How Do I Pray?

Before we can stand before Allah in prayer, we must first prepare ourselves. Islam places great importance on cleanliness (Taharah). Allah says in the Qurʾan:

Impurities That Must Be Removed Before Salah

For your prayer to be valid, your body, clothing, and prayer space must be free of physical impurities (Najasaat):

• Human urine
• Human excrement
• Wadi — a thick white secretion sometimes discharged after urination
• Madhi — a thin sticky fluid (other than semen) sometimes present due to arousal
• Menstrual blood
• Waste of animals whose meat is impermissible to eat (such as carnivores like lions)
• Dog saliva
• Water remaining in a vessel after a carnivore has drunk from it

How to Purify Things

1. Body and clothing

Wash with water until all impurity is removed. For visible impurities, wash until no trace remains. For non-visible impurities such as urine, once is sufficient, though three times is preferred.

2. Clothing from a male infant's urine

Sprinkle water over the affected area. Clothing soiled by a female infant's urine must be fully washed.

3. The bottom of shoes

Rub firmly against clean ground until all traces of impurity are removed.

4. The ground

Pour water over the impurity. For soil or sand, allowing the area to dry completely with no visible traces also purifies it.

5. Utensils touched by dog saliva

Wash seven times with water; the first wash must include soil or earth mixed in. If saliva only touched the body or clothing, one washing is sufficient.

Minor and Major Hadath

Beyond physical impurities, the body must also be free of Hadath — a state of ritual impurity.

Wudu: The Ritual Ablution

Wudu is performed before each prayer if your state of purity has been broken. Begin by making the intention (Niyyah) in your heart to perform Wudu for the sake of Allah.

How to Perform Wudu

Supplication After Wudu

Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illallāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh.

What Nullifies Wudu?

• Natural discharges: passing wind, urinating, or defecating
• Deep sleep in which you are no longer aware of your surroundings
• Loss of consciousness or fainting

Ghusl: The Full Ritual Bath

Ghusl is required to remove Major Hadath. It involves washing the entire body with water.

Ghusl is required after:

• Marital relations
• A wet dream
• Menstruation or post-natal bleeding (for women)

How to Perform Ghusl

1. Make the intention (Niyyah) in your heart to perform Ghusl for the sake of Allah.
2. Wash the private parts thoroughly, removing any physical impurity.
3. Perform complete Wudu as described in the previous section.
4. Pour water over the head three times, ensuring it reaches the scalp and all of the hair.
5. Wash the right side of the body from the shoulder to the foot.
6. Wash the left side of the body in the same manner.

Tayammum: The Dry Ablution

Allah, in His infinite mercy, has provided an alternative to Wudu and Ghusl when water is unavailable or its use would cause harm.

Tayammum is permitted when:

• You cannot find water
• The water available is insufficient for Wudu or Ghusl
• You are saving available water for drinking or essential use
• You are ill and using water would worsen your condition or delay recovery
• Performing Wudu would cause you to miss a funeral prayer or Eid prayer that cannot be made up

How to Perform Tayammum

The Five Daily Prayers and Their Times

The Islamic prayers are tied to the movement of the sun, connecting our daily lives to the rhythm of the natural world.

Combining Prayers (Jamʿ) and Shortening (Qasr)

• Combining (Jamʿ) — Dhuhr+Asr or Maghrib+Isha is permitted when: traveling, ill, extremely tired, schedule cannot be controlled, or severe weather at the mosque.
• Shortening (Qasr) — When traveling, you may shorten the 4-Rakʿah prayers (Dhuhr, Asr, Isha) to 2 Rakʿahs. Fajr and Maghrib are not shortened.

The Adhan: The Call to Prayer

The Adhan is announced from the mosque when prayer time begins. The Muʾadhin stands facing the Qiblah, raises both hands to his ears, and calls:

The Iqamah: The Call to Begin

The Iqamah is the shorter, faster call given just before the congregation stands for prayer. Same phrases as the Adhan but mostly said once. The following is added after "Ḥayya ʿalal-Falāḥ":

Here we walk through the beautiful actions and words of the Salah, beginning with the two-Rakʿah Fajr prayer. Be patient with yourself — soon these movements will become second nature.

Before You Begin

When to Recite Aloud or Silently

• Fajr — recite Al-Fatihah and additional Surah aloud in both Rakʿahs
• Dhuhr — all recitation is silent throughout all 4 Rakʿahs
• Asr — all recitation is silent throughout all 4 Rakʿahs
• Maghrib — recite aloud in the first 2 Rakʿahs; silently in the 3rd
• Isha — recite aloud in the first 2 Rakʿahs; silently in the 3rd and 4th

Step 1 — Standing and the Opening Takbir (Qiyam)

• Stand respectfully, facing the Qiblah.
• Raise both hands to your ears (or shoulders), palms forward, and say the Takbiratul-Ihram:

Allāhu Akbar — "Allah is the Greatest."

This opening declaration formally begins the prayer. Once said, you are in the state of prayer. Lower your hands and place your right hand over your left on your chest.

📷Qiyam — Hands FoldedRight hand placed over left on the chest; gaze toward prostration spot

Step 2 — Opening Supplication, Subhanaka (First Rakʿah Only)

Silently recite the Subhanaka at the very start of the first Rakʿah only:

Subḥānakallāhumma wa biḥamdik, wa tabārakasmuk, wa taʿālā jadduk, wa lā ilāha ghayruk.

Then silently seek refuge from Shaytan (Taʿawwudh): "Aʿūdhu billāhi minash-shayṭānir-rajīm" — I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan.

Step 3 — Recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah

Surah Al-Fatihah is recited in every Rakʿah of every prayer. It is the opening chapter of the Qurʾan.

Step 3a — Recitation of an Additional Surah

In the first and second Rakʿah, after Al-Fatihah, recite any short Surah you have memorized. Here are two commonly recited examples to get you started.

Surah Al-Ikhlas (Chapter 112)

Surah Al-Kawthar (Chapter 108)

Step 4 — Bowing (Rukuʿ)

Say "Allahu Akbar" and bow, placing hands on knees, back straight and parallel to the ground. While bowing, say three times:

Subḥāna rabbiyal-ʿAẓīm — "Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent."

Step 5 — Rising from Bowing (Iʿtidal)

Rise to a full standing position while saying:

Samiʿallāhu liman ḥamidah — "Allah hears those who praise Him."

Once fully upright, say:

Rabanā wa lakal-ḥamd — "Our Lord, and to You belongs all praise."

Step 6 — Prostration (Sujood)

Say "Allahu Akbar" and go into prostration. Seven points must touch the floor: forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, and toes of both feet. While in Sujood, say three times:

Subḥāna rabbiyal-Aʿlā — "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High."

Step 7 — Sitting Between Prostrations (Jalsa)

Say "Allahu Akbar" and rise to a sitting position on the left foot, right foot upright, hands on knees. While sitting, say:

Rabbighfir lī, Rabbighfir lī — "My Lord, forgive me. My Lord, forgive me."

Step 8 — Second Prostration

Say "Allahu Akbar" and perform a second Sujood exactly like the first, reciting "Subḥāna rabbiyal-Aʿlā" three times. This completes one full Rakʿah.

Step 9 — The Second Rakʿah

• Say "Allahu Akbar" and rise to standing for the second Rakʿah.
• Recite Al-Fatihah and another short Surah. Do not recite Subhanaka or Taʿawwudh in this Rakʿah.
• Perform Rukuʿ, Iʿtidal, and two Sujoods exactly as in the first Rakʿah.

The Tashahhud

After the second Sujood of the second Rakʿah, remain seated. Right hand on right thigh: fingers loosely closed, index finger extended and pointing forward. Left hand flat on left thigh.

Silently recite the Tashahhud:

At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi waṣ-ṣalawātu waṯ-ṯayyibāt. As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh. As-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādillāhiṣ-ṣāliḥīn. Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illallāhu wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh.

Salatul Ibrahimiyyah

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.

Duʿa Before the Tasleem (Recommended)

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min ʿadhābi jahannam, wa min ʿadhābil-qabr, wa min fitnatil-maḥyā wal-mamāt, wa min sharri fitnatil-masīḥid-dajjāl.

The Tasleem — Finishing the Prayer

Turn your face to the right and say:

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh — "Peace and the mercy of Allah be upon you."

Then turn your face to the left and repeat the same greeting.

Prayers of Three or Four Rakʿahs

An Illustrated Guide to a Two-Rakʿah Prayer (Fajr) — Drawings to be inserted in each position card below.

Sunnah (Optional) Prayers

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) performed additional optional prayers before and after the obligatory prayers. These are highly recommended.

Salatul Witr

Salatul Witr is a special prayer with an odd number of Rakʿahs (usually one, three, five, or more) performed after Isha and before Fajr. The Prophet (ﷺ) never left it even while traveling. In the last Rakʿah, after rising from Rukuʿ, raise both hands and recite the Duʿa al-Qunut:

Allāhumma-hdinī fīman hadayt, wa ʿāfinī fīman ʿāfayt, wa tawallanī fīman tawallayt, wa bārik lī fīmā aʿṭayt, wa qinī sharra mā qaḍayt. Fa innaka taqḍī wa lā yuqḍā ʿalayk. Tabārakta rabanā wa taʿālayt.

What Invalidates the Salah?

• Speaking intentionally — any words not part of the prayer
• Eating or drinking, no matter how small
• Audible laughter
• Excessive movement unrelated to prayer
• Losing Wudu — any action that nullifies Wudu also nullifies the Salah
• Intentionally omitting a pillar: Rukuʿ or Sujood
• Turning the chest away from the Qiblah
• Uncovering parts of the body that must be covered

What Is Permissible During Salah?

• Carrying a baby or young child if needed
• Praying with shoes on, provided they are free of impurities
• Taking a few steps to adjust position, shoulders remaining toward the Qiblah
• Moving a hand slightly to acknowledge a greeting
• Males saying "SubhanAllah" quietly to alert the Imam to a mistake; females clapping once
• Correcting the Imam's recitation if he makes an error
• Making necessary minor movements: adjusting clothing, wiping the nose

Interrupting the Prayer for Emergencies

What to Do When You Miss Salah

If you miss a prayer due to sleep or forgetfulness, make it up as soon as you wake up or remember. Missed prayers must be made up in chronological order. For example, if you missed Asr and it is now Maghrib time, pray Asr first, then Maghrib.

Praying in a Congregation

Praying in congregation is highly recommended and carries a reward 27 times greater than praying alone.

• The Imam stands at the front; everyone lines up behind him.
• Fill rows completely: shoulder to shoulder, feet spread shoulder-width.
• Men pray in front rows; women in rows behind the men.
• Follow the Imam's movements precisely — do not move before him.
• If you join before the Imam rises from Rukuʿ: enter with the Takbir and join the Rukuʿ. If you complete Rukuʿ with him, that Rakʿah counts.
• If you join after the Imam has risen from Rukuʿ: follow him to the Tasleem but do not make Tasleem — rise and make up the missed Rakʿahs.

Sujood As-Sahu: The Prostration of Forgetfulness

If you make a mistake in your prayer, perform two extra prostrations at the end as a remedy (e.g., forgot the first Tashahhud, added an extra Rakʿah, or are uncertain about the count). After the final Tashahhud, perform two extra Sujoods, sit briefly, then make the final Tasleem.

How to Use This Guide

This interactive guide is designed to help you learn at your own pace. Here are the features available to you.

Appendix A — Glossary of Terms

For More Information

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