Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 7649

It is reported about Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that he came to Syria. There he saw the Christians prostrating to their bishops and patriarchs (that is, their religious leaders) and their monks, and he saw the Jews prostrating to their rabbis, their scholars and their jurists. Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: Why do you do this? They replied: This is the way of greeting the prophets. So we said: Then we are more entitled to do this for our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he prostrated to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: O Mu'adh! What is the reason for this? He said: I went to Syria and there I saw the Christians prostrating to their religious leaders and monks, and I saw the Jews prostrating to their elders, jurists and scholars. I asked: Why do you do this and why do you perform this act? They told me: This is the way of greeting the prophets. So I said: Then we are more entitled to do this for our Prophet. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: These people have attributed a lie to their prophets, just as they distorted their books. If I were to command anyone to prostrate to another, I would instruct the woman to prostrate to her husband, because his right is great. A woman cannot taste the sweetness of faith until she fulfils her husband's right, even if that man asks her for intimacy while she is sitting on the back of a camel's saddle.
Al-Bazzar recorded it in full, and Ahmad recorded it in abridged form. Its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, and the same is true of one of Ahmad's routes. Al-Tabarani also recorded part of it.