Sajdah to other than Allah

[Abou_Tourab]

salam alaykoum

I have a question : somebody prostrates before a statue without believing in it. Is he kafir ?

According to my readings it seems to be cheikh ben baz wa cheikh rajihi's opinion.

Can anyone develops this subject ?

Here is a question asked to cheikh rajihi :

Question: Is the committal of disbelief limited to denying (the truth; i.e. takdheeb) and holding a firm belief (in falsehood; i.e. ‘Itiqaad)?

Answer: Disbelief is not just restricted to denial. Disbelief occurs due to denial when someone denies Allaah or rejects the Messenger. Or if someone rejects something that is known from the Religion by necessity, he also commits disbelief. It can also occur due to an action, as is the case when someone prostrates to an idol, even if he doesn’t believe in it. If someone tramples over the mus-haf with his feet whilst doing so intentionally, he commits disbelief. Or if he stains the mus-haf with impurities or with urine intentionally, he commits disbelief.... (Sharh Nawaqid-ul-Islam)

And now cheikh Ibn Baz :

Question: However O Shaykh, by the mere action! Such as the prostration of Mu’aadh to the Prophet (alaihis-salaatu was-salaam), by the mere action?

Imaam Ibn Baaz: This person made ta’weel (muta’awwil), and he can be considered to be ignorant. The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) explained (the matter) to him. Then the Sharee’ah was firmly established and it was known that prostration is to Allaah alone, “So prostrate to Allaah and worship Him” (Najm 53:62), and the affair was concluded. Mu’aadh was ignorant, and so the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) taught him. Now, the Sharee’ah is established (in the minds and hearts of people), and it is known that prostration is for Allaah, “So prostrate to Allaah and worship Him”, and that sacrifice is for Allaah alone, “Say, verily my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allaah the Lord of the Worlds, He has no partner…” (An’aam 6:162-163). Hence, the one who is amongst the Muslims and who prostrates to other than Allaah, he is a disbeliever and upon him is repentance.”

[aburasheed]

Shirk is a subset of Kufr. Shirk is not only limited to action of the heart, it also includes the action of the limbs.

[Abou_Tourab]

As salamou 3alaykoum

This is not my question.
My question was : somebody prostrates before a statue without believing in it. Is he kafir ?

Or, Is there any tafsil ? sajdah of respect and sajdah of 'ibadah ?

In fact cheikh ibn baz's answer is general : to prostrate before other than Allah is shirk

[Abuz Zubair]

Sh Ibn Baz is talking generally about the Muslim countries where prostration is not at all customary. So in Muslim lands, one wouldn't really prostrate except for worship.

Similarly, if someone ends up prostrating to the next person, let's say in a martial arts session, he would not be guilty of kufr, but haram.

[aburasheed]

As salamou 3alaykoum

This is not my question.
My question was : somebody prostrates before a statue without believing in it. Is he kafir ?

Or, Is there any tafsil ? sajdah of respect and sajdah of 'ibadah ?

In fact cheikh ibn baz's answer is general : to prostrate before other than Allah is shirk

Yes, there are different types of prostration: 1) out of respect 2) worship

The first type was mentioned in the Quran:
وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّواْلَهُ سُجَّداً وَقَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَـذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَارَبِّي حَقّاً وَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ بَي إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ وَجَاء بِكُممِّنَ الْبَدْوِ مِن بَعْدِ أَن نَّزغَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِي إِنَّرَبِّي لَطِيفٌ لِّمَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ
And he raised his parents to the throne and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of the bedouin-life, after Shaitan (Satan) had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He will. Truly He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. [Yusuf 100]

And also the prostration of Angels to Adam is considered as prostration of respect.

It was permissible to do prostration of respect in previous nations, but that has been abrogated, as stated in this hadith where Mu'adh prostrated to the Prophet (SAW) (out of respect).

When Mu`âdh ibn Jabal returned from al-Shâm he prostrated to the Prophet who said, "What is this, Mu`âdh?" He replied, when I came to Shâm I found them prostrating to their priests and bishops, so I told myself I would like to do the same to you." The Messenger of Allâh said: "Do not! If I were to order anyone to prostrate to anyone else, I would order woman to prostrate to her husband due to the greatness of his right over her. [Ibn Majah]

This hadith is related to scarifies but the principle could be apply to prostration as well, since prostration is well known as an act of worship.

"A man entered Paradise because of a fly, while another entered the Fire because of a fly." They asked: "How was that possible, oh, Messenger of Allah (saas )?" He replied: "Two men passed by a people who had an idol, which it was not permissible for anyone to pass without making a sacrifice to it. They (the people) said to the first man: "Sacrifice (something)." He said: "I have nothing with which to do so." They said: "Sacrifice some-thing, even if it were only a fly," and so he did so, and they allowed him to continue on his way and so he entered the Hell-fire. Then they said to the second man: "Sacrifice (something)." But he said: "I will not sacrifice anything unless it be to Allah (swt ), the Almighty, the All-powerful," so they struck his neck (and he died) and entered Paradise." (Narrated by Ahmad)

[Abou_Tourab]

Jazakum Allahou Khairan ! I understand