Ruku (Bowing)
Bowing from the waist during prayer as a sign of humility.
Ruku (Arabic: ركوع) is the act of bowing from the waist with the hands on the knees and the back straight during prayer. Ruku is an obligatory part of each rak'ah and expresses humility and submission to Allah.
During ruku, one says "Subhana Rabbi al-Azim" (Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty) three times. It is important that the back is straight and the head is level with the back — one should neither raise nor lower the head.
After ruku, one rises to the standing position and says "Sami'Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears the one who praises Him), followed by "Rabbana wa lakal hamd" (Our Lord, and to You is all praise). This position is called qawmah and is a brief pause before going down into sajdah.
Related terms
Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
The first pillar of Islam: the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
Laylat al-Mi'raj (The Night of Ascension)
The night when Prophet Muhammad journeyed to the heavens and received the gift of prayer.
Tilawah (Quran Recitation)
Recitation of the Quran, which is a central part of prayer and daily worship.
Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning)
Legal analogy used to derive Islamic rules for new situations based on established rules.
Fajr (Dawn Prayer)
The first of the five daily prayers, performed at dawn.
Tajwid (Proper Quran Recitation)
The science of proper pronunciation and recitation of the Quran during prayer.