The adhkar in ruku’ and sujud

Changing and combining the adhkār to be recited during ruku’

A number of adhkār have been narrated to be recited when bowing, such as “Subhān Allāh al-‘Azīm wa bi hamdih (Glory and praise be to Allāh the most Great)” and “Subbūhun Quddūs Rabb al-Mala’ikatu wal-Rūh (Glorified, Holy, Lord of the Angels and of the Ruh)” and “Allāhumma laka raka’tu … (O Allāh, to You have I bowed…)”. Is it permissible to combine two of these kinds of adhkar when ruku', such as saying, “Subhān Rabbiy al-‘Azīm (Glory be to my Lord Most Great” three times then saying, “Subbūhun Quddūs Rabb al-Mala’ikatu wal-Rūh (Glorified, Holy, Lord of the Angels and of the Ruh)” three times? 

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of the al-ā’lamīn. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

Firstly: the adhkār to be recited during ruku’.

The following reports have been narrated concerning the adhkar to be recited when bowing:

1. Saying “Subhāna Rabbiy al-‘Azīm (Glory be to my Lord Most Great)”.

Hudzaifah (radiallāhu`anhu) reported, who said: I prayed with the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) one night… then he bowed and he started saying: “Subhāna Rabbiy al-‘Azīm (Glory be to my Lord Most Great).”

[Muslim (772)]

2. Saying “Subhāna Rabbiy al-‘Azīm wa bi hamdih (Glory and praise be to my Lord Most Great)”.

A hadith from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir (radiallāhu`anhu) who said: When the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) ruku’, he would say: “Subhāna Rabbiy al-‘Azīm wa bi hamdih” (Glory and praise be to my Lord Most Great)” three times, and when he sujud he would say: “Subhāna Rabbiy al-A’la wa bi hamdih (Glory and praise be to my Lord Most High)” three times.

[Narrated by Abu Dawud, classified as sahih by al-Albāni in Sifat al-Salāh, p. 133]

3. Saying “Subbuhun Quddus Rabb ul-Mala’ikatu wal-Ruh (Glorified, Holy, Lord of the Angels and of the Ruh)”.

The report from ‘Aa’ishah (radiallāhu`anha), according to which the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to say when ruku’ and sujud: “Subbūhun Quddus Rabb ul-Mala’ikatu wal-Rūh (Glorified, Holy, Lord of the Angels and of the Ruh)”.

[Narrated by Muslim (487)]

4. Saying: “Subhānaka Allāhumma Rabbana wa bihamdika, Allāhumma ighfir li” (Glory and praise be to You, O Allāh our Lord; O Allāh, forgive me)”

The hadith from ‘Aa’ishah (radiallāhu`anha) who said: The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to say when ruku’ and sujud: “Subhaanaka Allaahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika, Allaahumma ighfir li” (Glory and Praise be to You, O Allāh our Lord; O Allāh, Forgive me).

[Narrated by al-Bukhari (794) and Muslim (484)]

5. Saying, “Allāhumma laka raka’tu wa bika āmantu …” (O Allāh, to You have I bowed and in You have I believed…).

The report from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiallāhu`anhu), according to which when the Messenger of Allāh (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) ruku’, he would say:

“Allāhumma laka raka’tu wa bika amantu wa laka aslamtu, khasha’a laka sam’i wa basari wa mukhkhi wa ‘azmi wa ‘asabi “

(O Allāh, to You have I bowed and in You have I believed and to You have I submitted; my hearing, my sight, my brain, my bones and my sinews submit to You).

[Narrated by Muslim (771]

Secondly: the Muslim should preserve these Sunnahs

The Muslim should preserve these Sunnahs that have been narrated from the Messenger (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam), so he should say one of them sometimes and another of them sometimes. And he may combine all these adhkar in one bowing.

Al-Nawawi (rahimallāh) said:

But it is better to combine all of these adhkār if that is possible without causing hardship to anyone else, and he should recite the tasbih first (those that start with the words Subhān Allāh). If he wants to keep it short then it is mustahab to say tasbih, and the minimum required is to say tasbih three times, but if he says it only once he will have done what is basically required for tasbih. If he wants to limit it to only some of the adhkar, it is mustahab to say some of them sometimes and others at other times and so on, so that he will have done all of them.

[Al-Adhkar (p. 86)]

It is not makruh to add something to the phrases “Rabb ighfir li (Lord, Forgive me) or to say more than “Subhāna Rabbiy al-‘Azīm” (Glory be to my Lord Most Great) and “Subhāna Rabbiy al-‘Ala (Glory be to my Lord Most High)” when bowing and prostrating.

[Al-Iqna’: Hanbali book (1/119)]

After mentioning a number of adhkar to be said when bowing and raising the question as to whether these adhkar may be combined or one should recite only one of them:

This is possible. We have stated above that not all of the opening dua’s that have been narrated should be said at once, rather we should say one of them sometimes and another at other times, and we have quoted the evidence for that.

But with regard to the adhkār for ruku’ and sujūd which are known to most of the scholars, they may all be recited together.

[Al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (3/77]

[Excerpted from Fatwa No: 39172 published in Islam QA]