Bowing Your Head

[Hope]

Salaam,

My husband and I were watching a program here (Malaysia) where the new king was being crowned. It was a live event being broadcasted. I found it really bad that in a muslim country they were bowing their head down at the king and not turning their back towards him. Is this bidah/haram? I thought muslims were only to bow their heads down for Allah(swt) and no1 else.

It is probably their tradition but is it allowed??

 

[Happy 2BA Muslim]

The usual greeting is “Assalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (Peace be upon you, and the Mercy of Allaah and His Blessings), because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“greet one another with a greeting from Allaah (i.e. say: As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum — peace be on you), blessed and good”

[al-Noor 24:61]

The ahaadeeth explain this greeting clearly.

But bowing is not permitted, unless the person being greeted is old and is unable to stand up, or is one of your parents and you do not want to make him or her stand up to shake your hand or embrace you. So if you bow and kiss his head or forehead out of respect for the rights that he has over you, then this is not the kind of bowing that constitutes an act of worship. Undoubtedly bowing is an act of worship towards Allaah, as in rukoo’ (the bowing in prayer), so if that is done without shaking hands or kissing, it is an act of veneration towards that person and is therefore shirk.

It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “A man said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, when one of us meets his friend, can he bow to him?’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Can he hug him and kiss him?’ He said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Can he shake hands with him?’ He said, ‘Yes, if he wishes.’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2728; he said it is a hasan hadeeth. Also narrated by Ibn Maajah. 3702. The hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 160).

Ibn Taymiyah said: “With regard to bowing in greeting, this is forbidden as narrated in al-Tirmidhi from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), that they asked him about a man who meets his brother and bows to him, and he said no to that. That is because it is not permitted to bow or prostrate for anyone except Allaah.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 1/377).

Islam Q&A

 

[sharaz]

Salaam,

bowing is not permitted, as is for only for Allah. So if you bow or kiss his head out of respect for the rights that he has over you, then this is not the kind of bowing that constitutes an act of worship. Undoubtedly bowing is an act of worship towards Allaah, as in rukoo’ (the bowing in prayer), so if that is done without shaking hands or kissing, it is an act of veneration towards that person and is therefore shirk.

JazakaAllah Kheir

 

[sharaz]

Sorry its already been answered...lol

 

[Hope]

Salaam,

bowing is not permitted, as is for only for Allah. So if you bow or kiss his head out of respect for the rights that he has over you, then this is not the kind of bowing that constitutes an act of worship. Undoubtedly bowing is an act of worship towards Allaah, as in rukoo’ (the bowing in prayer), so if that is done without shaking hands or kissing, it is an act of veneration towards that person and is therefore shirk.

JazakaAllah Kheir

They were bowing out of respect but also because he is the king and therefore superior to them. I dont want to offend anyone if they are Malay as this is a tradition here as I understand it. But as I muslim I did feel this was not right hence my post here.

 

[TheHumbleWun]

Asalaamalikum,

Even in like karate or taekwondo classes you have to bow (your head/eyes) to your fighter and that is haram too. One of my cousins owns a karate gym and he does not let the participants bow to each other or even to him. I've even noticed the Muslim karate places (usually offered by the masjids) here are aware of this and has taken the act of bowing out of the initial engagement - alhamdulillah. Muslims only need to bow to the one and only- Allah swt.

 

[abdallahbilal]

:salam2:
I think one of the most great tenets in Islam is that it stands against whatever leads to Shirk. I don't know about bowing, but I once heard an Imam say that prostration (out of respect but not worship) to great men was allowed in previous monotheistic religions as when the brothers of Joseph/Yusuf (pbuh) prostrated before him (out of respect). The Imam also said that prostration to humans was abrogated in Islam because people misused it.

Does anyone know if this explanation is genuine??

 

[Umm Aysha]

Asalaamu Alaykum

Well sis hope did you enjoy the movie....lol.

I got ya text and yea i shud be able to return the stuff insha-Allah....you made me waste a journey woman...lol...khayr

Anyhow i believe its wrong bowing to anyone else other than Allah Subhana Hu Wa Ta'ala...i dont kno if you know anything bout british laws :tongue: but ppl bow here to the queen...

wasalam

 

[Abdul Hasib]

I think that it's only for humans (and Jinn) to bow only to Allah because when our Nabi (SAW) and the other Nabis were kids and passed by animals or sat with them and fed them, the animals would protect them and be their companions, while the trees and rocks would bow to the Nabis.

i got tyhis idea because Bahira said to Abu Talib that the trees and the rocks bowed down when our prophet was nearby and that they only do so to a Nabi of Allah.

I also know that tradition of bowing and touching the feet tradition. A lot of people do it in Bangladesh. Even Muslims So I told my dad that we can't bow down to anybody but Allah and I told my mom befoer that it was Shirk and she understood and stood up for what I told my dad that it was Shirk. The tradition is that you bow to an elder or your parents and touch their feet on Eid.

And Allah knows best.