He said: “Be balanced in prostration, and let none of you spread his forearms as a dog spreads them.” (1) However, the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: If prolonged prostration becomes difficult for him, he may rest his elbows upon his knees. This applies when he is praying behind an imam. But if he is praying by himself, he should not burden and strain himself; rather, if it becomes difficult for him and he grows tired, he should stand, for Allah has made matters easy for His servants.

And he says: “Glory be to my Lord, the Most High,” …

His statement, “And he says: ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Most High,’” means that while prostrating, he says: “Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.” The meaning of glorification, and that from which Allah is declared free—that is, exalted above—has already been explained. (3)

As for saying, “my Lord, the Most High,” rather than “my Lord, the Magnificent,” mentioning Allah’s Highness here is more fitting than mentioning His Magnificence, because a person is then at his lowest point. It is therefore appropriate for him to praise Allah by affirming His Highness. Observe the wisdom and appropriateness in these matters: when the Companions were travelling and ascended an elevation, they would proclaim, “Allah is the Greatest”; and when they descended into a valley, they would glorify Allah. (4) This is because when a person ascends and rises, he may feel self-important, become arrogant, and exalt himself. Thus, it is fitting that he say, “Allah is the Greatest,” in order to remind himself of Allah’s supreme greatness. But when he descends, descent is a diminution; therefore, glorification is more appropriate, declaring Allah free of the deficiency in which he himself now finds himself. Thus, it is appropriate for a person to remind himself of the One who is higher than he is.