6. _Ruku'_ (plural _Rukuat_). This word literally means a prostration made by a worshipper in the act of saying the prayers. The collection of verses recited from the Quran, ascriptions of praise offered to God, and various ritual acts connected with these, constitute one act of worship called a "rak'at." After reciting some verses in this form of prayer, the worshipper makes a _Ruku'_, or prostration, the {57} portion then recited takes the name of _Ruku'_. Tradition states that the Khalif Osman, when reciting the Quran during the month of Ramazan, used to make twenty rak'ats each evening. In each rak'at he introduced different verses of the Quran, beginning with the first chapter and going steadily on. In this way he recited about two hundred verses each evening; that is, about ten verses in each rak'at. Since then, it has been the custom to recite the Quran in this way in Ramazan, and also to quote it by the ruku', _e.g._, "such a passage is in such a Sipara and in such a ruku'." The following account of a rak'at will make the matter plain. When the Faithful are assembled in the mosque, the Imam, or leader, being in front facing the Qibla, the service commences thus:--Each worshipper stands and says the Niyyat (literally "intention"), a form of words declaring his intention to say his prayers. He then says: "God is great." After this, looking downwards, he says: "Holiness to Thee, O God! and praise be to Thee, Great is Thy name, Great is Thy greatness, there is no deity but Thee." Then follows: "I seek from God refuge from cursed Satan." Then the Tasmiyah is repeated: "In the name of God, the Compassionate and Merciful." Then follows the Fatiha, that is, the short chapter at the commencement of the Quran. After this has been recited, the Imam proceeds, on the first night of the month Ramazan, with the first verse of the second chapter.[56] After saying a few verses, he makes a ruku'; that is, he bends his head and body down, and places his hands on his knees. In this position he says: "God is great." Then he repeats three times the words: "I extol the holiness of my Lord, the Great." He then stands up and says: "God hears him who praises Him." To this the people respond: "O Lord, thou art praised." Again, falling on his knees, the worshipper says: "God is great." Then he puts first his nose, and then his forehead on the {58} ground and says three times: "I extol the holiness of my Lord, the Most High." Then sitting on his heels, he says: "God is great;" and again repeats as before: "I extol, etc." He then rises and says: "God is great." This is one rak'at. On each night in the month of Ramazan this is gone through twenty times, the only variation being that after the Fatiha and before the first prostration, fresh verses of the Quran are introduced. The whole is, of course, done in Arabic, in whatever country the worshippers may be. The name of the prostration (ruku') has been transferred to the portion of the