The Difference Between the Kings of Kisra and the Position of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with His Companions in Prayer

The Shaykh : There is a great difference, as it appears to everyone who hears this hadith, between the kings of Persia—Kisra sitting on his grand, magnificent throne, with his courtiers and ministers standing around him, he sitting in magnificence and them standing in reverence for him—and where does this phenomenon stand in comparison to the sitting of the Messenger (peace be upon him) in prayer, and not outside of prayer, and out of necessity and not by choice, and the standing of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also in prayer, and not in the assembly, also out of necessity, in obedience to the Lord of the Worlds, standing for Allah, devoutly obedient? Where does this phenomenon stand in comparison to that? How vast is the difference between them! And yet, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "You are a few 'Lukhur' who will do what the non-Arabs do with their kings; they stand on the heads of their kings." O Messenger of Allah, they stand in reverence for their king, almost like worship, but they understand that there are matters forbidden in themselves, and other matters forbidden for other reasons, because they lead to something forbidden. Among these is the adoption by Muslims of the customs of foreigners and the customs of non-Arabs.