The meaning of rukoo and sujud!

[greenvalley]

Assalam Alikum,
What's the meaning of rukoo and sujud in prayer? Is it something symbolic? Thanks in advance for the answers!

[Al-Hanbali]

Wa `Alaykum Salam,

This is what Sh. Sālih al-`Uthaymīn mentioned:

Ar-Rukū` is bending of the back, and the purpose behind this is to glorify Allāh (`azza wa jal), because this position is from the positions of glorification. And for this reason, there are people who do this in front of kings, the highly regarded and respected, bowing for them and sometimes performing actual rukū`, and sometimes even sujūd (prostration) – we seek refuge in Allāh. Ar-Rukū` is a position which a person does in order to point towards the magnificence of the one he is performing it for. This is why the Prophet (sallalāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “As for ar-Rukū`, in it they glorify the Lord.” It combines both the verbal and physical form of glorification.

[Chapter – Description of the Prayer, Sharh al-Mumti` Zād al-Mustaqni`]

[selsebil]

Assalaam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
Scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursi explains the meaning of rukoo and sujud in prayer on 9 th word of Risale-i Nur:

...Then he bows, and through declaring together with all the universe his weakness and impotence, his poverty and baseness before the infinite majesty, the limitless power, and utter mightiness of the Enduring Eternal One, he says: All glory to My Mighty Sustainer (Subhane rabbiyel azeem!), and glorifies his Sublime Sustainer. And prostrating before the undying Beauty of His Essence, His unchanging sacred attributes, His constant everlasting perfection, through abandoning all things other than Him, man proclaims his love and worship in wonder and self-abasement. He finds an All-Compassionate Eternal One. And through saying, All glory to my Exalted Sustainer (Subhane Rabbiyel A'la!), he declares his Most High Sustainer to be free of decline and exalted above any fault.