—and, for him, it is the superior course.

9 – Imām Aḥmad held that proclaiming God’s transcendence (tasbīḥ) while bowing and prostrating is one of the duties of the prayer. One utterance is obligatory; anything beyond that is recommended. The proof for obligation is the report in Muslim (772) from Ḥudhayfa: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ bowed he would say, ‘subḥāna rabbī al-ʿaẓīm (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great),’ and when he prostrated he would say, ‘subḥāna rabbī al-aʿlā (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High).’” Another proof is the narration in Musnad Aḥmad (16961) and Sunan Abū Dāwūd (869) from ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir: “When the verse, ‘So glorify the name of your Lord, the Most Great’ (56:96) was revealed, he ﷺ said, ‘Make it part of your bowing,’ and when the verse, ‘Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High’ (87:1) was revealed, he said, ‘Make it part of your prostration.’”

The other three Imams, however, regard this as recommended, not obligatory.

Al-Nawawī said: “The tasbīḥ in bowing and prostration and the petition for forgiveness are sunnah, not obligatory; this is the view of Abū Ḥanīfa, Mālik, and al-Shāfiʿī.”

The preponderant view is that it is obligatory, because it has been explicitly commanded.