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Minimum Duration of Bowing During Ritual Prayer

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Mathabah.org
Answered by Shaykh Omar Subedar

Question:

How long should the rukūʾ (bowing during ritual prayer) last?

Answer:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathabah for your question.

A person must perform rukūʾ for the duration of saying ‘Subhān Allāh’ (Glory be to God) once.

Abū Bakr ibn Mas’ūd Al Kāsāni Al Ḥanafī [d. 587 H] writes, “Among the mandatory practices (wājibāt) of alāh (ritual prayer) is performing rukūʾ (bowing) and sujūd (prostration) calmly and peacefully. This is the view of Abū Hanīfa and Muḥammad [ibn Ḥasan Al Shaybānī].

Abū Yūsuf is of the view that [performing these postures] with calmness for the duration of saying one ‘Subhān Allāh’ is obligatory (fardh). This view has been adopted by Shāfi’ī [as well].” [Badāiʾ Al Ṣanāiʾ p.686 vol. 1, Dār Al-Kotob Al-Ilmīyah, Beirut, Lebanon, 1997]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم once instructed a bedouin who was failing to perform his alāh in a proper manner, “When you stand to perform alāh, say the takbīr (Allāh Akbar – God is the Greatest). Then recite whatever is easy for you from the Qurʾān. Then perform rukūʾ until you are calmly in the position of rukūʾ…” [Abū Dāwūd: 856]

And Allāh Knows Best

This answer was collected from Mathabah.org. It’s an Islamic educational institute based in Canada. The questions are generally answered by Sheikh Yusuf Badat and Sheikh Omar Subedar.

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