If it is asked, “What if someone who cannot recite the Quran is unable to recite words of remembrance either?” the answer is: This situation is rare or impossible, for no one is unable to remember Allah. He must proclaim Allah’s greatness and offer whatever praise and declarations of His oneness he can. According to the view that these words should be repeated, there are two views as to whether they should equal al-Fātihah in length, in light of the Prophet’s statement (may Allah bless him and grant him peace):

“When you stand to pray, if you know any Quran, recite it. Otherwise, praise Allah, proclaim His greatness and declare His oneness, then bow.”

Narrated by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī.

Ahmad said that if someone stands for the second unit of prayer after forgetting some of the pillars of the first, then remembers before beginning the recitation, he should continue, and this unit takes the place of the former one. For the purpose of standing is recitation.

Hence they said: An act that constitutes worship in its own right, such as bowing or prostration, does not require a verbal pillar; whereas an act that does not constitute worship in its own right, such as standing or sitting, requires a verbal pillar. Since prostration constitutes worship in its own right, it is thus known to be superior to standing.

The fourth argument:

It may be said that standing is distinguished by Quran recitation, since recitation during bowing and prostration has been prohibited, and reciting the Quran is superior to glorifying Allah. In this respect, standing has an advantage. This is the argument of those who regard the two as equal. They say that prostration is superior in itself, while the remembrance recited during standing is superior; thus each is superior in one respect, or the two are equal.

However, it may be answered that Quran recitation is waived in certain circumstances, and both recitation and standing are waived for someone who joins the prayer late, as in the hadith of Abū Bakrah. And in the Sunan collections: