Duas While Bowing in Ruku: Five Authentic Variants
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Ruku — the bowing position of prayer — carries its own dedicated glorifications in the Sunnah, distinct from those said in sujood, standing, or sitting. Five authentic narrations are recorded for this position, ranging from the short, obligatory-level tasbih every praying Muslim learns first, to longer, more elaborate declarations the Prophet ﷺ is reported to have used on other occasions.
1. Wajib Dua in Ruku (Said Three Times)
Arabic: سُبْحانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظيم (ثلاث مرات)
Transliteration: Subḥāna Rabbiyal-‘Aẓīm (three times)
Translation: “Glory to my Lord the Exalted.”
Reference: Hisn al-Muslim 33; Sunan Abu Dawud; Sunan Ibn Majah; Sunan an-Nasa’i; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi; Musnad Ahmad.
This is the tasbih taught to every Muslim from childhood, and the majority of the four Sunni madhabs consider it obligatory (wajib)
2. The Prophet’s ﷺ Most Frequent dua in nafil salahs
Arabic: سُبْحانَكَ اللّهُمَّ رَبَّنا وَبِحَمْدِك، اللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لي
Transliteration: Subḥānaka Allāhumma Rabbanā wa biḥamdika, Allāhumma-ghfir lī
Translation: “Glory is to You O Allah, our Lord, and praise is Yours. O Allah, forgive me.”
Reference: Hisn al-Muslim 34; Sahih al-Bukhari 1/99; Sahih Muslim 1/350.
Recorded in both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, A’ishah (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ recited this often in his ruku and sujood in the final period of his life, connecting it to the Qur’anic instruction in Surah An-Nasr (110:3) to glorify and seek forgiveness — commentators note this dua was adopted by the Prophet ﷺ after that surah’s revelation.
3. Dua in ruku
Arabic: سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوس، رَبُّ الملائِكَةِ وَالرُّوح
Transliteration: Subbūḥun, Quddūsun, Rabbul-malā’ikati war-rūḥ
Translation: “Glory (to You), Most Holy (are You), Lord of the angels and the Spirit.”
Reference: Hisn al-Muslim 35; Sahih Muslim 1/353; Sunan Abu Dawud 1/230.
4. Dua in Ruku-Allāhumma laka raka’tu,
Arabic: اللّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْت، وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْت…
Transliteration: Allāhumma laka raka’tu, wa bika ‘āmantu, wa laka ‘aslamtu. Khasha’a laka sam’ī wa baṣarī, wa mukhkhī, wa ‘aẓmī, wa ‘aṣabī, wa mastaqalla bihi qadamī
Translation: “O Allah, to You I bow and in You I believe and to You I have submitted. Before You my hearing is humbled, and my sight, and my mind, my bones, my nerves and what my feet have mounted upon.”
Reference: Hisn al-Muslim 36; Sahih Muslim 1/534; Sunan Abu Dawud; Sunan an-Nasa’i; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi.
5. Another sunnah dua
Arabic: سُبْحانَ ذِي الْجَبَروتِ والمَلَكوتِ وَالكِبْرِياءِ وَالعَظَمَةِ
Transliteration: Subḥāna dhil-jabarūti, walmalakūti, walkibriyā’i, wal-‘aẓamati
Translation: “Glory is to You, Master of power, of dominion, of majesty and greatness.”
Reference: Hisn al-Muslim 37; Sunan Abu Dawud 1/230; Sunan an-Nasa’i; Musnad Ahmad.
This dua comprises four distinct divine attributes — jabarut (power), malakut (dominion), kibriya’ (majesty), and ‘azamah (greatness) — a formula scholars note was reported alongside the third variant above from the same narration, suggesting the Prophet ﷺ combined them on at least one occasion.
Choosing Between Them
As with the opening duas of prayer covered previously, the first is essentially required in every ruku, while the remaining four represent authenticated additions or alternatives a worshipper may draw on for variety, particularly in individual (non-congregational) prayer where there is more room to extend the position.
References cited: Hisn al-Muslim 33-37; Sahih al-Bukhari 1/99; Sahih Muslim 1/350, 1/353, 1/534; Sunan Abu Dawud 1/230; Sunan Ibn Majah; Sunan an-Nasa’i; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi; Musnad Ahmad.
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– The Six Opening Duas of Prayer (Du’a al-Istiftah)
– How to Respond to the Athan
– Duas for Wudu