Ruku‘ (Kneeling) and Readings therein and When Standing up Straight Thereafter

إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَرْكَعَ فَقُلْ وَ أَنْتَ مُنْتَصِبٌ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ وَ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَ بِكَ آمَنْتُ وَ عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَ أَنْتَ رَبِّي خَشَعَ لَكَ قَلْبِي وَ سَمْعِي وَ بَصَرِي وَ شَعْرِي وَ بَشَرِي وَ لَحْمِي وَ دَمِي وَ مُخِّي وَ عِظَامِي وَ عَصَبِي وَ مَا أَقَلَّتْهُ قَدَمَايَ غَيْرَ مُسْتَنْكِفٍ وَ لَا مُسْتَكْبِرٍ وَ لَا مُسْتَحْسِرٍ[1] سُبْحَانَ رَبّ

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you want to kneel for Ruku‘ say, ‘Allah is great’ before it, then assume Ruku‘ position and say, ‘O Lord, I have knelt down for You, I am submitted to You, I believe in You, and I plead before You to be my attorney. You are my Lord. My heart, my ears, my eyes, my hairs, my skin, my f

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقُلْتُ مَا يَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ خَلْفَ الْإِمَامِ إِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ قَالَ يَقُولُ‌ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ‌* وَ يَخْفِضُ مِنْ صَوْتِهِ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about what one says when performing behind an Imam when he says, ‘Allah hears all those who praise him.’ He (the Imam) said that he must say, ‘All praise belong to Allah, Cherisher of the worlds’ and lowers his voice.’”

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَرْكَعَ وَ تَسْجُدَ فَارْفَعْ يَدَيْكَ وَ كَبِّرْ ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ وَ اسْجُدْ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘When you decide to assume Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) and Sajdah (prostration) position, raise your hands, say Takbir (Allah is great beyond descripti

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص‌ مَنْ لَمْ يُقِمْ صُلْبَهُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَلَا صَلَاةَ لَهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘One who does not straighten his back during Salah (prayer), his Salah (prayer) is not valid.’”

رَأَيْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَرْكَعُ رُكُوعاً أَخْفَضَ مِنْ رُكُوعِ كُلِّ مَنْ رَأَيْتُهُ يَرْكَعُ وَ كَانَ إِذَا رَكَعَ جَنَّحَ بِيَدَيْهِ.

“I saw abu al-Hassan (a.s.), perform Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) and make it lower than all of those whom I have seen performing Ruku‘. He spread, in the position of Ruku‘ his arms like wings.’”

إِذَا رَفَعْتَ رَأْسَكَ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَأَقِمْ صُلْبَكَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَا يُقِيمُ صُلْبَهُ.

‘When you stand up straight after Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees), make your back (bones) stand straight (vertically), otherwise, one’s Salah (prayer) is not considered Salah (prayer).”’

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فِي مَنْزِلِهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالَ مُبْتَدِئاً مَنْ أَتَمَّ رُكُوعَهُ لَمْ تَدْخُلْهُ وَحْشَةٌ فِي الْقَبْرِ.

‘One who completes his Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) does not face any dread in the grave.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يُجْزِئُ عَنِّي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَكَانَ التَّسْبِيحِ فِي الرُّكُوعِ وَ السُّجُودِ- لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ قَالَ نَعَمْ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Is it sufficient for me to say Tahlil, (no one deserves worship except Allah) and Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) in Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) instead of Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects). He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is sufficient.’”

رَآنِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَ أَنَا أُصَلِّي وَ أَنْكُسُ بِرَأْسِي وَ أَتَمَدَّدُ فِي رُكُوعِي فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ لَا تَفْعَلْ.

“Once abu al-Hassan (a.s.), saw me, in al-Madinah when I performed Salah (prayer). I bent down my head and stretched in my Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees). He (the Imam) sent me a message that said, ‘You must not do so (when you are in Ruku‘).’” (Ahadith 2-9 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

إِذَا سَجَدْتَ فَكَبِّرْ وَ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَ بِكَ آمَنْتُ وَ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَ عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَ أَنْتَ رَبِّي سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَ شَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَ بَصَرَهُ‌ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ* تَبَارَكَ‌ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخالِقِينَ‌ ثُمَّ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى وَ بِحَمْدِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَإِذَا رَفَعْتَ رَأْسَكَ فَقُلْ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ- اللَّهُمَّ اغْ

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when you bow down for sajdah say, ‘Allah is great. then say, ‘ 0 Lord, I have bowed down to prostrate before You, I believe in You, submitted myself to You, have appealed to You to be my attorney and You are my Lord. My face has prostrated before the One who has created it, who has