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
Rawatib (Regular Sunnah Prayers)
The voluntary prayers regularly prayed before and after the obligatory prayers.
Hijri (Islamic Calendar)
The Islamic lunar calendar, which begins with the Prophet's migration to Medina.
Taharah (Ritual Purity)
The state of ritual purity, which is a prerequisite for prayer.
Wudu (Ritual Ablution)
The ritual cleansing with water, required before prayer.
Nafilah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary extra prayers beyond the five obligatory daily prayers.
Dhul-Hijjah (The Month of Pilgrimage)
The twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar, in which Hajj and Eid al-Adha take place.