Combining Lightness in Prayer with Humility

Question:
This questioner asks: How do we combine easing the burden on the congregation with khushu' (humility) in prayer? We ask for an example of this. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
Anas ibn Malik, the servant of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), said: “I have not prayed behind anyone whose prayer was more complete or lighter than the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). His prayer was entirely characterized by lightness, peace and blessings be upon him. He would lead the people in prayer and move quickly in the prayer without prolonging it. He would move quickly without rushing. When he bowed, he would say ‘Subhan Allah’ three, five, or seven times, and say, ‘Subhanaka Allahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika, Allahumma ghfir li’ (Glory be to You, O our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me), with tranquility. And when he raised his head, he would also be tranquil after saying ‘Sami‘a Allahu li man hamida’ (Allah hears the one who praises Him), saying, ‘Rabbana wa laka al-hamdu, hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fih, min al-samawati wa min al-ardh wa min ma baynahuma wa min ma kataba min shay’in ba‘d’ (Our Lord, to You belongs praise, abundant, good, and blessed praise, from the heavens and from the earth and from what is between them and from what You have decreed thereafter). Then he would bow or prostrate. If he completed it, he would say, ‘Wa ahl al-samawati wa ahl al-thamarah’ (And the people of the heavens and the people of the fruit). And when the servant’s words are fulfilled, and everyone is complete, ‘Allahumma la mani‘a li ma atayta, wa la amra atyab min anta, wa la yanfa‘ dhi al-jaddi minka al-jadd’ (O Allah, there is no one who can prevent what You have given, and no command is better than You, and the effort of the one who strives does not benefit him against You). This is the best, and there is no length in it, no length at all, no hardship. And so it is in prostration and bowing, he would say, ‘Subhana Rabbi al-‘Azim’ (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great), ‘Subhana Rabbi al-‘Azim’ (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great), ‘Subhana Rabbi al-‘Azim’ (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great), the first one, ‘Subhanaka Allahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika, Allahumma ghfir li’ (Glory be to You, O our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me). There is no length in this. And if he repeated it five or seven times, there is no length in it. And so it is in prostration, ‘Subhana Rabbi al-A‘la’ (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High), ‘Subhana Rabbi’ (Glory be to my Lord) three, five, seven, or ten times. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to count ten in this, peace and blessings be upon him. And if he said with this, ‘Subhanaka Allahumma Rabbana ghfir li, Allahumma ghfir li, Subuh al-Quddus, Rabb al-mala’ikah wa al-Ruh’ (Glory be to You, O our Lord, forgive me. O Allah, forgive me. The Exalted, the Pure, Lord of the angels and the Spirit), there is no length in this, but hardship. And when he supplicated, he would say, ‘Allahumma ghfir li wa rhamni, Allahumma inni as’aluka ridadhaka wa al-jannah, wa a‘udhu bika min sakhadika wa al-nar’ (O Allah, forgive me and have mercy on me. O Allah, I ask You for Your pleasure and Paradise, and I seek refuge in You from Your anger and the Fire). ‘Allahumma ghfir li wa li walidayya’ (O Allah, forgive me and my parents) in his prostration. This is good. Or ‘Allahumma ghfir li wa li al-muslimin, Allahumma aslih hawali al-muslimin, Allahumma waffiq walati amr al-muslimin, Allahumma waffiq imamana li kulli khayr’ (O Allah, forgive me and the Muslims. O Allah, rectify the affairs of the Muslims. O Allah, grant success to the rulers of the Muslims. O Allah, grant success to our imam for all good). He would supplicate in his prostration. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So increase in supplication, ‘kubbar wa al-nafal’ (make it great and voluntary), meaning he says ‘kubbar wa al-nafal’. And he said (peace and blessings be upon him): meaning ‘fa-hurrima yastajibu lakum’ (so it is forbidden for you to be answered), there is no length in this nor hardship in either matter. Yes. May Allah reward you.