FIRST POINT: The meaning of the prayers is the offering of glorification, praise, and thanks to Almighty Allah. That is to say, uttering “Subhanallah – Glory be to Allah” by word and action before Allah’s glory and sublimity, it is to hallow and worship Him. And declaring “Allahu Akbar – Alah is Most Great” through word and act before His sheer perfection, it is to exalt and magnify Him. And saying “Alhamdulillah – All praise be to Allah” with the heart, tongue, and body, it is to offer thanks before His utter beauty. That is to say, glorification, exaltation, and praise are like the seeds of the prayers. That is why these three things are present in every part of the prayers, in all the actions and words. It is also why these blessed words are each repeated thirty-three times after the prayers, in order to strengthen and reiterate the prayers’ meaning. The meaning of the prayers is confirmed through these concise summaries. SECOND POINT:
The meaning of worship is this, that the servant sees his own faults, impotence, and poverty, and in the Divine Court prostrates in love and wonderment before dominical perfection, Divine mercy, and the power of the Eternally Besought One. That is to say, just as the sovereignty of dominicality demands worship and obedience, so also does the holiness of dominicality require that the servant sees his faults through seeking forgiveness, and through his glorifications and declaring “Subhanallah” proclaims that his Sustainer is pure and free of all defects, and exalted above and far from the false ideas of the people of misguidance, and hallowed and exempt from all the faults in the universe.
Also, the perfect power of dominicality requires that through understanding his own weakness and the impotence of other creatures, the servant proclaims “Allahu Akbar” in admiration and wonder before the majesty of the works of the Eternally Besought One’s power, and bowing in deep humility seeks refuge in Him and places his trust in Him.
Also, the infinite treasury of dominicality’s mercy requires that the servant makes known his own need and the needs and poverty of all creatures through the tongue of entreaty and supplication, and proclaims his Sustainer’s bounties and gifts through thanks and laudation and uttering “Alhamdulillah”. That is to say, the words and actions of the prayers comprise these meanings, and have been laid down from the side of Divinity.
Source: 9th Word, Risale-i Nur Collection