His Eminence Sheikh Abdul-Muhsin ibn Muhammad Al-Qassim, may Allah preserve him, delivered the Friday sermon entitled, All Creatures Worship Allah”, in which he explained that all objects and creatures worship Allah, the Lord of the earth and the heavens. He pointed out that all Allah’s creatures, including stones, trees, animals, birds, and plants, worship Allah, prostrate to Him, and glorify Him, and that the believer should exceed such objects and creatures in worshipping Allah. During the course of the sermon, Sheikh Al-Qassim cited some evidence from the Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah to this effect.

Praise be to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from our wrong deeds. He whom Allah guides, none can misguide, and he whom Allah sends astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah’s servant and messenger. May Allah bestow his bountiful peace and blessings upon him and upon his Household and Companions.

O Muslims!
Fear Allah, servants of Allah, as He should be feared, for he who fears his Lord will be elevated in rank and will enjoy eternal bliss after death.

O Muslims!
Allah has all the perfect and most beautiful attributes and He is free from all defects and imperfections. He is Self-Sufficient and Free of all wants, while His creatures depend on Him and are in constant need of Him. Allah, Glorified be He, says:

"If you disbelieve, you and all those on earth, then verily! Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), Owner of all Praise." (Ibrahim: 8)

He is the Owner of Majesty and Glory. Everything shows utter humility to Him and submits to Him willingly or unwillingly. The believer submits to Him willingly through faith in his heart and actions, while the disbeliever submits to Him unwillingly, in utter subservience and subjugation. Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says:

". . . to Him submitted all creatures in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly. And to Him shall they all be returned." (Al-Imran: 83)

All creatures submit completely to Allah, and all that is on the earth and in the heavens, including birds, pray to Allah and worship Him in their own ways. Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says:

"See you not (O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)) that Allah, He it is Whom glorify whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, and the birds with wings out-spread (in their flight). Of each one He (Allah) knows indeed his Salat (prayer) and his glorification, [or everyone knows his Salat (prayer) and his glorification] . . . " (An-Nur: 41)

Every day, the angels enter Al-Baitul-Ma’mur (the Oft-Frequented House in the seventh heaven parallel to the Ka’bah at Makkah) to pray in it. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, in the hadith of Israa’ (Prophet Muhammad’s Ascension to the heavens), Then Al-Baitul-Ma’mur was shown to me, so I asked Jibril (Angel Gabriel) about it and he replied, This is Al-Baitul-Ma’mur, where seventy thousand angels perform prayers every day. After they come out of it, they never return” (Agreed upon).

All creatures prostrate to Allah in utter humility and submissiveness. Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says:

"See you not that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Dawâb (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and many of mankind . . .?" (Al-Hajj: 18)

Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, said, The way other creatures prostrate [to Allah] need not be the same as that of man.”

Animals and angels prostrate out of fear of Allah. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

"And to Allah prostate all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the live moving creatures and the angels, and they are not proud (i.e. they worship their Lord (Allah) with humility). They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded." (An-Nahl: 49-50)

Every day, the sun goes down under the Throne and prostrates to Allah. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Abu-Dharr When the sun set one day, Do you know where the sun goes?” I (Abu Dharr) said, Allah and His Messenger know best”.  He said, It goes and prostrates under [Allah’s] Throne” (Agreed upon). Ibn al-Arabi, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, said, Nothing prevents the Power of Allah from enabling everything, including animals and inanimate objects, to prostrate to Him.” In fact, all that exists in the universe prostrates to Allah. Allah, Glorified be He, says:

"Have they not observed things that Allah has created, (how) their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly?" (An-Nahl: 48)

In addition to their prayers and prostration to Allah, all creatures glorify Him and celebrate His praises. Allah, Exalted be He, says:

"The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein glorify Him. . . " (Al- Isra: 44)
Thunder celebrates Allah’s praises in awe of Him. Ants also glorify Allah and exalt Him above having any partners or peers. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, An ant stung a prophet, so he ordered that the entire ant colony be burnt. Then Allah revealed to him: ‘Is it because you were stung by an ant that you burnt a nation amongst the nations that glorify Me?’” (Agreed upon).

Plants also glorify Allah alone. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, once said, Therefore, Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, Who knows the places where leaves fall and the soil in which they grow, such that no leaf grows without His permission and no leaf falls without His knowledge. However, if the servants of Allah observed this large and various number of plants as well as the fruits, the branches and the trees in the act of glorifying Allah, they would perceive their beauty and contemplate their creation in a different way, and they would realize that they were created for a great purpose.”

The Prophet’s Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, would hear food glorifying Allah when they were eating with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, We used to hear the food glorifying Allah while it was being eaten" (Reported by Al-Bukhari).

Even every atom in this universe glorifies Allah. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
". . .  and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. . ." (Al-Israa: 44)

Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, commented on this verse saying, This applies to all animals, objects, and plants without exception.”

However, only Allah knows the manner in which each creature glorifies Him. Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says:

". . . but you understand not their glorification. . ." (Al-Israa:44)

When glorifying Allah, stones fall down from their height in total fear of Him and in complete submission to Him. Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says:

". . . There are of them (stones) which fall down for fear of Allah . . ." (Al-Baqarah: 74)
The heavens and the earth are obedient to Allah and they comply to His orders. When Allah asked them to comply with His will and command willingly or unwillingly,
". . . They both said, We come, willingly.”" (Fussilat: 11)

When the heavens, the earth, and the mountains were offered to bear the responsibility of carrying out the religious duties for which they would be rewarded if they performed them and punished if they did not do so (al-amanah), they declined to bear such a burden for fear that they might not fulfil such duties, and not out of disobedience to their Lord.

There were even objects that loved the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and greeted him during his lifetime. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, I still know of a stone in Makkah that used to greet me prior to my advent as a Prophet” (Reported by Muslim). There was also a palm tree trunk that cried loudly when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, stopped standing by it during delivering his sermons. Jabir ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, The roof of the mosque was built over trunks of palm trees which served as pillars. Whenever the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, delivered a sermon, he would stand by one of those trunks. But when the pulpit was made for him, he used it instead. We then heard the trunk moaning like a pregnant she-camel. It kept doing so until the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came to it and laid his hand over it, and it was only then that the trunk calmed down” (Reported by Al-Bukhari).

Whenever Al-Hassan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on his soul, discussed this hadith, he said, Fellow Muslims! A piece of wood longed for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him! You are more obligated than this piece of wood to long for him.” A sign of true love for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is to follow his guidance without excess or negligence.

A rock once moved when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and some of his closest companions ascended it. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was upon Hira, a mountain in Makkah, and Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Talha, and Az-Zubair were along with him when the boulder (that is, Mount Hira) shook. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then said to it, ‘Calm down. There is none upon you but a prophet, a man of truth, or a martyr’” (Reported by Muslim).

Regarding this narration, Ibn Al-Munayyir, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, said, This is a trepidation of joy; that is why [the Prophet, peace be upon him] affirmed the position of prophethood, truthfulness, and martyrdom, which are bound to cause the joy of anything with which they come into contact.”

Mount Uhud even loves the believers who obey Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, Uhud is a mountain which loves us and which we love” (Reported by Al-Bukhari). An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said, Mount Uhud truly loves us, for Allah, Exalted be He, has endowed it with a quality whereby it is able to feel love.”

The family of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, had a wild animal. Whenever the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, entered his house, it would stay still so that it might not harm him. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, The family of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, had a wild animal. Whenever Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, left the house, it would play wildly and scamper back and forth. However, when it sensed that Allah’s Messenger was coming in, it would sit down and would not move as long as Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was at home for fear that it would harm him” (Reported by Ahmad).

Indeed, all creatures, with the exception of humans and jinn who disobey Allah, recognise that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Jabir ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, We set out with Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, on a journey, and as we got to one of the orchards belonging to the clan of Banu An-Najjar, we saw that there was a camel that would spring up at the sight of anyone coming into the orchard, in an attempt to attack him. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was told of this, he made his way to the orchard and called the camel, which came to him, bending its head low [out of reverence for him], and kneeled down before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Go and fetch me its bridle.’ [It was brought and] he bridled the camel and turned it over to its owner. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then turned to the people and said, ‘Everything between the heavens and the earth knows that I am the Messenger of Allah, except the humans and jinn who are disobedient to Allah’” (Reported by Ahmad).

Everything in the heavens and on the earth, including the fish in the sea, pray to Allah to forgive scholars of Islam. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the depths of the oceans seek forgiveness for the learned people” (Reported by Abu Dawud). The boxthorn (al-gharqad) tree gives help and support to the believers. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, You (i.e. Muslims) will fight with the Jews until some of them hide behind stones. The stone will then say, ‘O Servant of Allah! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him’” (Agreed upon).

There are some creatures that recite the talbiyah (saying labbaik-allahumma labbaik during hajj and umrah) along with a Muslim when he recites it. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, There is no Muslim who recites the talbiyah during hajj and umrah but that which is to his right and left also recites it—rocks or trees or mud, to the farthest ends of the earth in each direction, from here and from there” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi).

The heavens and the earth even weep in grief over the believer who passes away. Allah, Glorified be He, says of the people of Pharaoh:

"And the heavens and the earth wept not for them, nor were they given a respite." (Ad-Dukhan: 29)

Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said, When a believer dies and leaves the place where he used to pray and remember Allah, the heavens and the earth weep for him.” As for those who disobey Allah, all creatures are harmed by them and they are only relieved at their death.

A funeral procession once passed by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said, ‘Either relieved or relieved of!’ The people then asked, O Messenger of Allah! Who is relieved and who is relieved of?’ He said, ‘When a servant who is a believer passes away, he is relieved of the hardships and suffering of this world and goes to the mercy of Allah. But when a transgressor dies, people, towns, trees, and animals are relieved of him” (Agreed upon).

Shirk, or associating partners with Allah in worship, is the greatest of all sins. Even inanimate objects, out of glorification of Allah, would be filled with anger at hearing someone associating partners with Allah, Exalted be He, as this is bound to encroach upon His prerogative to be worshipped alone. Allah, Glorified be He, says:

"And they say: The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a son (or offspring or children) [as the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah, and the Christians say that He has begotten a son [‘Iesa (Christ)], and the pagan Arabs say that He has begotten daughters (angels, etc.)].” Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing, whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins." (Maryam: 88- 90)

Commenting on these verses, Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, said, This means that the heavens, the earth, and the mountains almost react in this way out of glorification of Allah when they hear the transgressors of the children of Adam associate partners with Allah, for such inanimate objects have been created and established as true monotheists.”

Even a bird voiced disapproval of some people who associated partners with Allah, and called them to true monotheism (tawheed). The hoopoe said to Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon), peace be upon Him,

". . . and I have come to you from Saba’ (Sheba) with true news. I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne. I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah, and Shaitan (Satan) has made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and has barred them from (Allah’s) Way, so they have no guidance, so they do not worship (prostrate before) Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal." ( An-Naml: 22-25)

As the hoopoe called to goodness, worshipping Allah alone, and prostrating to Him alone, "it is prohibited to kill it" (Reported by Ahmad).

O Muslims!
All creatures, be they angels, inanimate objects, plants, or animals, voice the glorification of Allah and testify to His Oneness, and prostrate to Allah and obey Him. The children of Adam are more obligated to do this. If man truly worships Allah alone, he will be the most honourable of all creatures, whereas those who associate partners with Allah are far worse than animals. Allah, Glorified be He, says:

". . . They are like cattle, nay even more astray. . ." (Al-A’raf: 179)

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan:

"They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified is He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him!" (Az-Zumar: 67)

May Allah bless you and me with the Great Qur’an and make us benefit from its verses and wise words. I have said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness of Allah for myself, for you, and for all Muslims, for any sin that we have committed. Ask Allah for forgiveness.