Chapter: Glorification (Tasbih) in Bowing (Ruku') and Prostration (Sujud)
Ahmad was asked: 'If a man is performing an obligatory prayer, should he make personal supplication (du'a) while prostrating?' He replied: 'As for the obligatory prayer, I do not favor it, but in voluntary prayer, there is no harm in it.' I said: 'Should he say in his prostration: "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High, and by His praise"?' He said: 'As for me, I do not say it.' I said: 'And likewise in the bowing?' He said: 'Yes.'
It is the position of Ahmad that one says in prostration: "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High," and in bowing: "Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty."
I heard Ishaq ibn Ibrahim say: 'It was considered recommended in prostration to say "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High" three times, and in bowing to say "Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty" three times. If you glorify fewer than that, it suffices you, and if you use any glorification mentioned from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Companions, it suffices you. This is because all of them are Sunnah; the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) established Sunan for his nation in these matters as a lightening of the burden upon them. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to lengthen the bowing and prostration in voluntary prayers.'
950 - Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr narrated to us, saying: 'Umar ibn 'Ali narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Dhi'b, from Ishaq ibn Yazid, from 'Awn ibn 'Abd Allah, from Ibn Mas'ud, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: "Whoever says in his bowing 'Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty' three times, his bowing is complete, and that is its minimum. And whoever says in his prostration 'Glory be to my Lord, the Most High' three times, his prostration is complete, and that is its minimum."
951 - 'Amr ibn 'Uthman narrated to us, saying: Baqiyyah ibn al-Walid narrated to us, from al-Awza'i, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, who said: Hafs ibn al-Farafisah narrated to me that he heard 'Urwah ibn al-Zubayr saying—during his prostration: 'O Allah, forgive al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam; O Allah, forgive Asma' bint Abi Bakr.'
