The Prayer

1 Why salah is the heart of it all

Every other command in Islam came down to earth. The prayer was given differently: the Prophet ﷺ was taken up, through the heavens, into the Divine Presence on the night of Al-Isra wal-Miraj, and brought salah back with him. That's how much it matters.

Salah is a direct line. No booking, no intermediary, no priest. Five times a day you stand before the Lord of the worlds and speak to Him, and He listens. The Prophet ﷺ called it the coolness of his eyes, the place where a tired heart goes to rest.

And it works on you. Allah says the prayer "restrains from shameful and wrong deeds" (Quran 29:45). Someone who truly stands before Allah at dawn finds it harder to cheat someone at noon. It will also be the first thing asked about on the Day of Judgment: "if it is sound, the rest of the deeds will be sound" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 413).

2 First, wudu

You cannot pray without it. Washing for prayer is its own module, illustrated step by step, and it takes about two minutes to learn.

Already know it? Carry on below.

3 The five daily prayers

A rakat is one unit of prayer - one cycle of standing, bowing, and two prostrations. The fard rakats are the obligation - miss nothing there. The sunnah rakats shown around them are the ones the Prophet ﷺ kept so steadily that he said whoever prays twelve of them daily - two before Fajr, four before and two after Dhuhr, two after Maghrib, two after Isha - has a house built in Paradise (Sahih Muslim 728). Witr closes the night after Isha, one to eleven rakats, most simply three: "make the last of your prayer at night witr" (Sahih al-Bukhari 998). Start with the fard until it feels like home, then add the sunnah - they were his ﷺ daily rhythm, not extra credit.

The day bends around the prayer, not the other way. Fajr trains you to win the morning before the world wakes up. Maghrib gathers the family as the sun goes down. Any prayer-times app will give you today's exact times for your city.

4 How to pray - one rakat, walked through

Face the qibla (the direction of the Kaaba - your phone can point you), stand with humility, and move through these nine positions. Every picture below is one position: what your body does, and what your mouth says.

Two things that hold the whole cycle together. You say Allahu Akbar every time you move from one position into the next, so the words carry you through the prayer. And you go down into sujud twice in every single rakat, with a short sit in between. Steps 5, 6 and 7 below are that pair and the sit.

Before the first Allahu Akbar

Five things need to be in place before you start. None of them are hard, and most days they already are.

1. You have wudu.
2. Your body, clothes and the spot you pray on are clean.
3. You are covered. For a man, at minimum from the navel to the knees, and the shoulders covered in prayer. For a woman, everything except the face and hands.
4. The time for that prayer has come in.
5. You are facing the qibla.

The intention

Before you raise your hands you make the intention, the niyyah. This is where a lot of people get stuck, so here it is plainly: the intention is in your heart, not on your tongue. It is simply knowing which prayer you are about to pray. If you stood up to pray Asr, you have already made the intention. There is no sentence you have to recite, and the Prophet ﷺ is not reported to have said one out loud.

1 Takbir تكبير Stand facing the qibla. Raise both hands up level with your ears, palms forward, held apart on either side of your head. You do not touch your ears. Tap for what to say Takbir تكبير Say once اللَّهُ أَكْبَر Allahu Akbar Allah is the Greatest. Then, before Al-Fatihah Fold your hands and say the opening dua quietly, then seek refuge from Shaytan, then Bismillah. All three are sunnah, all three are printed under these cards. You have entered the prayer. The world stays outside. Tap to go back

2 Qiyam قيام Stand with your right hand over your left, resting on your chest. Tap for what to say Qiyam قيام Recite in every rakat بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَالرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِمَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِإِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُاهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَصِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim. Alhamdu lillahi rabbil-'alamin. Ar-rahmanir-rahim. Maliki yawmid-din. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in. Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqim. Siratal-ladhina an'amta 'alayhim ghayril-maghdubi 'alayhim wa lad-dallin. In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds - the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate - Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Guide us on the straight path - the path of those You have blessed, not of those who earned anger, nor of those astray. Quran, Surah Al-Fatihah 1:1-7 Then a short surah Al-Fatihah on its own is enough for the prayer to count. After it, in the first two rakats, you add a second short passage: any of the three qul surahs (Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas) or any other short surah you know. Pick one and say it. The full Arabic, the sound of it and the meaning are printed just under these cards. In the third and fourth rakats you recite Al-Fatihah only, with no second surah after it. Tap to go back

3 Ruku ركوع Bow forward. Back flat and level, hands on your knees, eyes down. Tap for what to say Ruku ركوع Say three times سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيم Subhana Rabbiyal-'Azim Glory to my Lord, the Magnificent. Flat enough to rest a cup on. That is the shape to aim for. Tap to go back

4 I'tidal اعتدال Come back up. Stand completely straight, arms relaxed at your sides. Tap for what to say I'tidal اعتدال Say once سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْد Sami'Allahu liman hamidah. Rabbana wa lakal-hamd. Allah hears the one who praises Him. Our Lord, to You is all praise. Stand still for a moment. Do not bounce straight down. Tap to go back

5 First sujud سجود Go down, saying Allahu Akbar. Seven parts touch the ground: forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, the toes of both feet. Tap for what to say First sujud سجود Say three times سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la Glory to my Lord, the Most High. The closest a person comes to Allah. Ask for whatever you need here. This is the first of two, and the next step is the sit between them. Tap to go back

6 Jalsa جلسة Say Allahu Akbar and come up out of sujud. Sit on your heels, back straight, hands resting on your thighs. Sit still for a moment. You are not finished with sujud yet. Tap for what to say Jalsa جلسة Say between the two رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي Rabbighfir li My Lord, forgive me. Settle before you move. Do not rush this sit. Some pray it twice, some three times, all are fine. Tap to go back

7 Second sujud سجود Say Allahu Akbar and go straight back down into sujud, exactly as you did the first time. Same seven parts on the ground, same words. Every rakat has two of these, never one. Tap for what to say Second sujud سجود Say three times سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la Glory to my Lord, the Most High. That is one rakat Coming up from here finishes the cycle. If the prayer has another rakat, you stand up saying Allahu Akbar and begin again from Al-Fatihah. If that was the last rakat, you stay sitting for the tashahhud. The Prophet ﷺ was seen praying two sujud in every rakat, in every prayer, all his life. Miss one and the rakat is not complete. Tap to go back

8 Tashahhud تشهد At the end of the prayer, sit with both hands resting on your thighs. Your forearm stays down along the thigh and your hand rests on the knee. Only the index finger comes out as you testify. Three things are said here: the testimony, the salawat, then a dua. Tap for what to say Tashahhud تشهد Say sitting التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu 'alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahis-salihin. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh. All greetings, prayers and good things belong to 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 His Messenger. Then the salawat اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid. O Allah, send Your grace upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your grace upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. Sahih al-Bukhari 3370 · Sahih Muslim 406 Then a dua before the salam رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ، رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ ، رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ Rabbij-'alni muqimas-salati wa min dhurriyyati, Rabbana wa taqabbal du'a. Rabbanagh-fir li wa liwalidayya wa lil-mu'minina yawma yaqumul-hisab. My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and from my descendants too. Our Lord, and accept my supplication. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day the reckoning is established. Quran 14:40-41 One finger, for one God. Some raise it only at the testimony, others through the whole sitting. Any sincere dua may be made here before you give the salam. Tap to go back

9 Salam سلام Turn your face to the right, then to the left. Tap for what to say Salam سلام Say to each side السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّه As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah Peace and the mercy of Allah be upon you. The prayer is complete. You are back in the world. Tap to go back

Steps 1 to 7 are one rakat: stand, bow, stand again, sujud, sit, sujud again. Then you rise saying Allahu Akbar and start the next rakat from step 2, standing with Al-Fatihah. You only raise your hands the way you did in step 1 at the very start of the prayer.

When the last rakat's second sujud is done, you stay sitting and finish with steps 8 and 9, the tashahhud and the salam. In a three or four rakat prayer there is also a short sitting after the second rakat: you say the tashahhud only, up to the testimony, then stand back up and carry on.

Between the takbir and Al-Fatihah

After you say Allahu Akbar and fold your hands, you do not go straight into Al-Fatihah. Three short things come first. None of them are obligatory: leave all three out and your prayer still counts. They are what the Prophet ﷺ did, and they are how the prayer settles before you start reciting.

1. The opening dua sunnah

Said silently, once, in the first rakat only. There is more than one wording, all of them from the Prophet ﷺ. Learn whichever one you were taught. The first is the one most people in the Hanafi tradition grow up with, the second is the one the Shafi'i tradition usually teaches.

The words of that second one are the words Ibrahim used when he turned away from the idols of his people, taken from the Quran (6:79 and 6:162-163). You are saying, before anything else, the same thing he said.

2. Seeking refuge sunnah

Then, silently, before you recite anything of the Quran:

Allah says: فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ - "When you read the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from Satan the outcast" (Quran 16:98). Most scholars hold you say it in the first rakat only. The Maliki school does not hold it to be prescribed in the prayer at all, and does not consider anyone who says it to be doing wrong.

3. Bismillah sunnah

Then Al-Fatihah, then Ameen

Now you recite Al-Fatihah, printed in full below. When you finish the last line, say Ameen - آمِين - meaning "O Allah, answer". In the loud prayers you say it out loud with everyone else. In the silent ones you say it under your breath.

5 What the words mean

Salah changes completely the day the words stop being sounds. A short dictionary of what you're actually saying:

• Allahu Akbar - Allah is greater. Greater than the meeting on your mind, the phone in your pocket, all of it.
• Subhana Rabbiyal-'Azim - Glory to my Lord, the Magnificent. Said while you bow.
• Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la - Glory to my Lord, the Most High. Said at the lowest point of your body, forehead on the floor - your lowest posture, His highest praise.
• At-tahiyyatu lillah... - the tashahhud: "All greetings, prayers and pure words are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah's righteous servants. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger."

The Prophet ﷺ said: "The closest a servant is to his Lord is while in sujud, so make abundant dua in it" (Sahih Muslim 482). Forehead on the ground is the strongest signal position on earth. Ask for everything there.

6 Khushu - praying with your heart in it

Everyone's mind wanders in prayer. Everyone's. The work is gently bringing it back, and stacking the odds in your favor:

• Phone on silent, in another room. The prayer is five minutes; the notifications will survive.
• Pray like it's your last one - the Prophet ﷺ literally advised this (Sunan Ibn Majah 4171).
• Know the meanings (section 5). You can't feel words you don't understand.
• Slow down. A rushed salah is pecking, not praying. Let your bones settle in every position.
• Wandered off mid-rakat? Don't spiral. Come back. That return is itself worship.

7 Real questions, honest answers

I've missed years of prayers. Where do I even start?

You start with the very next prayer. Not tomorrow's Fajr, the next one on the clock today. Allah does not hold the past against the one who turns to Him - and the prayers you build from today weigh more than the guilt you're carrying. Ask a local scholar about making up what's missed; but never let the backlog stop the next salah.

What if I'm traveling?

Allah shortened the road for you: the four-rakat prayers become two when traveling, and prayers can be combined. A mercy straight from the Sunnah - use it.

What if I mess up the words or the order?

Allah sees the sincerity, not the polish. There's even a built-in repair: the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud as-sahw) for slips. No one's salah gets rejected for a stutter.

Can I make dua in English?

The set phrases of salah stay in Arabic - and in your own sujud and after prayer, talk to Allah in whatever language your heart speaks. He created all the languages.