cannot be described as occurring willingly or unwillingly, for willingness and unwillingness apply only to what an agent does willingly or unwillingly. As for something in which a person has no active part, he cannot on that account be described as prostrating or obedient, or even as submitting. Rather, all acknowledge the Maker by their innate nature, and they are humbled, submissive, obedient, and compelled in various respects.
These include their awareness of their need for Him and their utter dependence upon Him; their calling upon Him in dire necessity; and their submission and surrender to the decrees He brings upon them and to His will.
They also comply with much of what He has commanded in every matter. Other people do not allow a person to have whatever he wants; rather, they constrain him and compel him to abide by justice that he dislikes, although it is something Allah has commanded. Their disobedience to Him in some of what He has commanded—even if it concerns monotheism—does not prevent them from being obedient, humbled, and submissive unwillingly, like the disobedient among Muslims, those under a covenant of protection, and others. They are subject to the religion with which He sent His messengers, even though they disobey Him in certain matters.
The believer willingly submits to his Lord’s command, and likewise to the afflictions He decrees. When these occur, he willingly does what he has been commanded to do, such as exercising patience and the like. Thus, he willingly submits to Allah and willingly humbles himself before Him. The purpose of prostration is humble submission, and each thing prostrates according to its nature, in a manner suited to it and involving submission to the Lord.
As for created beings’ dependence upon Allah—meaning that they all need Him, and that neither they nor any of their attributes or actions can exist except through Him—this is the first degree of dependence. It is their dependence upon His lordship over them, His creation of them, and His perfecting of them. In this respect, they belong to Him, and to Him, glorified is He, belong dominion and praise. This is known to everyone who believes in Allah and His messengers with the required faith. Thus, coming into existence