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
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.
Salat al-Istikhara (Guidance Prayer)
A prayer where one asks Allah for guidance to make the right decision.
Salat al-Ghufaylah (Prayer Between Maghrib and Isha)
A specially recommended prayer prayed between Maghrib and Isha in Shia Islam.
Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
The first pillar of Islam: the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
Maghrib (Sunset Prayer)
The fourth daily prayer, performed just after sunset.
Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence)
Islamic legal theory that defines the methods for deriving legal rules from the sacred sources.