And another view holds that glorification is obligatory and that one must specifically say, “Glory be to my Lord, the Most High”; nothing else suffices. A third view holds that glorification in some form is obligatory, although this particular form is superior to others, because it was commanded that it be used in prostration. Other forms have also been authentically reported from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
His statement, “Use it in your prostration,” calls for a discussion that does not belong here. For it may be said that whoever glorifies his Lord, by whichever name he glorifies Him, has glorified the name of his Lord, the Most High. Likewise, by whichever name he invokes Him, he has invoked his Lord, to whom belong the most beautiful names. As He says:
“Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. By whichever name you call upon Him, to Him belong the most beautiful names.”
And He says:
“To Allah belong the most beautiful names, so call upon Him by them.”
If He may be invoked by all His most beautiful names, and whoever invokes Him by any name has invoked the One to whom belong the most beautiful names, then He is likewise glorified by all His most beautiful names, and whoever glorifies Him by any name has glorified the One to whom belong the most beautiful names. Some names, however, may be more excellent than others. A fuller discussion of this belongs elsewhere.
The point here is that the command to prostrate follows upon the recitation of the Quran in its entirety, as in this verse and in His words, Most High:
“What is the matter with them that they do not believe?”
“And when the Quran is recited to them, they do not prostrate?”
This encompasses the entire Quran: anyone to whom the Quran is recited is commanded to prostrate. The person praying has had the Quran recited to him, and that is grounds for the command to prostrate. Thus he listens to the Quran and prostrates. The imam and the person praying alone hear their own recitation, thereby reciting the Quran to themselves. And it may