Ruku’: Bowing in Reverence

Literally, ruku’ means “to bow” and it is a command from Allah (swt) taken from the verse “And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]”  (Baqarah, 2/43).  In ruku’, the hands are kept in a straight position, touching the knees, while the back and head are kept in a straight position. The knees are grasped with a normal gap between the fingers, the calf and thigh bones are kept upright. Women, on the other hand, bend their knees slightly and arch their backs. By bowing, the servant shows his helplessness and humility in the face of the majesty of his Lord by bowing before Him with his body.

The verse in Surah al-Waqi’ah “So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great.”(Waqi’ah, 56/74), refers to the glorification that should be done in ruku’.  Remaining in the position of ruku’ for the duration in which one can say 

“subhana rabbi al-azim” is obligatory (Tevhit Ayengin, “Rükün”, DİA, XXXV, 286), repeating it three times is sunnah. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Salah, 146, 147; Sunan Abu Dawud, Salah 146, 147) On some occasions, Prophet Muhammad (saw) would invoke by saying “O Allah, to You I bow and in You I believe and to You I have submitted. You are my Lord. Before the Lord of the Worlds my hearing is humbled, as is my sight, my nerves and my bones”. As he rises up, he would say, “Sami’a Allahu liman hamidah/ Allah hears the one who praises Him”, and when he stands up straight he would say, “Allahumma rabbana laka’l-hamd/ O Allah, our Lord, to You be praise” before prostrating (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, Da’awat, 32)