Prostration of Gratitude in the Prophetic Biography (1)

سجود الشُكْر في السيرة النبوية

Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude) in the Prophetic Biography (Part One)

Translated By : Reza Ervani bin Asmanu

This article on Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude) in the Prophetic Biography is categorized under Life of Prophet Muhammad

السجود لله عز وجل شكراً من السنن النبوية، ويُشرع سجود الشكر للمسلم عند حدوث نعمة ظاهرة له، أو لعموم المسلمين، أو اندفاع بليَّة ظاهرة عنه، أو عن عموم المسلمين،

Prostration to Allah Almighty in gratitude is a Prophetic Sunnah. Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude) is prescribed for a Muslim when a manifest blessing occurs for him or for the Muslims in general, or when a manifest calamity is repelled from him or from the Muslims.

قال النووي:

Imam An-Nawawi said:

“سُجُودُ الشُّكْرِ سُنَّة عِنْد تجَدُّدِ نعمة ظاهرة، وانْدِفاع نِقْمَة ظاهرة، سواءٌ خَصَّتْه النِّعْمَة والنِّقْمة، أَوْ عَمَّت المسلمين”،

“Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude) is Sunnah when a new evident blessing comes or a clear calamity is repelled, whether it is specific to him or general to the Muslims.”

وقال الشوكاني: “فإن قلتَ: نِعَمُ الله على عباده لا تزال واردة عليهم في كل لحظة؟ قلتُ: المراد النعَم المتجددة التي يمكن وصولها ويمكن عدم وصولها، ولهذا فإن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لم يسجد إلا عند تجدد تلك النعم مع استمرار نعم الله سبحانه وتعالى عليه وتجددها في كل وقت”.

Ash-Shawkani said: “If it is said: are not Allah’s blessings upon His servants continuous at every moment? I say: what is meant is the newly occurring blessings that may or may not be obtained. For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ only performed Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude) when such new blessings came, even though Allah’s blessings continuously flowed upon him.”

وقال ابن عثيمين:

Ibn Uthaymeen said:

“من المعلوم أن نعمة الله سبحانه وتعالى لا تحصى، كما قال الله تبارك وتعالى:

“It is known that the blessings of Allah Almighty are uncountable, as Allah said:

{وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا}(النحل : ١٨)

“And if you count the blessings of Allah, you will never be able to count them.” (Surah An-Nahl verse 18)

ولوْ كُلِّف الإنسانُ أن يسجد عند كل نعمة منها لبقي ساجداً مدى الدهر، لكن هناك نعم تتجدد للإنسان، كإنسان وُلِدَ له، أو تسهَّل له الزواج، أو قدم له غائب ميئوس منه، أو حصل له مال أو ما أشبه ذلك من النعم التي تتجدد أو بشر بنصر المسلمين، أو ما أشبه ذلك، فهذا يُسْتَحَب للإنسان أن يسجد لله تبارك وتعالى شكراً له”.

If a person were tasked to perform Sujud Syukur for every blessing, he would remain in prostration all his life. However, there are blessings that truly arrive anew, such as the birth of a child, ease in marriage, the return of one thought lost, obtaining wealth, or news of the Muslims’ victory. In such cases, it is recommended for a person to perform Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude) to Allah Almighty.”

وفي كتاب “الشمائل الشريفة” من الجامع الصغير للسيوطي وشرحه للمناوي”:

In the book Asy-Syamail Ash-Sharifah narrated in Al-Jami’ As-Saghir by As-Suyuti and explained by Al-Munawi, it is mentioned:

“(كان صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذا جاءه أمر يُسَرُّ به خرَّ ساجداً شكراً لله)

“Whenever a matter came to the Prophet ﷺ that pleased him, he would immediately perform Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude) to Allah.”

عن أبي بكْرة ـ صَحَّ ـ: (كان إِذا جاءه ـ لفظ رواية الحاكم ـ أَتَاهُ أَمر) أَي عَظِيم كما يفيده التنكير، يُسَرُّ به خرَّ ساجداً شكراً لله، أَي سقط على الْفَوْر هاويا إِلى القاع سَجْدَة لشكر الله تعالى على مَا أحدث لَهُ من السرُور،

Narrated from Abu Bakrah — with an authentic chain — that in Al-Hakim’s narration: “Whenever a matter came to him…” meaning a great matter as indicated by the indefinite form, that pleased him, he would immediately fall into Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude). That is, he would instantly fall to the ground in prostration, expressing gratitude to Allah Almighty for the joy that had just been bestowed upon him.

وَمن ثمَّ نُدِبَ سُجُود الشُّكْر عِنْد حُصُول نعْمَة واندفاع نقمة، والسُّجود أقْصى حالة العبْد في التَّواضع لربه وهو أن يضع مكارم وجهه بالأرض وينكس جوارحه، وَهَكَذَا يَلِيق بِالْمُؤمنِ كلما زاده ربه محبوبا ازْداد له تذللاً وافتقاراً، فبه ترتبط النِّعْمَة ويجتلب الْمَزِيد

From this, scholars recommended Sujud Syukur when obtaining a blessing or when a calamity is repelled. Sujud is the peak state of a servant’s humility before his Lord, placing his noble face upon the ground and lowering his limbs. This is befitting for the believer: whenever his Lord increases him in what he loves, he increases in humility and need before Him. Thus, blessings are preserved and more blessings are attracted, as Allah says:

{لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ}(إبراهيم:٧)،

“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you.” (Surah Ibrahim verse 7)

والمصطفى صلى الله عليه وسلم أشكر الْخلق للحق لعظم يقينه فَكَان يفزع إِلَى السُّجود”.

As for the Prophet ﷺ, he was the most grateful of creation to Allah due to the strength of his certainty. Thus, whenever something joyful came to him, he would hasten to Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude).

والسيرة النبوية فيها الكثير من المواقف الدالة على سجود النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وصحابته رضوان الله عليهم سجدة الشكر لله عز وجل في بعض المواقف والأحداث، ومن ذلك:

The Prophetic Biography records many occasions where the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions performed Sujud Syukur (Prostration of Gratitude) to Allah Almighty. Among them are:

To be continued in the next part, in sha Allah

Source: IslamWeb