Revisiting Human: Body or Soul? Part XIV: Forehead / جَبِين (Q37:103:4)
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعۡىَ قَالَ يٰبُنَىَّ اِنِّىۡۤ اَرٰى فِى الۡمَنَامِ اَنِّىۡۤ اَذۡبَحُكَ فَانْظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرٰىؕ قَالَ يٰۤاَبَتِ افۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُ
سَتَجِدُنِىۡۤ اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَ
فَلَمَّاۤ اَسۡلَمَا وَتَلَّهٗ لِلۡجَبِيۡنِۚ ١٠٣
وَنَادَيۡنٰهُ اَنۡ يّٰۤاِبۡرٰهِيۡمُۙ
قَدۡ صَدَّقۡتَ الرُّءۡيَا ۚ اِنَّا كَذٰلِكَ نَجۡزِى الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ
اِنَّ هٰذَا لَهُوَ الۡبَلٰٓؤُا الۡمُبِيۡنُ
وَفَدَيۡنٰهُ بِذِبۡحٍ عَظِيۡمٍ
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion,1 he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allāh wills, of the steadfast."
103 And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead,
We called to him, "O Abraham,
You have fulfilled the vision." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
Indeed, this was the clear trial.
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,
[Al-Quran 37:102-107]
The Quran relates the great sacrifice demanded from Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام): to sacrifice his only child, and the child's complete submission to what was required of his father. The physical expression of this complete submission was the father putting his son down upon his forehead: the posture of prostration.
And so, we read in Surah Al-Ala`, which begins with the tasbih of prostration, and concludes with the mention of the Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام):
سَبِّحِ اسۡمَ رَبِّكَ الۡاَعۡلَىۙ ١
Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,
...
صُحُفِ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ وَمُوۡسٰى ١٩
The scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
[Al-Quran 87:1-19]
In Surah Maryam, the first ruku mentions Zakariya and John (Yahya عليه السلام). The second ruku mention Mary (Maryam عليھا السلام) and her son Jesus (Isa عليه السلام). Then, in the third Ruku, which begins with the mention of Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) , and his progeny Isaac (Ishaque عليه السلام) and Jacob (Yaqub عليه السلام), and then Moses (Musa عليه السلام) and his brother Aaron (Haroon عليه السلام), and then it mentions Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام), and Enoch (Idris عليه السلام), and then Noah (Nuh عليه السلام), and then Adam عليه السلام , about them we read:
اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ الَّذِيۡنَ اَنۡعَمَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ مِّنَ النَّبِيّٖنَ مِنۡ ذُرِّيَّةِ اٰدَمَ وَمِمَّنۡ حَمَلۡنَا مَعَ نُوۡحٍ وَّمِنۡ ذُرِّيَّةِ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ وَاِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ وَمِمَّنۡ هَدَيۡنَا وَاجۡتَبَيۡنَا ؕ اِذَا تُتۡلٰى عَلَيۡهِمۡ اٰيٰتُ الرَّحۡمٰنِ خَرُّوۡا سُجَّدًا وَّبُكِيًّا
Those were the ones upon whom Allāh bestowed favor from among the prophets of the descendants of Adam and of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah, and of the descendants of Abraham and Israel [i.e., Jacob], and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping.
[Al-Quran 19:58]
Surah al_Alaq is supposed to be the first surah revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ . The surah concludes with the instruction to prostrate and get closer to Allah:
كَلَّاؕ لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَاسۡجُدۡ وَاقۡتَرِبْ ١٩
No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allāh].
[Al-Quran 96:19]
Prostration
Prostration is a physical act of submission to a higher authority. Humans are called upon to fall in prostration to their Lord, Allah ﷻ, willingly. Those who submit willingly in this world can hope for a beautiful Hereafter.
اِنَّمَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِاٰيٰتِنَا الَّذِيۡنَ اِذَا ذُكِّرُوۡا بِهَا خَرُّوۡا سُجَّدًا وَّسَبَّحُوۡا بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُوۡنَ
Only those believe in Our verses who, when they are reminded by them, fall down in prostration and exalt [Allāh] with praise of their Lord, and they are not arrogant.
[Al-Quran 32:15]
The act of prostration requires the placing of the forehead on the ground. Different religions have various body postures when going into prostration, some with full body flat on the ground, others with knees bent, but almost all involve placing the forehead on the ground. Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has taught us to go in prostration on seven bones:
On the Day when we will be gathered together for judgement and recompense, we will be called upon to prostrate to our Lord, Allah ﷻ . More on this at: The Ayat about The Shin.
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