Description of the Prayer from Its Beginning to Its End
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 46
وَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا اِبْنَ عَمِّ خَيْرِ خَلْقِ اَللَّهِ مَا مَعْنَى اَلسَّجْدَةِ اَلْأُولَى فَقَالَ «تَأْوِيلُهَا اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ مِنْهَا خَلَقْتَنَا يَعْنِي مِنَ اَلْأَرْضِ وَ تَأْوِيلُ رَفْعِ رَأْسِكَ وَ مِنْهَا أَخْرَجْتَنَا وَ تَأْوِيلُ اَلسَّجْدَةِ اَلثَّانِيَةِ وَ إِلَيْهَا تُعِيدُنَا وَ رَفْعِ رَأْسِكَ وَ مِنْهَا تُخْرِجُنَا تَارَةً أُخْرَى.
A man asked The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام saying: "O’ son of the cousin of the best of Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى creation, what is the meaning of the first sajdah (prostration)?" Imam Ali عليه السلام replied: "Its meaning is, 'O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, from it (the earth) You created us,' referring to being created from the earth. The meaning of raising your head is 'and from it, You brought us forth.' The meaning of the second sajdah is 'and to it, You shall return us,' and raising your head again means 'and from it, You shall bring us forth another time.'"
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh