How to pray

Each prayer is made of units called rak‘ahs. Make wudu, face the Qibla (the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah), and follow these steps. Men and women pray the same way, with small differences in posture between the schools.

Rak‘ahs in each prayer

One rak‘ah

1. 1

   Intention

   Intend in your heart which prayer you are praying, for example the two rak‘ahs of Fajr.

2. 2

   Opening takbir

   Standing, raise your hands to your shoulders or ears and say:

   ٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ

   Allāhu akbar

   Allah is the Greatest

3. 3

   Standing

   Place your right hand over your left on your chest or stomach (in the Maliki school, the arms usually rest at the sides). Recite Al-Fatiha, then, in the first two rak‘ahs, any other surah or a few verses, such as Al-Ikhlas.

   بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ۝ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ۝ …

   Bismi-llāhi-r-raḥmāni-r-raḥīm. Al-ḥamdu lillāhi rabbi-l-ʿālamīn…

   Al-Fatiha, the Opening. Open it in the Quran to read and listen to the whole surah.

4. 4

   Bowing (ruku‘)

   Say Allāhu akbar and bow with your hands on your knees and your back straight. Say three times:

   سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

   Subḥāna rabbiya-l-ʿaẓīm

   Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent

5. 5

   Rising

   Stand back up saying the first phrase, then, once upright, the second:

   سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ ٱلْحَمْدُ

   Samiʿa-llāhu li-man ḥamidah. Rabbanā wa laka-l-ḥamd.

   Allah hears whoever praises Him. Our Lord, to You belongs all praise.

6. 6

   Prostration (sujud)

   Say Allāhu akbar and go down so your forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes touch the ground. Say three times:

   سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ

   Subḥāna rabbiya-l-aʿlā

   Glory be to my Lord, the Most High

7. 7

   Sitting

   Say Allāhu akbar and sit up briefly. Say:

   رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِي

   Rabbi-ghfir lī

   My Lord, forgive me

8. 8

   Second prostration

   Say Allāhu akbar and prostrate again as before. That completes one rak‘ah. Say Allāhu akbar and stand for the next.

Sitting and ending the prayer

After the second prostration of the second rak‘ah, stay sitting and recite the tashahhud. In a three- or four-rak‘ah prayer, then stand for the rest. In the final rak‘ah, sit again and recite it, followed by the salawat, then end the prayer.

1. 1

   Tashahhud

   Sit as between the prostrations, and point your right index finger while reciting:

   ٱلتَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَٱلصَّلَوَاتُ وَٱلطَّيِّبَاتُ، ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

   At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi wa-ṣ-ṣalawātu wa-ṭ-ṭayyibāt. As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuha-n-nabiyyu wa raḥmatu-llāhi wa barakātuh. As-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādi-llāhi-ṣ-ṣāliḥīn. Ashhadu an lā ilāha illa-llāh, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhū wa rasūluh.

   All greetings, prayers and good things are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

2. 2

   Salawat

   In the final sitting only, continue with:

   ٱللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، ٱللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

   Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad, kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm, innaka ḥamīdun majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad, kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm, innaka ḥamīdun majīd.

   O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers upon Abraham and the family of Abraham; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.

3. 3

   Taslim

   Turn your head to the right and say the salam, then to the left and say it again. The prayer is complete.

   ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ

   As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu-llāh

   Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah