Is it permissible to perform prostration of recitation by merely nodding the head?

The questioner : Is it permissible to perform prostration of recitation by merely nodding the head, especially if I am in a gathering of people, or if I am reading in an office or elsewhere? And does prostration of recitation include the takbir and the taslim?

The Shaykh : Prostration of recitation is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah) for anyone who comes upon a prostration verse. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) once recited the prostration verse in Surat al-Nahl while he was preaching to the people on the pulpit, so he came down and prostrated. He recited it again in the second Friday prayer but did not come down and did not prostrate, and he said: "Allah has not made prostration obligatory upon us except that we may do it if we wish". This report (athar) from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) in the presence of a gathering of the Companions is evidence that prostration of recitation is not obligatory, but it is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah). Therefore, a person prostrates on the ground on the seven limbs, based on the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Thus, the prostration is not complete except with this, unless a person is unable, in which case he nods, or if he is traveling and recites while on his mount, in which case he nods in prostration. However, if he is dismounted and not traveling, meaning if he is a resident, his prostration is not valid until he prostrates on the ground on the seven limbs that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) specified. This prostration does not require a taslim; rather, it includes only one takbir at the time of prostration. And when he rises from the prostration, he does not say takbir and does not say taslim, unless he recites the prostration verse while he is praying. In that case, he must say takbir when he prostrates and when he rises from the prostration. Some people have thought that prostration of recitation does not require a takbir when rising from it, even during prayer, but this assumption is not correct. Rather, if he is in the midst of prayer, it takes the ruling of the prostration of prayer, meaning that he says takbir when he prostrates and says takbir when he rises. The evidence for this is that all those who described the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and spoke about his takbir in the transitions say: He says takbir every time he lowers himself and every time he raises himself.
It is well known that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would recite the prostration verse in prayer and prostrate in it, as established in the authentic collections from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited: and prostrated in it, in the 'Isha' prayer. Based on this, we say: If you come upon a prostration verse while you are in prayer, you must say takbir when you prostrate and when you rise. As for outside of prayer, you say takbir when you prostrate, but you do not say takbir when you rise, and you do not say taslim.
And you say in this prostration: "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High", based on the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the words of Allah the Exalted were revealed: So you say: "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High" "Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me", and you supplicate with the known supplication: And if you do not know this supplication well, then supplicate with whatever you wish.

The questioner : Very well.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.