Ruku, Qawmah, Sujud and the Sitting Between Prostrations

1. From Recitation to Bowing

After al-Fatihah and further recitation come bowing, standing upright afterward, the first prostration, sitting between the two prostrations, and the second prostration. Each has a distinct form and remembrance.

The legal categories differ: some actions are pillars, others are sunnahs and postural manners. Composure within each prescribed position is a separate point of juristic discussion.

2. Bowing Posture and Invocations

ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ، وَيَرْكَعُ، وَيَعْتَمِدُ بِيَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَيُفَرِّجُ أَصَابِعَهُ، وَيَبْسُطُ ظَهْرَهُ، وَلَا يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ وَلَا يُنَكِّسُهُ، وَيَقُولُ فِي رُكُوعِهِ: «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ» ثَلَاثًا، وَذَلِكَ أَدْنَاهُ.
Meaning: Then say the takbir and bow, place the hands on the knees, spread the fingers, level the back, keep the head neither raised nor lowered, and say “Glory be to my Lord the Magnificent” three times; this is the minimum sunnah count.

The phrase wa-dhalika adnahu concerns the minimum sunnah number of glorifications, not the minimum physical validity of bowing.

3. Back and Head Position in Ruku

Wa-yabsutu zahrahu describes keeping the back level in bowing, with the head neither markedly raised nor dropped. Reports describing the Prophet’s prayer indicate a balanced bowing posture.

This concerns the sunnah form of the posture and should be distinguished from the validity of the bowing itself.

4. Hands and Fingers During Bowing

The hands rest on the knees, and the fingers are spread to allow a stable grip and posture. These are features of the reported male sunnah form of bowing.

They concern the precise manner of bowing and are not to be confused with the legal minimum of the pillar.

5. Three Glorifications in Ruku

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Meaning: Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.

Subhan denotes freedom from imperfection; al-Azim affirms divine magnificence. Three repetitions are the minimum stated for the sunnah, not a condition of the validity of bowing. More repetitions are possible while maintaining due consideration for followers.

6. The Pillar and Its Remembrances

The obligatory pillar is the act of prescribed bowing; placing the hands on the knees and its invocations complete its sunnah form. Jurists also distinguish the occurrence of the pillar from composure in it.

Thus bowing, the number of glorifications, and the degree of stillness do not all have the same legal classification.

7. Qawmah: Tasmi and Tahmid

ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ وَيَقُولُ: «سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ». وَيَقُولُ الْمُؤْتَمُّ: «رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ».
Meaning: Then raise the head and say “Allah hears whoever praises Him”; the follower says “Our Lord, to You belongs all praise.”

Returning upright after bowing is qawmah. Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah is called tasmi‘, and Rabbana laka al-hamd is tahmid.

8. Tasmi and Tahmid

سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
Meaning: Allah hears and accepts the praise of whoever praises Him.
رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Meaning: Our Lord, to You belongs all praise.

Tasmi‘ and tahmid are distinct formulas for the transition after bowing.

9. Tasmi and Tahmid by Each Worshipper

The Hanafi imam says Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah and the follower responds Rabbana laka al-hamd. For a person praying alone, combining both is the preferred Hanafi report.

Al-Shafi‘i recommends combining the two formulas for both imam and follower. The disagreement concerns how the invocations are distributed among participants.

10. Standing Upright in Qawmah

The wording “once standing upright” establishes that the person returns to a properly upright position before starting prostration. Passing directly from bowing into prostration omits that transition.

Tuma’ninah is settling in the posture before moving on. Its exact legal classification is discussed among jurists.

11. Prostration and Forehead Contact

فَإِذَا اسْتَوَى قَائِمًا كَبَّرَ، وَسَجَدَ، وَاعْتَمَدَ بِيَدَيْهِ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ، وَوَضَعَ وَجْهَهُ بَيْنَ كَفَّيْهِ، وَسَجَدَ عَلَى أَنْفِهِ وَجَبْهَتِهِ. فَإِنِ اقْتَصَرَ عَلَى أَحَدِهِمَا: جَازَ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ. وَقَالَا: لَا يَجُوزُ الِاقْتِصَارُ عَلَى الْأَنْفِ إِلَّا مِنْ عُذْرٍ.
Meaning: Once upright, say takbir and prostrate, resting the hands on the ground, placing the face between the palms, and prostrating on both the nose and forehead. Abu Hanifah permits sufficiency of either in the reported ruling; the two companions do not permit the nose alone without excuse.

The dual qala refers to Abu Yusuf and Muhammad.

12. Face and Hands in Prostration

The face is positioned between the palms in prostration, and the hands, knees, feet, forehead and nose are brought into their prescribed posture.

«أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَسْجُدَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَعْظُمٍ»
Meaning: I was commanded to prostrate on seven bodily parts.

The narration names the face, both hands, both knees and the parts of both feet; the face includes reference to forehead and nose.

13. Forehead and Nose: Abu Hanifah

In the transmitted apparent view attributed to Abu Hanifah, prostration on either forehead or nose can suffice, while using both is the complete sunnah posture.

One argument is that prostration is realized through an appropriate part of the face. Sufficiency of the nose alone is nevertheless disputed within Hanafi jurisprudence; the attribution is not a unanimous ruling.

14. Forehead and Nose: The Two Companions

Abu Yusuf and Muhammad require contact of the forehead in the absence of an excuse; the words illa min udhr provide the exception. A condition making forehead contact impossible can affect the ruling.

Their reasoning emphasizes narrations on the seven parts and the forehead. Al-Shafi‘i likewise requires prostration on the forehead, with separate details regarding the nose.

15. The Nose Alone and an Excuse

If an injury prevents forehead contact but the nose can touch the ground, this constitutes a potential excuse, treated differently from ordinary circumstances.

Where the forehead can be placed normally, relying on the nose alone is insufficient according to Abu Yusuf, Muhammad, and the Shafi‘i position. The legal distinctions concern the requisite surface and a genuine excuse.

16. Prostration on Turban and Clothing

فَإِنْ سَجَدَ عَلَى كَوْرِ عِمَامَتِهِ، أَوْ عَلَى فَاضِلِ ثَوْبِهِ: جَازَ.
Meaning: If one prostrates on the fold of one’s turban or on the surplus portion of one’s garment, it is valid.

Kawr al-imamah refers to a wrapped fold of the turban and fadl al-thawb to an extra portion of clothing. The support beneath the forehead must still allow an actual prostration.

17. Turban Prostration: Juristic Positions

Hanafi jurists do not, by itself, regard one’s clothing or turban between the forehead and surface as invalidating prostration, provided actual support and prostration occur. Reports about avoiding excessive heat are among their evidences.

In the Shafi‘i position, one’s own worn fabric ordinarily intervening under the forehead prevents validity without excuse. The dispute concerns whether direct forehead contact with the surface is required.

18. Upper Arms and Abdomen in Sujud

وَيُبْدِي ضَبْعَيْهِ، وَيُجَافِي بَطْنَهُ عَنْ فَخِذَيْهِ،
Meaning: Keep the upper arms away from the sides and the abdomen apart from the thighs.

Dab‘ means the upper arm area, and yujafi means keeping apart. This describes the familiar male sunnah posture in prostration; jurists explain a more compact posture for women in light of covering and modesty.

19. Women’s Posture in Prostration

Hanafi jurists describe a more compact prostration posture for women, keeping the arms closer to the sides and the abdomen nearer the thighs.

The contrast with the male posture concerns prescribed manners and covering; the obligatory act of prostration applies to both.

20. Feet Orientation and Sujud Glorification

وَيُوَجِّهُ أَصَابِعَ رِجْلَيْهِ نَحْوَ الْقِبْلَةِ، وَيَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ: «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى» ثَلَاثًا، وَذَلِكَ أَدْنَاهُ.
Meaning: Point the toes toward the qiblah and say “Glory be to my Lord, the Most High” three times in prostration; this is the minimum sunnah count.

The directive concerns the feet’s orientation and the recommended count of glorifications, not the minimum number of prostrations.

21. Meaning of the Prostration Formula

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Meaning: Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

Al-A‘la denotes supreme highness. The bowing formula uses al-Azim and the prostration formula al-A‘la; the difference reflects the established invocations for each posture. Three repetitions mark the stated sunnah minimum.

22. Sitting, Second Prostration and Standing

ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ، وَيُكَبِّرُ، وَإِذَا اطْمَأَنَّ جَالِسًا كَبَّرَ وَسَجَدَ. فَإِذَا اطْمَأَنَّ سَاجِدًا كَبَّرَ، وَاسْتَوَى قَائِمًا عَلَى صُدُورِ قَدَمَيْهِ، وَلَا يَقْعُدُ، وَلَا يَعْتَمِدُ بِيَدَيْهِ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ.
Meaning: Raise the head and say takbir; once settled sitting, say takbir and make the second prostration. After settling in that prostration, say takbir and rise upright on the fronts of the feet, without an intermediate sitting or leaning on the hands.

The wording explicitly mentions composure while sitting and while in the second prostration.

23. The Sitting Between Prostrations

The sitting between the first and second prostrations is a distinct posture. One should settle in that position before entering the second prostration.

The wording idha itma’anna jalisan specifically identifies composure while sitting; jurists differ on its legal grade even while recognizing the prescribed sequence.

24. Legal Rank of Composure

Tuma’ninah means settling properly in bowing, standing, prostration, and sitting. Hanafi discussions transmit obligatory-pillar status from Abu Yusuf, wajib from Abu Hanifah and Muhammad, and another early report treating it as sunnah.

The Prophet’s instruction to the person who prayed incorrectly, repeatedly requiring settling in each posture, is central evidence for its legal significance.

25. Hadith of the Person Who Prayed Incorrectly

ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ رَاكِعًا، ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَعْتَدِلَ قَائِمًا
Meaning: Then bow until you have settled in bowing; then rise until you stand upright.

The same narration directs composure in prostration and in the sitting between two prostrations. The repeated “until” emphasizes completing each posture before moving to the next.

26. Rising to Stand After the Second Prostration

The described Hanafi transition is to rise on the fronts of the feet without relying on the hands or inserting a separate pause-sit.

Other schools discuss jalsat al-istirahah, a brief sitting before standing, citing other reports on the Prophet’s prayer. The issue is one of differing reported forms.

27. The Resting Sit: Basis of Disagreement

The Hanafi position emphasizes rising directly after the second prostration, as reflected by wa-la yaq‘ud.

Shafi‘i jurists cite the report of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith describing a short sitting before rising. Hanafi explanations sometimes connect that report with particular circumstances. The disagreement is about how to generalize the reported practice.

28. Sequence from Ruku to Second Sujud

Bowing: level back, hands on knees, Subhana rabbiyal-Azim.

Qawmah: stand upright, imam’s tasmi‘ and follower’s tahmid.

First prostration: face between palms, forehead and nose on surface, toes toward qiblah, Subhana rabbiyal-A‘la.

Sitting and second prostration: settle sitting, make the second prostration with takbir, and rise after composure.

29. Comparison of Major Disagreements

Nose alone: a reported permissive view of Abu Hanifah, but invalid without excuse for the two companions.

Turban or clothing under forehead: generally allowed under Hanafi conditions; Shafi‘i law requires direct forehead contact absent excuse.

Composure: differing Hanafi legal classifications and a stronger pillar classification in other schools.

Resting sit: omitted in the described Hanafi method; recommended in Shafi‘i treatment based on a transmitted report.

30. Key Juristic Terms

Ruku: prescribed bowing. Qawmah: standing upright after bowing. Sujud: prostration with the specified bodily parts.

Jalsah: sitting between the two prostrations. Tuma’ninah: composure in the prescribed posture. Tasmi‘: Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah. Tahmid: Rabbana laka al-hamd.

Dab‘: upper arm. Mujafah: holding certain parts apart. Sudur al-qadamayn: fronts of the feet.