How Do I Pray?

Acknowledgements¶

All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of Al-ʿAlamin (all that exists), and peace be upon the Messenger Muhammad, his family, and all his companions. I would like to give my gratitude to all of the brothers and sisters who volunteered their time, effort, and funds to put together this guide.

I ask Allah, the Exalted, the Most Merciful, to accept this work as an ongoing charity. May Allah give us sincerity in all of our sayings and actions and reward us all with the best in this world and the Hereafter. Ameen.

— Imam Mohamed Baianonie

An Introduction¶

Welcome, dear reader, to one of the most beautiful and profound pillars of Islam: the Salah, the daily ritual prayer.

If you are reading this guide, you are likely taking your first steps on a remarkable journey — a journey to connect with your Creator, find peace in your day, and build a foundation for a life of faith. Every single Muslim in the world was once a beginner, just like you.

Think of this book not as a list of rules, but as a friendly hand to guide you. Our goal is to walk with you, step by step, through the beautiful actions of the prayer. We will explain not only how we pray, but also why we pray, so that your prayer becomes a source of deep personal meaning and spiritual nourishment.

May this guide be a source of clarity and confidence for you, and may your prayers be a source of immense peace, comfort, and connection in your life. We are honoured to be a part of your journey.

Why We Pray: The Excellence of Salah¶

Before we learn the physical steps, let's appreciate the incredible gift that is the Salah. The prayer is a direct link between you and Allah — a conversation with your Creator five times a day, a spiritual anchor in the ebb and flow of daily life. Salah is the second pillar of Islam.

Allah also says: “Verily, prayer prevents from great sins and evil deeds.” (Qur'an 29:45).

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) illustrated the power of prayer through a beautiful comparison:

As you learn the steps, carry this beautiful purpose in your heart. You are not just performing a ritual — you are answering the call of your Lord, nourishing your soul, and building a relationship that will be your greatest source of strength in this life and the next.

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

Taharah includes cleanliness of the body, clothing, and the place of prayer. Islam provides three methods of ritual purification: Wudu, Ghusl, and Tayammum.

Impurities to Remove Before Salah¶

For your prayer to be valid, your body, clothing, and prayer space must be free of physical impurities (Najasaat). The following are considered impure and must be removed:

• Human urine
• Human excrement
• Wadi — a thick white secretion after urination
• Madhi — a thin sticky fluid due to arousal
• Menstrual blood
• Waste of animals whose meat is impermissible (e.g. carnivores like lions)
• Dog saliva
• Water left in a vessel after a carnivore drank

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. A male infant's urine. Sprinkle water over the affected area. A female infant's urine must be fully washed.

3. The bottom of shoes. Rub firmly against clean ground until all traces are removed.

4. The ground. Pour water over the impurity. For soil or sand, allowing it to dry completely with no visible trace also purifies it.

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

Minor & Major Hadath¶

Beyond physical impurities, the body must also be free of Hadath — a state of ritual impurity. There are two kinds:

Wudu¶

Wudu is performed before each of the five daily prayers if your state of purity has been broken. It is a simple act of washing that prepares your mind and body for prayer. Perform each step in order. Begin by making the intention (Niyyah) in your heart to perform Wudu for the sake of Allah.

Supplication after Wudu

After completing Wudu, raise your gaze and recite the following testimony of faith:

Wiping Over Footwear & Hijab¶

Islam eases the renewal of Wudu through Masah — wiping with wet hands instead of washing. If you put on clean socks (or footwear) while already in a state of valid Wudu, you may wipe over them instead of washing the feet when you renew your Wudu.

Ghusl¶

Ghusl is required to remove Major Hadath — after marital relations, a wet dream, or (for women) the end of menstruation or post-natal bleeding. It involves washing the entire body with water.

1. Make the intention (Niyyah) in your heart to perform Ghusl for the sake of Allah, then say “Bismillah.”

2. Wash both hands up to the wrists three times.

3. Wash the private parts and remove any physical impurity (najasah) from the body.

4. Perform a complete Wudu as described previously — some delay washing the feet until the end.

5. Pour water over the head three times, working it through the hair until the water reaches the scalp.

6. Pour water over the entire body, beginning with the right side from shoulder to foot, then the left, ensuring no part of the skin is left dry.

7. If you delayed the feet, wash them now — first the right, then the left — to complete the Ghusl.

Tayammum¶

In His infinite mercy, Allah provides an alternative when water is unavailable or its use would cause harm. Tayammum is permitted when you cannot find water; the water is insufficient; you must save water for drinking; using water would worsen illness or delay recovery; or Wudu would cause you to miss a funeral or Eid prayer that cannot be made up.

The Islamic prayers are tied to the movement of the sun, connecting our daily lives to the rhythm of the natural world. This chapter covers the timings of the five daily prayers and the beautiful calls that announce them.

The five daily prayers

Today's times for both campuses are in the header above, and the full monthly schedule is on the prayer times page.

Combining & Shortening Prayers¶

Combining (Jamʿ)

Islam permits combining Dhuhr with Asr, or Maghrib with Isha, when:

• Travelling
• Ill
• Extremely tired or sleepy
• Your schedule cannot be controlled (work, classes)
• Severe weather makes separate trips to the mosque impractical

Shortening (Qasr)

When travelling, you may shorten the 4-Rakʿah prayers (Dhuhr, Asr, Isha) to 2 Rakʿahs each. Fajr (2) and Maghrib (3) are not shortened.

The Adhan¶

The Adhan is announced from the mosque when prayer time begins. The Muʿadhin stands facing the Qiblah, raises both hands to his ears, and calls the following — each line traditionally repeated:

Here we walk through the actions and words of the Salah, beginning with the two-Rakʿah Fajr prayer, whose structure is the foundation for all others. Be patient with yourself — soon these movements will become second nature.

The Steps of the Prayer¶

Then a short surah — Al-Ikhlas

After Al-Fatihah, recite any passage of the Qur'an you know. A common choice is Surah Al-Ikhlas:

The Tashahhud¶

After the second prostration of the second Rakʿah, remain seated. Place the right hand on the right thigh with fingers loosely closed and the index finger extended; the left hand flat on the left thigh. Silently recite:

Salatul Ibrahimiyyah

The Tasleem

Turn your face to the right and say, then turn to the left and repeat:

Three- and four-Rakʿah prayers

The two-Rakʿah prayer above is the complete pattern. Prayers with more Rakʿahs simply repeat the cycle, with the sittings arranged as follows:

The Prayer Cycles¶

The numbers below match the step-by-step sections above. Read each row left to right. Longer prayers repeat the same Rakʿah pattern — only the sittings change.

The Prayer, Step by Step¶

The numbers below match the sequences above. Use this as a quick reminder of the words that accompany each position.

Sunnah (Optional) Prayers¶

The Prophet (pbuh) performed additional optional prayers before and after the obligatory prayers. These are highly recommended, performed individually without an Adhan or Iqamah.

Salatul Witr & the Duʿa al-Qunut¶

A special prayer with an odd number of Rakʿahs (usually one, three, five, or more), performed after Isha and before Fajr. The Prophet (pbuh) was consistent in it, even while traveling.

When praying three Rakʿahs of Witr, pray two with the Tasleem, then one final Rakʿah separately. In that last Rakʿah, after rising from Rukuʿ, raise both hands to shoulder height and recite the Duʿa al-Qunut before going into Sujood:

Emergencies & Missed Prayers¶

In Congregation¶

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

Sujood As-Sahu¶

If you make a mistake, perform two extra prostrations at the end as a remedy. Perform it if you:

• Added an extra standing, bowing, or prostration
• Are uncertain of the number of Rakʿahs — assume the lower number
• Forgot the first Tashahhud in a 3 or 4 Rakʿah prayer
• Made Tasleem before the prayer was complete

Quick Reference — Two-Rakʿah Prayer¶

Use this table while learning. Each step shows the action and what to say.

For More Information¶

If you have a question about anything in this guide, or you would like to sit with someone and learn in person, the imams and the outreach committee would be glad to hear from you.