ركع

Root entry · 18 derived lemmas

The root ركع primarily denotes the act of bending or bowing, most famously associated with the ritual bowing in Islamic prayer. It extends to meanings of inclining, stooping, and figuratively, to a decline in status or fortune.

Derived headwords

رَكَعَverb

1.
to bow (in prayer)both
To perform the ritual bowing in prayer, a fundamental part of Islamic worship.
2.
to bend overboth
To incline the body or head downwards, often due to age, infirmity, or humility.
3.
to fall on one's faceclassical
To collapse or fall forward onto the ground.
4.
to become impoverishedclassical
To experience a decline in wealth and status after a period of prosperity.

ركع المصلي ركعة — The worshipper performed one unit of prayer (bow and prostrations).

رَكْعَةnoun

1.
unit of prayerboth
A complete cycle of prayer movements, consisting of standing, bowing, and prostrations.
2.
a bowboth
The act of bowing itself within the prayer.

ركعتين — two units of prayer

رُكُوعnoun

1.
bowing (in prayer)both
The act of bowing as part of the ritual prayer, characterized by inclining the head and torso.
2.
submissionclassical
The state of humility, submissiveness, and deference.
3.
inclinationboth
The physical act of bending or inclining.

الركوع: الخضوع — Bowing: submission

رَاكِعadjective

1.
bowing (person)both
One who is performing the act of bowing, especially in prayer.
2.
humbleclassical
Showing humility or submissiveness.
3.
inclinedboth
Bent over or stooped.

كلما قمت راكع — whenever I stood up bowing

رُكَّعnoun

1.
bowersboth
Plural of 'rak'i', those who bow, particularly in prayer.

رُكُوعnoun

1.
bowingboth
The act of bowing, particularly in prayer.

ركوع الصلاة — the bowing in prayer

رَكَعَverb

1.
to stoopboth
To bend the head or body low.

رَكَعَverb

1.
to stumbleclassical
To trip and fall or nearly fall.

رَكَعَverb

1.
to fall on the faceclassical
To fall forward onto one's face.

رَكَعَverb

1.
to become poorclassical
To fall into poverty after having been wealthy.

رَاكِعadjective

1.
bentboth
Bent over or stooped.

رَكَّعَverb

1.
to prayclassical
To perform the ritual prayer.

وهو يتركع — and he is praying

رَكَّاعadjective

1.
a horse's nameclassical
The name of a specific horse belonging to Zayd ibn Abbas.

الركاع، كشداد: فرس زيد بن عباس بن عامر أحد بني سماك — Ar-Rakka', like Shaddad: the horse of Zayd ibn Abbas ibn Amir of Banu Sumak.

رَكْعَةnoun

1.
pitclassical
A deep hole or depression in the ground.

الهوة من الأرض — a pit in the ground

رُكَّعnoun

1.
bowersboth
Plural of 'rak'i', those who bow.

جمع الراكع: ركع وركوع — The plural of 'rak'i' is 'rukk' and 'ruku'.

مَرْكَnoun

1.
grinding stoneclassical
A hard, elongated stone used for grinding.

واحدها مركع، يمانية — its singular is 'mirka', a Yamanite term.

مَرَاكِعnoun

1.
grinding stonesclassical
Plural of 'mirka', hard, elongated stones used for grinding.

المراكع: حجارة صلبة مستطيلة يطحن عليها — Al-Maraki': hard, elongated stones upon which one grinds.

رَوَكَّعَverb

1.
to bow the headclassical
To lower the head, especially in submission or exhaustion.

لغبت الإبل حتى ركعت، وهن رواكع — The camels became exhausted until they bowed their heads, and they were bowing.

Parallel reading

ركع المصلي ركعة، وركعتين، وثلاث ركعات، محركة: صلى

The worshipper performed one unit of prayer, two units, and three units of prayer, pronounced with a vowel: he prayed.

وكل قومة يتلوها الركوع والسجدتان من الصلوات فهي ركعة.

And every standing that is followed by bowing and two prostrations in the prayers is one unit of prayer.

ركع الشيخ: انحنى كبرا

The old man bowed: he bent over due to old age.

وهو أصل معنى الركوع

And it is the origin of the meaning of bowing.

ركع: كبا على وجهه، قاله ابن دريد

He fell on his face, said Ibn Duraid.

وزاد ابن بري: وعثر

And Ibn al-Bari added: and stumbled.

ومن المجاز: ركع الرجل، إذا افتقر بعد غنى، وانحطت حاله

And figuratively: a man became impoverished, if he became poor after being rich, and his condition declined.

لا تهين الفقير علك أن ... تركع يوما والدهر قد رفعه

Do not insult the poor, lest you one day become impoverished while time has elevated him.

وكل شيء ينكب لوجهه، فتمس ركبته الأرض، أو لا تمسها بعد أن يخفض رأسه فهو راكع.

And everything that falls on its face, so that its knee touches the ground, or does not touch it after lowering its head, is bowing.

الركوع: الخضوع

Bowing: submission.

ركع يركع ركعا وركوعا: طأطأ رأسه.

He bowed, he bows, bowing and submission: he lowered his head.

أما الركوع في الصلاة فهو أن يخفض المصلي رأسه بعد قومة القراءة، حتى تنال راحتاه ركبتيه، أو حتى يطمئن ظهره

As for the bowing in prayer, it is for the worshipper to lower his head after standing for recitation, until his palms reach his knees, or until his back is settled.

والركعة، بالضم: الهوة من الأرض، زعموا، لغة يمانية، نقله ابن دريد.

And Ar-Rak'ah, with dammah: a pit in the earth, they claim, a Yamanite dialect, narrated by Ibn Duraid.

وكانت العرب في الجاهلية تسمي الحنيف راكعا إذا لم يعبد الأوثان، ويقولون ركع إلى الله

And the Arabs in the pre-Islamic era used to call the Hanif (monotheist) 'rak'i' if he did not worship idols, and they would say 'he bowed to God'.

أي اطمأن

Meaning, he found solace.

سيبلغ عذرا أو نجاحا من امرئ ... إلى ربه رب البرية راكع

He will convey an excuse or success from a man... bowing to his Lord, the Lord of creation.

وهو يتركع، أي يصلي.

And he is performing 'yutarakka', meaning, he is praying.

والمراكع: حجارة صلبة مستطيلة يطحن عليها، واحدها مركع، يمانية.

And Al-Maraki': hard, elongated stones upon which one grinds, its singular is 'mirka', a Yamanite term.

لغبت الإبل حتى ركعت، وهن رواكع: طأطأت رؤوسها، وأكبت على وجوهها.

The camels became exhausted until they bowed their heads, and they were bowing: they lowered their heads and fell onto their faces.