The excuse is worse than the sin!
Unable to reply, the mentioned group says that since this kind of humility is a response to the order of God, it is not considered an act of polytheism.
But, it is very obvious that this reply is untenable; for, God never orders others to perform any act that has polytheistic nature.
The Glorious Qur’an says:
﴾ قُلْ إِنَّ اللّهَ لا يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشاءِ أَ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ ما لا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿
“Say, ‘Indeed Allah does not enjoin indecencies. Do you attribute to Allah what you do not know?”[1]
In principle, the command of God does not change the nature of a thing. If the true meaning of showing humility to a certain person is to worship him and it is something enjoined by God then, it is a command to worship Him.
Resolving the ambiguity and the true meaning of ‘ibādah
Now, it is clear that the impermissibility of worshipping anyone other than God is unanimously accepted by the monotheists in the world. On the other hand, it is evident that the prostration of the angels to Ādam (‘a) or that of Ya‘qūb (‘a) and his sons to Yūsuf (‘a) cannot be considered an act of worshipping those whom humility is shown.
Now, let us examine the element that makes humility in the first instance an act of worship, and does not make the same form of humility be within the ambit of worship.
The Qur’anic verses make clear that the humility shown to a being who is looked at as god or to whom divine acts are attributed is considered worship. From this statement, it is clear that the belief in God or belief that He can perform divine acts lends humility the sense of “worship”.
The polytheists of the world including the residents of the Arabian Peninsula and the like used to be subjected and humbled before beings whom they regarded as creatures of God and they also believed that those shown humility are capable of performing divine acts, the least of which were the forgiving of sins and enjoying the station of intercession.
A group of Babylonian polytheists used to worship heavenly objects and regard them as their “lords” [arbāb] rather than “creators” to whom the management and administration of the world and human beings was entrusted. The narrative of Hadrat Ibrāhīm (‘a) and his debate with that group is based on this very principle; for, the polytheists of Babylonia never regarded the sun, the moon and the stars as gods but as powerful creatures to whom the station of lordship and management of the world was delegated.
The Qur’anic verses which refer to Ibrāhīm’s (‘a) debate with the Babylonian polytheists are mainly concerned with the word “lord” [rabb],[2] and the term “lord” is used in the sense of owner and manager of his own property.
The Arabs call the owner of house as rabb al-bayt and the owner of farm as rabb aḍ-ḍay‘ah because the management of house and farm is entrusted to the owner.
By introducing God as the Sole Manager and Lord of the worlds, the Glorious Qur’an urges [the Muslims] to combat the group of polytheists, and invites them to worship the One and Only God, saying: ﴾ إِنَّ اللّهَ رَبّي وَ رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هذا صِراطٌ مُسْتَقيمٌ ﴿ “Indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord; so worship Him. This is a straight path.”[3]
In another place, it says:
﴾ ذلِكُمُ اللّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لا إِلهَ إِلاّ هُوَ خالِقُ كُلّ ِ شَيْ ءٍ فَاعْبُدُوهُ ﴿
“That is Allah, your Lord, there is no god except Him, the creator of all things; so worship Him.”[4]
In Sūrah ad-Dukhān, it is stated:
﴾ لا إِلهَ إِلاّ هُوَ يُحْيي وَ يُميتُ رَبُّكُمْ وَ رَبُّ آبائِكُمُ اْلأَوَّلينَ ﴿
“There is no god except Him: He gives life and brings death, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.”[5]
Quoting Ḥaḍrat ‘Īsā (‘a), the Holy Qur’an thus says:
﴾ وَ قالَ الْمَسيحُ يا بَني إِسْرائيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللّهَ رَبّي وَ رَبَّكُمْ ﴿
“But the Messiah had said, ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’.”[6]
It is clear from what have been stated so far that showing any kind of humility to someone without considering that one as lord and god or attributing divine acts to that one cannot be called “worship”, no matter how extreme that humility and lowliness are.
Therefore, even the extreme form of humility shown by a child to his mother and father or that shown by the ummah to the Prophet (ṣ) can by no means be interpreted as worshipping those to whom humility is shown.
Consequently, such subjects as seeking blessings [tabarruk] through the belongings of sacred people, kissing the door and wall or their shrines, resorting to awliyā’ for mediation [tawassul], calling on the pious servants of God, commemorating the birthday or death anniversary of eminent sacred people, and so on which some of the ignorant regard as polytheism or worshipping other than God, are not located within the parameters of worshipping other than God.
