even though they are only pebbles—for Allah is the Lord and Sovereign of everything. Did He not address the heavens and the earth, saying, “Come, whether willingly or unwillingly,” and they both replied, “We come in willing obedience” (Q 41:11)? Thus, when He commanded them in this manner they answered, “We come in willing obedience.” Everything therefore complies with Allah’s command except the disbelievers from among mankind and the jinn. For that reason Allah states in His noble Book, making clear that many people prostrate to Him while many others have incurred punishment: “Have you not seen that to Allah bow all who are in the heavens and on the earth—the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the animals, and many people; yet many others are deserving of punishment” (Q 22:18).

The unbeliever does not respond to Allah; he does not prostrate to Him as an act of prescribed worship. Nevertheless, he still prostrates to Allah in compelled humiliation, for there is no escape from what Allah has decreed—just as He says: “To Allah prostrates all who are in the heavens and on the earth, willingly or unwillingly” (Q 13:15). Here, “prostration” refers to cosmic submission, for every creature is subject to Allah’s decree; no one can contend with Him. Where, then, could one flee? As the poet says:

Where can one flee when God pursues? …
The bridled, vanquished one can never prevail.

As for the legal, devotional prostration, many people upon whom punishment has become due refuse to perform it—even though the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, and the animals all prostrate to Allah. Only the disbelievers among the children of Adam and among the jinn refrain from prostrating to Allah except with that involuntary prostration imposed by destiny.