What Should I Say When I Rise From Bowing in Prayer? (Shafi’i)

Answered by Ustadh Sharif Rosen

Question: Assalam alaykum

What should I say when I rise from bowing in prayer?

Answer: as-Salamu ‘alaykum.

When one rises from bowing [ruku’] to the position of standing upright [‘itidal], expressions of praise are recommended [sunna/mustahab]. Any Arabic phrase incorporating the word “hamd” fulfills the sunna for this portion of the salat.

In short, one’s ritual prayer would be legally valid without uttering a phrase of hamd during one’s rising from ruku’, but would be deficient in as much as performing the sunnan associated with any act of worship helps to enhance and beautify the work before Allah.

[al-Haytami, al-Minhaj al-Qawim; al-Zuhayli, al-Mu’tamid]

And Allah knows best.

wa-Salam,
[Ustadh] Sharif Rosen

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Sharif Rosen is the Muslim Chaplain at Williams College (in the Northeastern United States) where he works to enhance campus life through spiritual and pastoral care; advocacy and coalition building; and deepening mutual understanding within and between communities.  His formative Islamic studies, past and ongoing, have been at the hands of scholars connected via unbroken transmission to the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings.  Most of Sharif’s training occurred in Amman, Jordan from 2008 – 2013, with a focus on creed, ritual law, spirituality, Quranic recitation and exegesis and through which he has received permission to transmit his Islamic learning.  Sharif has a B.A. in History from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and is now completing his graduate studies.  He completed the Classical Arabic program at the Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, where he was also the Director of Student Life.  He currently serves as the Vice President for Educational Chaplaincy with the U.S.-based Association of Muslim Chaplains.