Answer to a Question: How Does Allah Swear by His Creation?
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The Shaykh : But here is a question that arises frequently, and we have understood the answer to it previously: How did Allah swear by the dawn, which is a created thing among the created things? And how did He swear by the night, which is a created thing among the created things? We have answered this previously, and indeed, you yourselves answered it previously: It is permissible for Allah the Exalted to swear by what? By whatever He wills of His creation. For Allah the Exalted rules and is not ruled over; He commands and is not commanded; and He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), holds the judgment. If a person were to do a specific, particular thing, he would be associating partners with Allah, and if a person were to leave it, he would be a disbeliever, and if the one commanded to do it were to leave it, he would be a disbeliever. What is it? Prostration. Prostration to other than Allah—what is its ruling? It is major shirk, which expels one from the religion. Whoever prostrates to anyone, whether a close friend of Allah, an imam, a ruler, a minister, an emir, or anyone else—anyone who prostrates to any created being is a disbeliever. [Fussilat 41:37] To whom? [Fussilat 41:37].
But this prostration to other than Allah became, on one day in the past, disbelief in Allah when Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam. Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, so they prostrated, except for Iblis, who refused and was arrogant and was among the disbelievers. So the curse became binding upon him when he was arrogant and refused to prostrate to Adam.
So we know that the command is a command from whom? From Allah. If He commands something, that thing becomes worship, even if its type at another time would be shirk and disbelief.
And of His signs are the night and day and the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but
ومن آياته الليل والنهار والشمس والقمر لا تسجدوا للشمس ولا للقمر واسجدواto Allah, who created them, if it should be Him that you worship.
لله الذي خلقهن إن كنتم إياه تعبدونBut this prostration to other than Allah became, on one day in the past, disbelief in Allah when Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam. Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, so they prostrated, except for Iblis, who refused and was arrogant and was among the disbelievers. So the curse became binding upon him when he was arrogant and refused to prostrate to Adam.
So we know that the command is a command from whom? From Allah. If He commands something, that thing becomes worship, even if its type at another time would be shirk and disbelief.