“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth gently, and when the ignorant address them, they respond with words of peace.” [al-Furqān: 63] [al-Furqān] Al-Hasan and others said: “With calmness and dignity.” Thus, He states that these are the servants of the Most Merciful. If a person is commanded to observe calmness and dignity in ordinary actions involving movement, then how much more so in acts of worship? And how much more so in those aspects of worship that consist in stillness, such as bowing and prostration?

These proofs require calmness during the transitions, such as raising and lowering oneself, rising and descending. As for the acts to which these transitions lead—bowing itself, prostration itself, and standing and sitting themselves—they are inherently states of stillness. Whoever does not remain still in them has not performed them. He is merely like someone who lowers himself toward a sitting position without actually sitting, or someone who extends his hand toward food without eating any of it, or brings it to his mouth without consuming it.

Furthermore, Allah, Exalted is He, has made bowing and prostration obligatory in the Book and the Sunnah, and their obligation is established by consensus, as He, Exalted is He, says: “O you who believe, bow and prostrate.” [al-Hajj: 77] [al-Hajj: 77] And He, Exalted is He, says: “On the Day when the Shin is uncovered and they are called to prostrate, but they will be unable— their eyes humbled, humiliation overwhelming them, for they had been called to prostrate while they were sound.” [al-Qalam: 42–43] [al-Qalam] And He, Exalted is He, says: “What is the matter with them that they do not believe, and when the Quran is recited to them, they do not prostrate?” [al-Inshiqāq: 20–21] [al-Inshiqāq] And He, Exalted is He, says: “Only those believe in Our signs who, when reminded of them, fall down in prostration, glorify their Lord with praise, and are not arrogant.” [al-Sajda: 15] [al-Sajda] And He, Exalted is He, says: “Prostrate and draw near.” [al-ʿAlaq: 19] [al-ʿAlaq: 19] And He, Exalted is He, says: “Do you not see that to Allah prostrate all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth, as do the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the creatures, and many among mankind? Yet upon many the punishment has become due.” [al-Hajj: 18] [al-Hajj: 18] This indicates that whoever among mankind does not prostrate to Allah has incurred the punishment. And He says: “During the night, prostrate to Him and glorify Him throughout a long night.” [al-Insān: 26] [al-Insān] And He, Exalted is He, says: “Glorify your Lord with praise and be among those who prostrate.” [al-Hijr: 98]