This also helps us understand why sujūd (prostration) is the highest form of gratitude to Allah. If we naturally thank fellow human beings with words, gifts, smiles, or acts of appreciation for relatively small favors, then how should we thank the One who gave us life, faith, intellect, health, sustenance, family, forgiveness, and every blessing we possess? Ordinary words alone cannot fully express such gratitude. The believer therefore lowers the most honored part of the body—the forehead—to the ground before the Creator. In sujūd, gratitude reaches its fullest expression: the heart acknowledges the Giver, the tongue praises Him, and the body itself testifies in humble submission. This is why the Qur'an culminates Surah An-Najm with the command: "So prostrate yourselves before Allah and worship Him" (53:62)—the ultimate response to recognizing His countless favors, which is being shared in this post..
Thus prostration is the ultimate expression of humility and thankfulness, the two of the greatest qualities encouraged in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. They complement one another: humility is recognizing our true position before Allah and before people, while thankfulness is recognizing the source of every blessing. A humble heart naturally becomes grateful, and a grateful heart naturally becomes humble. Before we go on to the mode of thanking our Creator, let us briefly understand what are these two terms:
What is humility?
Humility (tawāḍuʿ) is not thinking poorly of yourself; rather, it is thinking of yourself truthfully. It is acknowledging that every ability, achievement, and blessing comes from Allah and that no one has reason to be arrogant. Allah says:
"Do not turn your cheek in contempt toward people, nor walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like every self-deluded and boastful person." (Qur'an 31:18) - And He says:
"The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth humbly..." (Qur'an 25:63)
The Prophet ﷺ said: "No one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises him in status." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2588)
What is thankfulness?
Thankfulness (shukr) is recognizing Allah as the Giver of every blessing and expressing gratitude with the heart, the tongue, and one's actions. Allah says:
"If you are grateful, I will surely increase you; but if you are ungrateful, indeed My punishment is severe." (Qur'an 14:7), and
"Whatever blessing you have is from Allah." (Qur'an 16:53)
The Prophet ﷺ would stand in prayer until his feet became swollen. When asked why he exerted himself so much although his sins had been forgiven, he replied: "Should I not be a grateful servant?" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1130; Sahih Muslim 2819)
This teaches that gratitude is not merely spoken—it is lived.
How do we express thankfulness in absolute humility
The last verse of Surah An-Najm is among the most powerful commands in the Qur'an which tell us how to thank Allah in total humility: In the 62nd verse of Surah An Najm it is said:
۩فَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ وَاعْبُدُوا
"So prostrate yourselves before Allah and worship Him." (Surah An-Najm 53:62)
This command comes after an entire surah that establishes Allah's absolute majesty, the truthfulness of revelation, the certainty of resurrection, the fate of earlier nations, and the futility of worshipping anything besides Him. It is therefore no coincidence that the surah concludes not with another argument, but with an act of worship. Once the truth has become clear, the only fitting response is to bow.
Note: Wherever the symbol ۩ appears in Al Qur'an, it is recommended to prostrate.
What is prostration (Sujūd)?
Linguistically, sujūd means to lower oneself, to humble oneself, and to submit completely. In Islamic worship it is the physical act of placing the forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, and the toes of both feet upon the ground solely for Allah.
Yet the Qur'an presents sujūd as much more than a bodily movement. It is the moment when:
- the intellect surrenders to Divine wisdom,
- the heart acknowledges its dependence,
- the ego is broken,
- the servant admits his complete poverty before the Creator.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is while he is prostrating, so increase your supplications." — Sahih Muslim, Hadith 482
The closest point is not when a believer is standing proudly, but when he is lying upon the earth from which he was created.
Why is prostration the ultimate expression of humility?
Allah created man from dust. Human beings naturally wish to lift their heads, display their status, protect their dignity and be admired by others. Sujūd reverses all of these instincts.
In prostration the highest part of the body, the forehead, touches the lowest place, the earth;
wealth, rank, intelligence and beauty disappear;
kings and labourers look identical;
only servanthood remains.
It is a declaration that: "Nothing about me deserves worship. Everything about You deserves worship."
That is why Satan's downfall began with refusing to prostrate before Adam (38:74-76). Pride prevented submission. Every sincere sujūd therefore destroys a little of the arrogance that destroyed Iblis.
Why is sujūd the highest expression of thankfulness?
Thankfulness (shukr) is not merely saying Alhamdulillah. The Qur'an teaches that gratitude has three dimensions:
- The heart recognises the Giver.
- The tongue praises Him.
- The limbs obey Him.
Sujūd combines all three simultaneously.
The Prophet ﷺ would perform Sujūd ash-Shukr (the prostration of gratitude) upon receiving joyful news or experiencing Allah's favour, demonstrating that overwhelming gratitude naturally expresses itself through prostration.
When one is in the posture of prostrations, suddenly everything start to feel meaningless for while one is pressing his forehead on the ground in absolute humility. One's family, life, job, go back in the background while the countless unseen blessings start to come to one's mind. This is the time when mere words begin to feel insufficient and one's body resists from getting up when in the presence of its Creator.
Why does Surah An-Najm end with prostration?
The entire surah gradually leads the listener toward surrender. The surah gradually builds up a
1. Revelation is true
The Prophet ﷺ did not speak from personal desire. "Nor does he speak from his own desire. It is nothing but revelation revealed." (53:3-4). If revelation is from Allah, then submission becomes the only rational response.
2. False gods are exposed
The idols al-Lāt, al-'Uzzā, and Manāt are shown to possess no divine authority (53:19-23). When every false object of worship falls, only Allah remains worthy of prostration.
3. Every soul is responsible
The surah declares: "No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another." (53:38) That is each individual must personally stand before Allah. Thus each individual must also personally bow before Him. No one can perform that surrender on another's behalf.
4. Every effort belongs to Allah
Success is not inherited since "Man will have only what he strives for." (53:39). Sujūd thus becomes the practical proof that one's striving is directed toward Allah alone.
5. Allah is the ultimate end
One of the most profound verses of the surah states: "And to your Lord is the final destination." (53:42). That is if every journey ends with Allah, then why should our worship end anywhere else? Therefore our final destination deserves our first prostration.
Why did the Companions immediately prostrate?
When the Prophet ﷺ recited Surah An-Najm publicly for the first time, he ended with: "So prostrate to Allah and worship Him." Thereafter, he himself immediately prostrated, and his companions too prostrated. The scene was so overwhelming by the force of the recitation that even many of the pagan Quraysh instinctively fell into prostration. This incident is authentically reported in Sahih al-Bukhari.
It illustrates that the Qur'an speaks not only to the intellect but also to the innate human disposition (fiṭrah). When hearts are momentarily stripped of pride, they recognize the truth and incline toward submission.
Reflections from classical and contemporary scholars
1. Ibn Kathir Ibn Kathir explains that after establishing the truth of revelation, exposing idolatry, and reminding people of resurrection and accountability, Allah concludes with a direct command to worship Him alone. The proper response to all the evidence presented in the surah is immediate obedience through prostration.
2. Al-Tabari Al-Tabari understands the verse as a decisive conclusion: abandon every form of worship directed to other than Allah and devote all acts of humility and worship exclusively to Him.
3. Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi Maududi notes that the surah first appeals to reason, then to history, then to conscience, and finally to the human heart. After all these proofs, argument ends and worship begins. Genuine knowledge of Allah must culminate in humble submission.
4. Nouman Ali Khan Nouman Ali Khan often emphasizes that Islam is not merely about being intellectually convinced. Real faith transforms the body. When the Qur'an reaches the heart, it naturally brings the forehead to the ground. Sujūd is faith made visible.
Lessons for us today
Modern society encourages self-glorification, independence, and constant self-promotion. The Qur'an teaches the opposite: true honor lies in humble servitude to Allah. This verse teaches that true knowledge should lead to worship. The Qur'an is not merely meant to be admired intellectually; it is meant to transform the heart into humility and obedience. In a world that often glorifies human achievement, wealth, or ego, the verse reminds us that the highest honour belongs to the one who bows before Allah alone. Every truth established in the surah ultimately calls us to one practical response: submit, worship, and live in devotion to the Creator.
Sujūd reminds us that:
- every blessing comes from Allah;
- every achievement is by His permission;
- every difficulty is under His wisdom;
- every success should lead to gratitude, not pride;
- every sin should lead to repentance, not despair.
A believer who regularly prostrates with understanding gradually becomes less arrogant, more thankful, more patient, and more conscious of Allah.
A final reflection
Surah An-Najm begins by drawing our attention upward—to the star that descends from the heavens—and ends by directing our foreheads downward to the earth. This movement is deeply symbolic. Divine guidance descends from above, and the appropriate human response is to lower oneself in humble worship. The one who truly recognizes Allah's greatness cannot remain standing in pride. He bows, placing his forehead on the ground from which he was created, acknowledging that every blessing is from Allah, every return is to Allah, and every act of gratitude finds its highest expression in sujūd. Thus, the command "So prostrate yourselves to Allah and worship Him" (53:62) is not merely the conclusion of the surah—it is the natural culmination of faith itself.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah (53) An-Najm النجم (The Star) already published.
You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages:
- Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
- Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
- Selected Verses from the Qur'an.
You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
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