Islamic Prostration vs. Kneeling

What is the proper prayer position? Muslims used to claim that Jesus was a muslim because he prostrated when he prayed like the way they do, which is raising their buttocks in the air. This is how they define the word “prostration”, but the Merriam Websters dictionary defines the word “prostrate” as stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission as shown on the photo above. The Bible accounts that both prostrate and kneeling positions were done by the people who worshiped God in Biblical times, and God had no problem with those positions. Yahweh did not impose any prayer position, that means He can accept prayer in any position. However, most of the Biblical people prayed in kneeling position like what Christians are doing. Below are biblical passages about the early believers of God who prayed in kneeling or prostrate positions.

Quoted from the Old Testament:

1. [Genesis 24:26] And the man knelt down and worshiped Yahweh.

2. [Genesis 24:48] And I knelt down and worshiped Yahweh, and I praised Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right way, to take the daughter of the brother of my master for his son.

3. [Genesis 41:43] And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

4. [Exodus 4:31] The people believed, and when they heard that the LORD had paid attention to them and that he had seen their misery, they knelt low and worshiped.

5. [Exodus 12:27] you will say, ‘It [is] a Passover sacrifice for Yahweh, who passed over the houses of the {Israelites} in Egypt when he struck Egypt; and he delivered our houses.'” And the people knelt down and they worshiped.

6. [Exodus 34:8] And Moses hurried and knelt down to the earth and worshiped.

7. [Deuteronomy 9:25] “Thus I prostrated myself before the LORD; forty days and forty nights I kept prostrating myself, because the LORD had said He would destroy you.

8. [Psalm 95:6] O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

9. [1 Chronicles 29:20] Then David said to the whole assembly, “Blessed be the LORD your God.” So the whole assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers. They bowed down and paid homage to the LORD and to the king.

10. [2 Chronicles 6:13] Now Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven

11. [Ezra 10:1] While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.

12. [1 Kings 8:54] Now when Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the LORD, he got up before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.

13. [Isaiah 45:23] By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will confess allegiance.

14. [Isaiah 49:23] Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”

15. [Daniel 6:10] But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

16. [Ezra 9:5] At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation with my tunic and cloak torn, and I fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God,

Quoted from the New Testament:

1. [Matthew 8:2] Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

2. [Matthew 9:18] While Jesus was saying these things, a synagogue leader came and knelt before Him. “My daughter has just died,” he said. “But come and place Your hand on her, and she will live.”

3. [Matthew 17:14] When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him.

4. [Matthew 21:25] The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

5. [Matthew 26:39] Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.

6. [Mark 1:40] And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

7. [Mark 5:6] When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him.

8. [Mark 5:22] A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet

9. [Mark 10:17] And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

10. [Mark 14:35] Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from Him.

11. [Luke 5:8] When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.

12. [Luke 8:41] Just then, a synagogue leader named Jairus came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He begged Him to come to his house,

13. [Luke 17:16] And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan

14. [Luke 22:41] And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,

15. [John 11:32] When Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

16. [Acts 7:60] Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

17. [Acts 9:40] Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.

18. [Acts 20:36] When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.

19. [Acts 21:5] But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to pray with us.

20. [1 Corinthians 14:25] and the secrets of his heart will be made clear. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”

21. [Romans 14:11] It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”

22. [Philippians 2:10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

23. [Ephesians 3:14-15] For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

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Author: Renz Silawan

The author is just a simple man, He was a carving and carpentry sub-contractor. But lately, he discovered that his true passion is writing. He studied at the University of San Jose-Recoletos, took up Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. The fear of death knocked on his mind when he aquired 3 lumps on his neck in 2010. He realized that the most important thing to a man is eternal life. He found out that the Bible is consistent in its teaching and backed up by spiritual and physical evidences. Today, he is happy knowing that there is a God who will receive him in the afterlife. And he wants to share this discovery to all people who are willing to accept this good news. View all posts by Renz Silawan