Islamic education
How to Perform Ṣalāt
Step-by-step prayer from wuḍūʾ through every rakʿah.
Ṣalāh is the second pillar of Islam and the believer’s daily meeting with Allah. Learn the steps in order, practice slowly, and pray with what you know while you learn the rest.
Before prayer: purity & dress
Ensure you have wuḍūʾ (or ghusl if required). Cover awrah — for men navel to knee; for women entire body except face and hands (per mainstream fiqh). Face the qiblah.
- Wuḍūʾ: wash hands, rinse mouth & nose, face, arms to elbows, wipe head, wash feet
- Intention (niyyah) in the heart for the specific prayer
- Check prayer time — use the site’s prayer times tool
One rakʿah — the core movements
Every rakʿah follows the same pattern.
- Stand: Takbīr al-Iḥrām — Allāhu Akbar, hands raised (optional), then right hand over left on chest.
- Recite: Opening supplication, then Al-Fātiḥah (required), then another surah in first two rakʿahs of farḍ prayers.
- Bow (rukūʿ): say Subḥāna Rabbiyal ʿAẓīm (3× minimum).
- Stand upright: say Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah, then Rabbanā wa laka al-ḥamd.
- Prostrate (sujūd): say Subḥāna Rabbiyal Aʿlā (3×), sit briefly, then second sujūd.
Completing the prayer
After the required rakʿahs, sit for tashahhud. In the final sitting, add salawāt on the Prophet ﷺ, then taslim: As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh (right, then left).
- Fajr: 2 rakʿahs
- Dhuhr, ʿAsr, ʿIshā: 4 each (with seated tashahhud after 2nd in 4-rakʿah prayers)
- Maghrib: 3 rakʿahs
Practical tips
- Learn Al-Fātiḥah first — no prayer is valid without it.
- Pray in congregation at the masjid when you can — it multiplies reward.
- Use a prayer mat and the same quiet place to build habit.