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
Tajwid (Proper Quran Recitation)
The science of proper pronunciation and recitation of the Quran during prayer.
Tawaf (Circumambulation of the Kaaba)
The ritual of walking seven times around the Kaaba counterclockwise as part of Hajj and Umrah.
Tahajjud (Night Prayer)
The voluntary night prayer performed in the last third of the night.
Zakat (Alms)
The obligatory alms that the Quran mentions alongside prayer.
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.
Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage)
The lesser pilgrimage to Mecca, which can be performed at any time of the year.