If heaven is skyward and hell is downward, why do you bow your head to pray?

Question

Why wouldn't you look up when you pray towards heaven rather than towards hell?

Answer 1

The proper position for prayer, according to numerous descriptions of people doing it in the Bible, is prostrating yourself on the ground. This is done out of respect, as you believe that you are talking to God. The bowing of the head is a leftover of the original prostrate position, modernized. Many Muslims still pray in this position, and I'm sure there are some Christians and Jews as well, that use this position for prayer.

This has nothing to do with where you've imagined Heaven and Hell.

Genesis 17:3. `And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him.'

Joshua 5:14. `And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship.' Jesus Christ maintained this posture of prayer as well.

Matthew 26:39. `And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed.' Prostration appears commonly in the Psalms as well.

Psalm 44:25. `For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.'

Psalm 95:6. `O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.' Here three positions are mentioned: worshipping or prostration, bowing and kneeling. Bowing appears in many connections.

Psalm 22:29. `All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him.'

Answer 2

Two misconceptions: 1. Heaven and Hell are not geographical locations. They are alternate dimensions, and therefore, neither above us or below us. 2. The head is bowed out of reverence and as a sign of submission, NOT as facing the direction you are praying. Muslims face Mecca, but they still bow with their faces low to the ground. Just like in ancient days, people were expected to bow before a king out of contrition.

Answer 3

I look up and raise my hands up too. In the past and still today people bow i think out of respect. I know in the Catholic church we were told several times throughout the Mass to bow our heads and pray. Perhaps a priest will read this and answer for you.

Answer 4

Bowing your head is merely an act of reverance. But nowhere in the bible does is give a correct posture to pray. You can pray looking upward, downward, straight ahead, eyes opened, or eyes closed, with arms lifted or down, etc. The only important factor is that you pray to God.

Answer 5

i'm an ex-JW, and that i've got additionally considered that at a funeral. they won't bow their head except they are those praying, or if yet another Jehovah's Witness is praying. i think of the attention rolling is disrespectful. i do no longer locate the no longer bowing their heads section disrespectful inspite of the undeniable fact that. that is against their faith to try this, so thats comprehensible. i'm no longer religious and that i would not take part in any prayer, yet i would not roll my eyes or be disrespectful approximately it.

Answer 6

It's out of respect, like when people bow to kings (God is the King of kings). Some (not all) Cherokee people actually do lift their heads to Heaven to pray.

Answer 7

I usually do I lift my hands up worshiping God when I pray then there are times I pray while in bed or I bow my head and pray, I bow to God in reverence no other reason...have a great day

Answer 8

You can!

As long as your praying, you are speaking to God. When you bow your head, you are bowing in reverence to the Father. YOu are not "looking" anywhere. When you eyes are closed and head is bowed, you are praying deeper within this moment of intimacy with the Lord.

Answer 9

Bowing and prostrating are signs of humility .......

We are showing humility before God, we are not praying to Heaven or Hell.

It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allah, etc.) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masakin (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and gives the Zakat, and who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.) in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are AlMuttaqoon (pious - see V.2:2).
( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #177)

And to Allah belong the east and the west, so wherever you turn yourselves or your faces there is the Face of Allah (and He is High above, over His Throne). Surely! Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All-Knowing.
( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #115)

We are warned by the sayings of Prophet Muhammad about turning our face to the sky whilst praying:

2. The one who raises his eyes to the sky while praying is subject to the punishment found in the Prophet’s (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) statement: “Does not each of you fear that if he raises his head (to the sky) during prayer his eyesight will not be returned to him?” [21]

This also includes turning one’s eyes – or neck, and this is worse – from side to side, left and right, whether due to a reason or for no reason at all!! The Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was asked about this, and he replied: “It is a larceny that the Devil has pilfered away from the prayer of the servant.” [22]

Footnotes:

[21] Reported by Muslim

[22] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree

Answer 10

This is quite irrelevant if you consider the words of the Master Jesus. The Kingdom of heaven is within. Be careful of falling into concepts that can only lead in circles.