Q571 :You have netmented that the way we show our
respect to parents, bowing down before them, is un-Islamic. Can we not
netpare this practice with the bowing down of the angels in front of
Adam, or the prostration of Prophet Yusuf’s brothers and
parents?
A571 : My criticism of the practice you have
described which involves that children or young people bow and touch
the feet of their parents or elders as a gesture of respect remains
valid. This gesture can easily be construed as a gesture of worship.
Any practice which may give such an impression is not permissible in
Islam. Your question seeks a clarification on whether such a practice
may not be netpared to the angels’ bowing before Adam or Yusuf’s
brothers and parents bowing to him. I am afraid the analogy does not
hold good. To start with, the angels prostrated themselves before Adam
because they were netmanded to do so by Allah Himself. The angels do
not disobey Allah. Indeed, they do whatever Allah bids them. Hence,
their prostration in front of Adam was not a matter of choice. It was
not a gesture of worship, a gesture of recognition of any position. It
was simply a demonstration of their obedience to Allah in all
situations. If you have any evidence which suggests that Allah wants
you to prostrate yourself in front of your parents, you may do so.
Since you have no such clear instruction, you may do only what Islam
says and bow in front of nobody at all. You only bow to Allah and no
one else. In the case of Prophet Yusuf I can only say that at that
time, believers were not forbidden to make that gesture. We must not
forget his father was Prophet Yaqoob, the son of Prophet Ishaq, the son
of Prophet Ibrahim. Prophet Yaqoob could not have contemplated for a
moment doing such a gesture if it was forbidden. We can only say that
such a practice was forbidden subsequently; may be at the time of
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). We cannot rely on what Prophet
Yaqoob did in order to support what people in your part of the world do
with their parents and elders.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )