and Satan made their deeds appear fair to them and thus turned them away from the path, so they are not guided—preventing them from prostrating to Allah, who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and on earth, and who knows what you conceal and what you disclose. Allah—there is no deity but Him, Lord of the Magnificent Throne (27:24-26).

The sun is the greatest object visible in the realm of sense perception and the most universally beneficial and influential. Accordingly, the prohibition of prostrating to it necessarily entails, a fortiori, the prohibition of prostrating to anything less than it—planets, trees, or anything else.

His words, “…and prostrate yourselves to Allah who created them” (41:37), show that prostration belongs to the Creator, not to any created being, no matter how exalted its rank; it is owed to the One who brought it into existence. This is incumbent upon whoever seeks to worship Him alone, as He also said, “…if it is Him that you worship” (41:37). It is therefore unfitting that one should bow to these created things.

Allah, exalted is He, further says, “But if they grow arrogant, those who are with your Lord glorify Him night and day, and they never grow weary” (41:38). He, glorified be He, knew that among the children of Adam are those who refuse to prostrate to Him, so He pointed out that beings far greater than they—the angels—are not too proud to worship their Lord; rather, they praise Him night and day without ever feeling fatigue or boredom, unlike human beings. In this verse He describes them with glorification alone, whereas He couples their glorification with prostration in His statement: “Indeed, those who are with your Lord are not too proud to worship Him; they glorify Him and to Him…”