Minimum and Maximum Tasbih in Ruku‘ and Sajdah

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Abd al-Malik from abu Bakr al-Hadramiy who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far عليه السلام, 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).”’