Bowing – (Ruku)

1. In every unit (Rak’ah) of prayer, after the recitation of the two chapters (surahs), the praying person should perform a bow (rukū‘), i.e., bow down to the extent that one is able to place one’s palms on one’s knees, but it is sufficient if only the fingertips can reach the knees.

2. By way of obligatory precaution, one must place one’s palms on one’s knees in the bowing (rukū‘).

Ayatollah Sistani: In every rakʿah after qirāʾah, one must bend forward to the extent that he can place all his fingertips, including his thumb, on his knees.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: In every Rak’at after qirāʾah, a person offering prayers should, after reciting the Surahs (Qira’at), bow to an extent that one is able to rest one’s palms on one’s knees. Rather, the obligatory precaution is that one should rest one’s palms on one’s knees.

3. Bowing (rukū‘) is a foundational element (rukn) such that repeating or neglecting it, whether intentionally or unintentionally, invalidates the prayer. Therefore, if a praying person, upon returning from being in the bowing (rukū‘) position and their body has become still, stands up again and bows again with the intention of performing the bowing (rukū‘), their prayer is invalid. The same rule applies if one forgets the bowing (rukū‘) and realizes their mistake in or after the second prostration (sajdah).

4. Adding one bow (rukū‘) in order to follow the leader (imam) (under the conditions to be discussed in the section devoted to congregational prayers) does not invalidate the prayer. Also, if you add it accidentally in the recommended (mustaḥab) prayer, the prayer is valid.

5. Bending should be done with the intention of bowing (rukū‘). Therefore, if a person bows with another intention, e.g., killing an animal or picking up something, they cannot count it as performing the bowing (rukū‘) of prayer; rather, one is to stand up and bow once again for the bowing (rukū‘) of the prayer, and by doing so, a foundational element (rukn) is not repeated, nor is the prayer invalidated.

6. If one cannot perform the bow (rukū‘) alone but can do it by leaning on something, one should do so. If one is unable to bow (rukū‘) by leaning on something, they should bend as much as they can. In both cases, one should not perform the bowing (rukū‘) while sitting, although one can bend as much as in a normal bowing (rukū‘). However, if one cannot bend at all while standing, they must perform the bowing (rukū‘) in a sitting position, and by precaution, one should say another prayer in which they perform the bowing (rukū‘) by nodding one’s head while standing. If one cannot perform the bowing (rukū‘) even in the sitting position, one must perform the bowing (rukū‘) by gesturing with one’s head while standing. If one cannot do so, one must close one’s eyes as a sign of the bowing (rukū‘) and then open one’s eyes as a sign of rising from the bowing (rukū‘).

Ayatollah Sistani: If a person cannot bend forward to the extent of rukūʿ, one must lean on something and perform rukūʿ. If when one leans on something one still cannot perform rukūʿ in a normal manner, one must bend forward to the extent that it can be commonly considered to be rukūʿ. If one cannot bend forward to even this extent, one must perform rukūʿ by indicating with one’s head.

7. A person who performs the bowing (rukū‘) in a sitting position should bend such that one’s face looks at their knees, and there is no need for one to put one’s hands on their knees.

Ayatollah Sistani: One who performs rukūʿ while sitting must bend forward to the extent that his face is positioned directly opposite his knees; and it is better that he bends forward to the extent that his face is positioned directly opposite the place of sajdah.

8. Deliberately or unintentionally increasing or decreasing the number of the bows (rukū’) performed, while sitting or by gesture, invalidates the prayer.

Remembrance of Allah in Ruku – (Dhikr during Ruku)

1. The obligatory remembrance of Allah (dhikr) in the bowing (rukū‘) is “subḥāna rabbīyal ‘adhīmi wa biḥamdih” once or “subḥānallāh” three times. It is also sufficient if one says another remembrance of Allah (dhikr), such as “alḥamdu lillāh” or “Allāhu akbar” the same number of times.

Ayatollah Sistani: It is better that when one has the option to, he says in rukūʿ: three times: “Sunhanallah” or “subḥāna rabbīyal ‘adhīmi wa biḥamdih” once. although saying any dhikr suffices; and based on obligatory precaution, [the other dhikr] must be of this length.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: It is obligatory to utter a dhikr in rukū‘. One should, as an obligatory precaution, say سُبْحانَ اللهِ three times or سُبْحانَ رِبِّىَ الْعَظِيمِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ once and it should be uttered in correct Arabic. It is recommended to repeat it three or five or seven times.

2. If time is short, in case of compulsion or having no other choice, it suffices for one to say “subḥānallāh” once.

3. The body should remain still while one is reciting the obligatory remembrance of Allah (dhikr) in the bowing (rukū‘). Moreover, based on obligatory precaution, the body should remain still while one is reciting a recommended (mustaḥab) remembrance of Allah (dhikr) with the intention of counting it as a part of the bowing (rukū‘), such as the repetition of “subḥāna rabbīyal ‘adhīmi wa biḥamdih”.

4. It is obligatory for one to keep their body still when reciting the obligatory and recommended (mustaḥab) remembrances of Allah (dhikrs) in the prayer, and when a praying person wants to move slightly backward, forward, or to the right or left, they should stop uttering the remembrance of Allah (dhikr). However, there is no problem if one moves while reciting the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) with the intention of merely remembering Allah – not as a prescribed remembrance of Allah (dhikr) in prayer.