The prostration of everything in the universe to Allaah
Question

                It says in Soorat al-Hajj 22:18 that the dawaab (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.) prostrate to Allaah. What is the nature of this prostration?
Praise be to Allah.
    Note that this universe and all the created beings in it is 
    in thrall to Allaah, whether by choice or by force. The believer worships 
    Allaah by choice and is rewarded for his worship. Even though the kaafir may 
    be alienated from his Lord and failing to worship Him, the atoms of his body 
    and everything in him is worshipping Him and glorifying Him, but because our 
    understanding and perception are limited, we are unaware of that tasbeeh 
    (glorification of Allaah) and unable to understand its nature. Allaah says 
    (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, 
    glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you 
    understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, 
    Oft-Forgiving”

    [al-Isra’ 17:44]
What this means is that 
    every created being is in a state of submission to Allaah and worships Him 
    in a manner appropriate to its situation. The sun, moon, stars, trees and 
    animals are all in a state of subjugation to Allaah and prostrate to Him, 
    and all of them worship Him in an appropriate manner. Allaah says 
    (interpretation of the meaning): 
“See you not that 
    whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, and the 
    moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Dawaabb 
    [moving (living) creatures, beasts], and many of mankind prostrate 
    themselves to Allaah. But there are many (men) on whom the punishment is 
    justified. And whomsoever Allaah disgraces, none can honour him. Verily, 
    Allaah does what He wills”
[al-Hajj 22:18] 
“Have they not 
    observed things that Allaah has created: (how) their shadows incline to the 
    right and to the left, making prostration unto Allaah, and they are lowly?
And to Allaah 
    prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the 
    moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they are not proud [i.e. they 
    worship their Lord (Allaah) with humility]”
[al-Nahl 16:48-49]

    Imaam Ibn Katheer said: Allaah is telling us of His Might, 
    Majesty and Pride, for everything submits to Him and all things and 
    creatures humble themselves before Him, inanimate objects and animals, and 
    those which are accountable among mankind and the jinn, and the angels. 
    Allaah tells us that everything that has a shadow that inclines towards the 
    right and towards the left – i.e., morning and evening – prostrates to 
    Allaah. Mujaahid said: When the sun passes its zenith everything prostrates 
    to Allaah. 

    Allaah has confirmed that all beings prostrate to Him, and He 
    has explained how some of them prostrate, which is by the inclining of its 
    shadow towards the right and the left. It does not mean that everything 
    prostrates on seven parts of the body; that applies only to the Muslims. The 
    prostration of all other beings is in accordance with their nature. The fact 
    that this prostration is prostration in the real sense is indicated by the 
    apparent meaning of the text, because there is no valid reason for not 
    interpreting the text as it appears to be, so we must accept it. That is 
    also supported by the fact that the prostration of the sun, moon, stars, 
    trees and animals is mentioned in conjunction with the prostration of the 
    angels and humans, which indicates that this is prostration in a real sense 
    for all the entities mentioned. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah 
    have mercy on him) said:  

    Prostration is a form of humility, so the prostration which 
    includes all creatures implies the utmost submission and humility. For every 
    created thing submits to His greatness and humbles itself before His might 
    and power. This does not mean that everything prostrates like human beings 
    do, on seven parts of the body, putting the forehead on the ground. This 
    kind of prostration is only for human beings. Some other nations bow but do 
    not prostrate, and that is their prostration. Allaah says (interpretation of 
    the meaning): 

    ‘and enter the gate in prostration (or bowing with 
    humility) and say: “Forgive us”’

    [al-Baqarah 2:58]
It was said that this 
    means enter it bowing, and some of them prostrate on their sides like the 
    Jews. Sujood (prostration) is a generic term but because the way in which 
    Muslims prostrate is so well known, many people think that this is how 
    everything prostrates. 

    Jaami’ al-Rasaa’il, 1/27 

    And he said: 
It is known that 
    everything prostrates according to its nature, and the prostration of these 
    created entities does not mean that they put their foreheads on the ground. 

    Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 21/284 

    This prostration includes the submission and humbling of 
    these created entities to Allaah and their surrendering to His Lordship, 
    Might and Sovereignty. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: 
“It is the prostration of 
    humility and submission, for everything submits to His Lordship, humbles 
    itself before His Might and is subject to His Sovereignty.” 

    Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/107 

    The prostration of these created entities is a prostration in 
    a real sense as befits each of these entities. So man prostrates in the 
    manner that suits him, in the manner that is well known, on seven parts of 
    the body. The sun prostrates in the manner that suits it, as mentioned in 
    the saheeh hadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: 
    “The Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Abu 
    Dharr when the sun had set, ‘Do you know where it went?’ I said, ‘Allaah and 
    His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘It has gone to prostrate beneath the 
    Throne, then it asks for permission to rise, but soon it will prostrate and 
    its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask for permission to rise 
    and that will not be granted to it, and it will be said to it, “Go back from 
    whence you came,” and it will rise from the west. This is what Allaah says: 

    “And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term 
    (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing”

    [Yaa-Seen 36:38].’”

    (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3199) 

    So it prostrates in a real sense, as is suited to the sun, 
    but how does it prostrate to Allaah beneath the Throne? Allaah knows best 
    how this prostration happens. The apparent meaning of the hadeeth proves 
    that what this prostration means is not simply submission to the command of 
    Allaah and obedience to Him. Indeed, it is submission, humility and 
    surrender by prostrating in a real sense, but we do not understand how it 
    happens. Similarly it is said that the moon, the trees, the animals and all 
    other entities prostrate in a manner that suits them. What the believer 
    should do is not to let the fact that he does not know how some entities 
    prostrate prevent him from believing in this prostration, rather he must 
    believe in what Allaah has told him about other entities prostrating to Him.

     And Allaah knows best.