Prohibition of reciting the Qur’an while bowing
He would forbid reciting the Qur’an during bowing and prostration. He said, “Behold! I have been forbidden to recite the Qur’an while bowing or prostrating. Bowing is for magnifying the Lord, whereas prostration is for earnest supplication; you are more likely to be answered thereby.” ⦗669–673⦘
Straightening up from bowing and what is said there
Next, the Prophet ﷺ would raise his back from bowing and say, “Samiʿa Allahu liman ḥamidah” (Allah hears whoever praises Him). He gave the same instruction to the man who prayed incorrectly, saying, “No one’s prayer is complete until … he pronounces the takbīr, then bows, then says, ‘Samiʿa Allahu liman ḥamidah,’ and stands upright.” Whenever he lifted his head, he remained straight until every vertebra returned to its place.
While standing he would then say, “Rabbana wa laka al-ḥamd” (Our Lord, and to You belongs all praise). He commanded every worshipper, whether following an imam or praying alone, to do likewise, saying, “Pray as you have seen me pray.” He also said, “The imam was only appointed to be followed… When he says, ‘Samiʿa Allahu liman ḥamidah,’ say: ‘Allahumma Rabbana wa laka al-ḥamd.’” In another narration he added, “Allah will hear you, for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has said through the tongue of His Prophet ﷺ: ‘Samiʿa Allahu liman ḥamidah.’” In yet another report he explained, “Whoever’s words coincide with the words of the angels will have his past sins forgiven.”
At this point of straightening up he would raise his hands just as he did for the opening takbīr, and while standing he would say— as mentioned above—one of the following:
- “Rabbana wa laka al-ḥamd” (Our Lord, and to You belongs all praise);
- “Rabbana laka al-ḥamd” (Our Lord, to You belongs all praise), omitting the conjunction;
- “Allahumma Rabbana wa laka al-ḥamd” (O Allah, our Lord, and to You belongs all praise), sometimes with the conjunction,
- and sometimes without it: “Allahumma Rabbana laka al-ḥamd” (O Allah, our Lord, to You belongs all praise).
He instructed the congregation, saying, “When the imam says, ‘Samiʿa Allahu liman ḥamidah,’ then say, ‘Allahumma Rabbana laka al-ḥamd,’ for whoever’s āmīn coincides with the āmīn of the angels will have his past sins forgiven.”
At times he would add either:
- “Milʾa as-samawāti, wa milʾa al-arḍi, wa milʾa mā shiʾta min shayʾ baʿd” (As much as fills the heavens, fills the earth, and fills whatever else You will thereafter), or
- “Milʾa as-samawāti, wa milʾa al-arḍi, wa milʾa mā baynahumā, wa milʾa mā shiʾta min shayʾ” (A fullness of the heavens, a fullness of the earth, a fullness of what lies between them, and a fullness of whatever else You will).