The Secret of Prioritizing Prostration over Bowing

Prostration and bowing are important parts of prayer. Several possibilities have been mentioned regarding the secret of prioritizing prostration over bowing in “prostrate and bow down with those who bow [in worship]”:

1. In the religious law that Mary (a.s.) followed, prostration preceded bowing.
2. The conjunction with “and” does not indicate practical order, meaning the precedence of prostration,(179) but rather it is merely precedence in mention; however, even if precedence in mention does not indicate anything specific, it shows importance, and regarding the importance of prostration, it suffices to say that the best state of a person in prayer is the state of prostration,(180) and naming the place of prayer as mosque (masjid) is naming it after the noblest part of prayer and the noblest limb of the one praying.