Minimum and Maximum Tasbih in Ruku‘ and Sajdah

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), once asked me, ’Do you know what the limits of Ruku’ (bowing down on one’s knees) and Sujud (prostration) are?’ I replied, ’No, I do not know them.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Say Tasbih (my Lord, (Allah) most Great, is free of all defects and I praise Him) in Ruku’ three times. In Sujud position say, ’My Lord, (Allah) most High, is free of all defects and I praise Him. One who reduces one of these Tasbih has reduced one-third of his Salah (prayer). One who has reduced two of them has reduced two-thirds of his Salah (prayer) and one who does not say Tasbih has lost his Salah (prayer).”’

“I once went to visit abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when he performed Salah (prayer). I counted his Tasbih in Ruku’ (bowing down on one’s knees) and Sujud (prostration) which were sixty Tasbih.’”

“Once we went to visit abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when there a group of people was with him. He (the Imam) performed al-’Asr Salah (prayer) with them and we had already performed our Salah (prayer). We counted the number of Tasbih (my Lord, (Allah) most Great, is free of all defects) thirty- three or thirty-four times. One of them (narrators) in his Hadith has said that the number of his Tasbih (my Lord, (Allah) most Great, is free of all defects and I praise Him) in both Ruku’ and Sujud (prostration) were of the same number. This is because he (the Imam) knew they were ready for lengthy Ruku’ and Sujud (prostration). This also is because of a Hadith that it is better for an Imam to make it light and perform Salah (prayer) according to the condition of the weakest of the people (performing Salah (prayer) with him).”’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ’How many Tasbih is sufficient in Ruku’ (bowing down on one’s knees) and in Sujud (prostration) in the case of one suffering from illness?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘One Tasbih is sufficient.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘No word is lighter, easier and more eloquent for the tongue than Subhana Allah (Allah is free of all defects).’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘Can I say Tahlil (no one deserves worship except Allah), Tahmid (it is Allah only who deserves all praise) and Takbir (Allah is great beyond description), instead of Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, all of them are speaking of Allah.’ I (the narrator) said, ‘We know the meaning of Tahmid (it is Allah only who deserves all praise) and Tahlil (no one deserves worship except Allah). What is the explanation of Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is to speak of the glory of Allah, consider when a man is marveled because of something says, ‘Subhana Allah (Allah is free of all defects).””

“I once said to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘I am an Imam of the village. During Salah (prayer) I hear the sound of their shoes walking when I am in Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Wait in your Ruku‘ for the length of your Ruku‘ until the sound stops, otherwise, you can rise to stand up straight.’”