Ruku’ (Bowing)

1031. In every Rak’at, a person offering prayers should, after reciting the Surahs (Qira'at), bow to an extent that he is able to rest his hands on his knees. This act is called Ruku’.

1032. If a person bows down in the posture of Ruku’ but does not place his hands on his knees, his Ruku’ is in order, however, as per recommended precaution, one should place his hands on his knees.

1033. If the person performs Ruku’ in an unusual manner, like, if he bends towards left or right, his Ruku’ is not correct even if his hands reach his knees.

1034. Bending should be with the Niyyat of Ruku’. If a person bends for some other purpose (e.g. to kill an insect), he cannot reckon it as Ruku’. He will have to stand up and bend again for Ruku’, and in so doing, he will not add any Rukn, nor will his prayers be void.

1035. If a person’s hands or knees are different from others, like, he has abnormally long hands, so that if he bends a little they reach his knees, or if his knees are lower than usual, so that he has to bend himself lower to make his hands reach his knees, he should follow the normal bowing by the others.

1036. A person who performs Ruku’ in the sitting position, should bow down till his face is parallel to his knees. And it is better that he should bow down till his face reaches near the place of Sajdah.

1037. As per recommended precaution, in Ruku’ one should say Subhanallah three times or Subhana Rabbiyal 'Azimi wa bi hamdih once. But actually, uttering any Zikr to this extent is sufficient, like if one says Allahu Akbar three times. However, if Namaz time is short, or if one is under any pressure, it will be sufficient to say Subhanallah once.

1038. The Zikr of Ruku’ should be uttered in correct Arabic, and it is Mustahab that it should be uttered three, five or seven times or more than that.

1039. In Ruku’, one should not have any movement when reciting the obligatory Zikr. And while reciting Mustahab Zikr in Ruku’, if one recites it with the intention that it has been recommended, as per obligatory precaution, the body should remain steady.

1040. If at the time of uttering the obligatory Zikr of Ruku’, he loses steadiness because of uncontrollable vigorous movement, it will be better that after his body resumes steadiness he repeats the Zikr. However, if the movement is so negligible that steadiness is not lost, or if he just moves his fingers, there is no harm in it.

1041. If a person’s body becomes steady before reaching the Ruku’ and he intentionally recites the Zikr, he should recite the Zikr again once he reaches the state of Ruku’, and as per recommended precaution, he should complete his Namaz and offer it again. And if he suffices with the first Zikr, his prayers will be void.

1042. If a person intentionally raises his head from Ruku’ before completing obligatory Zikr, his prayer is void. If he raises his head by mistake, and if he has not completely ceased to be in Ruku’ and he recollects that he has not completed the Zikr of Ruku’, he should make himself steady and recite the Zikr. And if he recollects after he has arisen totally from Ruku’, his prayers are in order.

1043. If a person is unable to remain in the state of Ruku’ all the time while reciting the Zikr, then as per obligatory precaution, he should complete the remainder while standing up from Ruku’.

1044. If a person cannot remain steady during Ruku’ owing to some disease etc., his prayers are in order. But he should complete the obligatory part of Zikr before totally rising from Ruku’.

1045. If a person cannot bow down for Ruku’ properly, he should lean on something and perform Ruku’. And if he cannot perform Ruku’ even after he has leaned, he should bow down to the maximum extent he can, and in this situation, as per obligatory precaution, one should offer his prayers again, and should perform his Ruku’ while sitting.

And if he cannot bow even a little then for Ruku’ he should sit and perform his Ruku’ while sitting. And as per obligatory precaution, he should offer another Namaz and he should make a sign for Ruku’ with his head.

1046. If a person can offer his prayers while standing, but cannot perform Ruku’ while standing or sitting, then he should offer his Namaz while standing and should

make a gesture with his head for Ruku’. If a person supposed to make a sign with his head for Ruku’ is unable to do so, he should close his eyes with the Niyyat of Ruku’, and then recite Zikr. And for rising from Ruku’, he should open his eyes. And if he is unable to do even that, he should make a Niyyat of Ruku’ in his mind, and recite Zikr.

1047. If a person cannot perform Ruku’ while standing or sitting, but can bend a little for it while sitting, or while he is standing he can make a sign with his head for Ruku’, he should offer prayers standing and should make a sign with his head for Ruku’. And as per recommended precaution, he should offer another prayer in which he would sit down at the time of Ruku’, and bow down to the maximum extent he can for it.  

1048. If someone raises his head after reaching Ruku’, and bows down twice to the extent of Ruku’, or after bowing to the extent of Ruku’ one bows furthermore and comes back again to the state of Ruku’, his prayer is void.

1049. After the completion of the Zikr of Ruku’, one should stand straight, and proceed to Sajdah after the body has become steady. If one goes to Sajdah intentionally before standing erect, or before the body is steady, the prayers are void.

1050. If a person forgets to perform Ruku’, remembering it before Sajdah, he should stand up first, and then go into Ruku’. And if he goes into Ruku’ in a bent position, his prayers are void.

1051. If a person offering prayers remembers after his forehead reaches the earth to perform the second Sajdah, that he has not performed Ruku’, his prayers are void.  But, if he remembers before he performs his second Sajdah, it is necessary that he should return to standing position and then perform Ruku’. And after the completion of Namaz, as per precautionary measures, for offering an additional Sajdah, one should offer two Sajdah – e – Sahw. As per precautionary measures, it is better that one should offer his prayers again.

1052. It is Mustahab that before going into Ruku’, a person should say Takbir while he is standing erect, and in Ruku’, he should push his knees back, keep his back flat, stretch forth his neck, keep it in line with his back, look between his two feet, recite Salawat before or after Zikr. And when he rises after Ruku’, and stood erect, he should in a state of steadiness say Sami'allahu liman Hamidah.

1053. It is Mustahab for women that while performing Ruku’, they should keep their hands higher than their knees, and should not push back their knees.