Honoring Islamic Scholars: What Islam Teaches About Respect, Standing, and Prostration
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This delicate yet vital balance must be found between respecting fellow man and the necessity to venerate only Allah alone.
Methods of Honoring Scholars and Teachers
In Islam muslims show respect to the scholar or teacher in various ways such as listening intently when they are speaking, showing good etiquette, acknowledging their sacrifices, seeking knowledge and making supplication on their behalf. It is similar in kind with teachers and parents for their hard work and sacrifice and their unique status. The existence of rights belonging to Allah which are not to be attributed to anyone else, does not mean an outright denial of any form of respectful treatment due to others.
The intent is to bring matters into place.
Honors paid to a scholar should be in return for their knowledge, to parents due to their parents’ rights over us, to teacher due to the services they offered to mankind. Disrespect and admiration may extend too far. When a scholar or a person of authority is viewed as beyond wrong-doing or the fact is overlooked that scholars too have some limitations just as every human is limited or they are attributed with some sort of power beyond a human's capability, that's when something is wrong.
When, they are asked not to commit mistakes or not to give false verdicts or it is mentioned in a disrespectful way this reflects the disunity among people. A Muslims follower asks a scholarly question by not being ashamed and without being rude to him and expects knowledge that stands to the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), and it has been a widely stated aspect within Islamic jurisprudence. The Prostration To a scholar- (bowing down)The meaning of prostration, known in Arabic as Ruku’u( bowing down) and Sajdah (Prostration down to forehead and nose), represents the act of servitude solely to Allah Almighty.
Muslims are forbidden from prostrating to any other being or object.
The Hadith narrated by Qays ibn Sa’d [b] – (as found at 2140) relates that he saw people bowing down to their ruler. When he mentioned that The Messenger of Allah(PBUH) had more of a right to our bowing down to him, he [PBUH] said, “If I were to command that any person bow to any person, I would have commanded that women bow to their husbands because of their rights over them,” (reported by Abu Dawud at 2140). It means and makes explicit that no one except Allah has the right to demand any prostration or bowing down on another. Furthermore, it is to say that we are prohibited to bow down or prostrate down to even The Messenger of Allah(PBUH) what to speak of a worldly scholar or the saint!
Thus when, we are instructed not to bow down to our master The Messenger of Allah(PBUH), it has also clearly makes understood the fact that no person other then Allah alone can satisfy the person for his sinful past, protect him or his provision or control the secrets of human nature or what all goes into ones heart.
Therefore it stands explicit as against any notion of considering a scholar a way between Allah (SWT) and His slave; for they cannot absolve a person of their sins nor can control any unseen forces or unseen future.
What If Someone Stands Up for the Scholars?
Let’s be very clear.
Standing up for someone is not an act of devotion. Let’s be explicit about this that bowing down to people signifies one type of thing. Islam forbids that such a devotion as mentioned, to other than Allah (S.W.T), although even Prophet Muhammad(PBUH), did not have any interest or desired for the such kind of respect as it indicates something more then, what other human could ever be.
Whereas an act of standing up may indicate respect, love or honour in other ways such as the natural manner of welcoming someone who stands above us in either age, rank or the purpose of their being around, as such when they greet us with high morale.
Let us present an example; It was reported by Aisha[rta], (as found at Tirmidhi 3872) who said that “Fatimah(rta), daughter of Allah’s Messenger(pbuh) once came walking in a manner similar to how the Messenger (pbuh) used to walk in terms of her gait. Once The Messenger (pbuh) saw her coming and he stood up to greet her, saying, ‘Welcome, my daughter.’ And he kissed her. Then he made his seat available to her.” and Fatimah (rta), the daughter of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) reciprocated the respect by standing up for The Messenger (pbuh) when he came upon her.
This example clearly shows the intent of standing up can be a natural aspect of good social interaction without being an act of Worship as prostration is for other than Allah; the same as those instances of standing for parents, teacher, elders and even for a guests as a mark of good, sociable conduct.
How to Avoid Excessive ReverenceFor all things one should remain humble but we may, at times, overdo it beyond bounds. Islam does not proclaim scholars as inerrant. Nothing that a scholar states should be upheld unquestioningly whether it aligns or fails to align with the Qura’n and the Sunnah.
The prestige a scholar deserves is their wisdom and their role in clarifying theQura’n and the Sunnah in order to help Muslims progress in faith and closeness to Allah; they are not to be glorified and placed on par with Allah(SWT). When they write something or say that does not match what Allah has promised, they have the ability to challenge him respectfully and have a right to prove and ask their instructor. It does not display a lack of regard, and it instead represents an appropriate consideration of how every individual (including every professor and educator) may at times be fallible.
The affection for any one should be balanced by adherence to worship for Allah Alone, as was evidenced by the life and personal example of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
He was loving and kind, but ever aware of the need for adherence to true worship. Muslim followers have the ability to be impolite to their elders, scholar, teacher and even their own parents, while at the same time Muslims have the capability of attributing divine power to scholars or teachers by saying they help you with such powers. Loving a person without having any form of worship is the best for the servant and one should never try to love people above worshiping of Al –Mighty of the world and The Creator of everything. ConclusionThe honors of all kind must be established and practiced but with respect to the boundaries Islam defined.
Those of bowing down in an act of worship can ONLY be done Toward allah Almighty While standing up is a social conduct that reflects cordiality, welcome or politeness and it may be exercised towards everyone, young and old or a learned and or non-learned alike..
Muslim have to treat eachother good; however The scholars are the lights for this Ummah( community) whom you are advised to consult when matters occur that are of significance but yet bear in mind that ultimately for Allah the All Mighty only does man exist to Worship Him. The humble Muslim seeks comfort in the truth; understanding that whilst all of the humanity of us have rights upon each other as a society – Allah alone is due complete respect, divine worship and submission.
This is only for Islamic knowledge informations not for hurting others.