As-Sajda (The Prostration)

15. “Only those believe in Our signs who, when they are reminded of them, fall down prostrating (in obedience) and celebrate the praise of their Lord, and they are not proud,”

In its own style of teaching, when illustrating the feature of the wrong doers, the Qur’an mentions the signs of the true believers, too. Therefore, after explaining some things about the wrong doers and disbelievers in the former verses, here the Holy Qur’an refers to some outstanding qualities of the true believers.

It briefly states their creedal principles and practical programs through two verses by mentioning eight qualities of theirs.¹

It says:

“Only those believe in Our signs who, when they are reminded of them, fall down prostrating (in obedience) and celebrate the praise of their Lord, and they are not proud,”

The application of the Arabic word /’innama/, which is usually used for restriction, points to this matter that when someone claims faith and he is not qualified with the specialties mentioned in this noble verse he is not on the row of the true believers. He is a person of a weak faith who can not be counted among true believers.

In this holy verse four qualities of theirs are mentioned:

1- As soon as they hear the word ‘Allah’ they fall in prostration. The application of the term /xarru/ in place of /sajadu/ points to a tender matter, saying that this group of believers, whose hearts are vigilant, at the time of hearing the verses of the Qur’an will be so absorbed to the words of Allah that they voluntarily fall in prostration and lose their soul and heart in this way.

Yes, their first specialty is their ardent love and interest to the word of their believed and their object of worship. This very quality has been mentioned in some other verses of the Holy Qur’an, too, as one of the most outstanding qualities of the Divine prophets. Concerning a group of great Prophets, He says:

“…When the revelations of the Beneficent (Allah) were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping.”2

The verses are mentioned here absolutely, but it is clear that its purpose is mostly the verses that invite to Monotheism and struggle against polytheism.

2 and 3- Their second and third signs are celebration and praise unto Allah. From one side, they count Allah exempt from imperfection, and, from other side, they praise Him for His attributes of perfection and beauty.

4- Their other quality is modesty and abandoning any kind of arrogance, since pride is as the first step of the ladder of blasphemy and faithlessness, while modesty, in regard to the truth, is the first step of faith.

Those who pave the path of pride and egotism neither prostrate before Allah nor do they glorify and praise Him, nor do they formally respect the rights of His servants. They have a great idol and it is their selves.

At the end, there are four verses of the Qur’an that at the time of recitation of them, it is obligatory for us to fall ourselves in prostration.

The concerning Suras of these verses are: Fussilat, No. 41, An-Najm, No. 53, ‘Alaq, No. 96, and As-Sajdah, No. 32, and idiomatically they are called ‘Aza’im (incantations).

According to the school of Ahlul Bayt (as) the recitation of these four Suras in prayer, after Al-Hamd, is not permissible, and those who are in the state of major ritual impurity and monstrous women must not recite even one verse of these four Suras.