Why God Doesn't Want You to Kneel, Bow, or Worship Him

EON
May 13, 2025
5 min read

Updated: May 16, 2025

“The ultimate way to honour God is not by kneeling, but by standing up — for yourself and for others.”

A Different Perspective on Worship

In many religions, kneeling, bowing, or praying is seen as a sign of reverence. But consider this: if God is truly omniscient, loving, and infinitely powerful, would He possess an ego that requires appeasement? Why would such a being need your act of kneeling? This notion suggests that God has human-like insecurities.

By imagining that God desires worship, we inadvertently diminish His greatness, attributing to Him human limitations. But what if the opposite is true? What if God doesn't seek our bows, praises, or prayers, but instead desires that we act justly — towards ourselves and others?

🧠 Psychological Insight: Psychologically, these acts of worship fulfill deep emotional and social needs. According to attachment theory (Bowlby), humans instinctively seek connection with protective figures. God, for many, serves as a secure attachment — someone to rely on during uncertainty. Worship rituals provide structure and emotional regulation in an otherwise chaotic world.

The Employer Metaphor

Imagine a company. An employee never flatters his boss, perhaps even criticises him behind his back. Yet, this employee is diligent, delivers outstanding results, and contributes significantly to the company's success.

Another employee constantly praises the boss but performs mediocre work.

One day, someone tells the boss:"That employee doesn't respect you."

The boss, free from ego, responds:"That doesn't concern me. Thanks to him, the company thrives. He supports others. That's what truly matters."

Here, service to the greater good takes precedence over personal ego.

Gratitude Without Ritual

Consider a parent who gives a child a gift but tells them it came from a magician. The child is overjoyed and expresses gratitude to the magician. The parent smiles, knowing the child's happiness is what truly matters, not who receives the thanks.

Similarly, God doesn't require our explicit gratitude. He desires that we live joyfully, gratefully, and with awareness.

🧠 Psychological Insight: Gratitude itself — whether directed toward God or not — has been scientifically linked to increased happiness, lowered stress levels, and improved immune function (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). It activates brain regions like the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, responsible for emotion and reward.

What Truly Pleases God?

Perhaps God is pleased when you maintain your health, take time to rest, help others, and let go of resentment. Not because you utter His name, but because you honour the principles of life.

Maybe blasphemy or irreverence isn't offensive to a being without ego. Like the aforementioned boss, who isn't hurt by words but values actions.

Reimagining God

Many envision God as an old man with a beard in the sky — powerful, male, and somewhat sensitive to flattery. Why? Because we often project our own image onto God. In a world where masculinity has been associated with strength, God is automatically labelled "He".

But what if God isn't a person?

What if God is what Einstein perceived: the system of natural laws, the logic of the universe, the silent force behind all life?

🧠 Cognitive Explanation: According to theory of mind studies, humans are wired to personify invisible forces. Assigning human traits to the divine helps us feel closer, even if the reality may be beyond comprehension.

Heaven and Hell on Earth

Religions often state: “Live righteously, and you'll go to heaven.”But what if that's literal — here and now?

Those who live with gratitude, eat healthily, love abundantly, and dedicate their energy to something greater experience that "heaven" directly: peace, health, happiness.Those who live with self-hatred, jealousy, exhaustion, and destruction experience "hell".

Not as punishment. But as a natural consequence. Just as water nourishes your body, and excessive consumption of harmful substances deteriorates it.

The True Form of Worship

The truth might be simpler than we think.

You don't need to thank God for your life.You don't need to worship Him with words.

You only need to live consciously.To care for yourself. For others. For the world.

And that... might be the greatest compliment to God.

Is Praying or Kneeling Before God Wrong?

If you're a Muslim grappling with doubts about prayer practices, especially given the emphasis on praying five times a day, know that such practices are equally valid. We don't claim a monopoly on truth. In fact, meditation and genuine gratitude have similar mental and physiological effects as prayer.

🧠 Scientific Perspective: Neuroscience shows that both prayer and meditation activate the prefrontal cortex and reduce activity in the amygdala — resulting in greater focus and emotional regulation. (Newberg et al., 2001)

The Number of Daily Prayers in the Quran

Most Muslims believe in the obligation of five daily prayers. However, the Quran doesn't explicitly mandate this number. Instead, it references prayer times in various verses:

Surah Hud (11:114):"And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night..."→ 3 prayer times: morning, evening, and night.

Surah Al-Isra (17:78):"Establish prayer at the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night and [also] the Quran at dawn..."→ Suggests prayers at noon, night, and dawn.

Surah Taha (20:130):"So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting..."→ Refers to morning and evening.

These verses imply 3 to 4 prayer times. The specific practice of 5 daily prayers isn't detailed in the Quran but is derived from Hadith literature.

The Role of Hadith in Defining Prayer Practices

The Hadiths — records of Prophet Muhammad’s sayings and actions — provide context to Islamic practices. The five daily prayers were formalized through narrations from the Prophet’s Isra and Mi’raj (Night Journey), where God initially commanded 50 daily prayers, later reduced to 5.

However, it’s important to understand:

The Quran does not reference Hadiths.
The Hadiths were collected around 250 years after the Prophet's death.
There’s no clear approval or rejection of Hadiths by the Prophet in the Quran.

Embracing Flexibility in Worship

We support the practice of connecting with God five times a day. However, life doesn’t always follow a predictable rhythm. Being consciously grateful three times a day — with awareness, peace, and kindness — may offer just as much spiritual and psychological depth.