other than Allah is a major sin if intended only for glorification or respect. Therefore, it is inappropriate and impermissible to prostrate to parents. Wallahu a’lam bi as-shawab.