What to say in Rukoo' and Sujood
Fatwa No: 328669

Question

Assalaamu alaykum! I sent you two questions, but you did not answer me and said that there are already similar questions. However, that is not true! The answers that you gave me did not answer my question. Please, I need an answer. I am not pleased with the answer because you linked me to other questions which did not answer my question! You can look at this yourself; the question's number was 2619215. So please answer my two questions O Shaykh! I present them to you again and hope that you will answer me! Please do so, O Shaykh, and may Allaah bless you.
1. I know that is mustahab to say, "Subhaana Rabbiy al-A'laa," in the Sujud (prostration) and in Rukoo' (bowing), but is it permissible to say Adhkaar (plural of Dhikr; expressions of remembrance of Allaah) like, "Subhaana Allaah 'adada kulli shay," or, "Subhaana Allaah wa bi hamdihi 'adada kulli shay," or, "Subhaana Allaah wa bihamdihi 'adada khalqihi, wa ridha nafsihi, wa zinata arshihi, wa midaada kalimaatihi"? Can you say those in sujud?
2. You are aware of the hadiths about reciting Quran in the night prayer. For instance, the person who recites 10 verses will not be from Al-Ghaafilin (heedless), and the one recites 100 verses will be amongst the devout, and the one who reads 1000 verses will get a Qintaar. However, must one sleep after the 'Ishaa prayer and then wake up in order to get this reward? For instance: Can I pray the 'Ishaa and then read 1000 verses in night prayer and get the reward as described in the hadith without sleeping first?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

We are going to only answer your first question as per the policy of the site. If you seek an answer to your second question, then you may ask it separately, or rather you may refer to fataawa 89268 and 267454.

The scholars of the Hanbali School are of the view that it is an obligation to say, "Subhaana Rabbiyal-A’theem," in Rukoo’ and say, "Subhaana Rabbiyal-A’la," in Sujood; so saying any other kind of mention of Allaah is not sufficient according to them.

Hence, you have to say this specific Thikr (mention of Allaah) lest your prayer be subjected to being void according to the scholars of the Hanbali School. Besides, it is only obligatory to say this Thikr once, and saying it more than once is desirable. So if you say this Thikr once and then say another kind of Thikr, there is no harm in doing so.

In case you wish to say other kinds of Thikr as well as the obligatory Thikr, then it better to say something that is confirmed in the Sunnah, such as saying, "Subbooh-un Quddoos-un Rabb-ul Malaa'ikati war-Rooh;" or, "Subhaanaka Allaahumma Rabbana wa Bihamdika, Al-Laahummaghfir li;" or, "Subhaana Dhil-Malakooti wal-Jabarooti wal-Kibriyaa’i wal ‘Athamah." Also, you should supplicate as much as possible in prostration and say the Athkaar that we have mentioned, which are the Athkaar that were confirmed from the Prophet as there is much goodness in them. However, if you say other kinds of Thikr, such as what you have mentioned in your question, then there is nothing wrong with that on the condition that you say the obligatory Thikr as well as what we have already stated.

Allaah knows best.

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