Prayer (Salah)
How to Pray Salah — Complete Step-by-Step Guide
The complete guide to performing the Islamic prayer (Salah) correctly — covering the pillars, conditions, and all actions from takbeer to tasleem.
Total Time
5–10 minutes per prayer
Total Steps
15 steps
Read Time
9 min read
Salah (Arabic: الصلاة) — the formal Islamic prayer — is the second pillar of Islam and the most important act of worship after declaring faith. It is the first deed a person will be questioned about on the Day of Judgement, and a direct, daily connection between the servant and their Lord.
Allah says: "Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times." (Quran 4:103). And: "Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing." (Quran 29:45)
The obligatory prayers are five: Fajr (dawn, 2 rak'at), Dhuhr (midday, 4), Asr (afternoon, 4), Maghrib (sunset, 3), and Isha (night, 4). Each consists of units called rak'at. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Pray as you have seen me praying" (Sahih al-Bukhari 631) — which is why learning the correct method, step by step, matters.
For the prayer to be valid, five conditions must be met: ritual purity (valid wudu or ghusl), a clean body, clothing, and place of prayer, covering the awrah (the body parts that must be covered), facing the qiblah (the direction of the Kaaba), and that the prayer's time has entered. Missing a condition invalidates the prayer even if the actions are performed perfectly.
Rushing the movements — the Prophet ﷺ taught a man who prayed hastily to "return and pray, for you have not prayed," instructing him to attain stillness (tuma'ninah) in each posture (Sahih al-Bukhari 793). Bowing and prostrating must be done calmly.
Praying before the time enters — a prayer offered before its time is invalid and must be repeated.
Inattentiveness (lack of khushu') — letting the heart wander entirely strips the prayer of its purpose; gently return your focus each time it drifts.
Incorrect recitation of Al-Fatiha — since Al-Fatiha is a pillar of every rak'ah, learning to recite it correctly is essential.
A missed prayer must be made up (qada) as soon as one remembers. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever forgets a prayer, let him pray it when he remembers it" (Sahih al-Bukhari 597). Deliberately abandoning prayer is a grave sin requiring sincere repentance.
For certain errors (adding or omitting an action, or uncertainty in the count), the prayer is corrected with two prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) before or after the final tasleem.
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Introduction to the Quran
Allah says: "Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times." (Quran 4:103). And: "Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing." (Quran 29:45)
The Five Daily Prayers
The obligatory prayers are five: Fajr (dawn, 2 rak'at), Dhuhr (midday, 4), Asr (afternoon, 4), Maghrib (sunset, 3), and Isha (night, 4). Each consists of units called rak'at. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Pray as you have seen me praying" (Sahih al-Bukhari 631) — which is why learning the correct method, step by step, matters.
Conditions Before You Begin
For the prayer to be valid, five conditions must be met: ritual purity (valid wudu or ghusl), a clean body, clothing, and place of prayer, covering the awrah (the body parts that must be covered), facing the qiblah (the direction of the Kaaba), and that the prayer's time has entered. Missing a condition invalidates the prayer even if the actions are performed perfectly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I miss a prayer?
A missed prayer must be made up (qada) as soon as one remembers. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever forgets a prayer, let him pray it when he remembers it" (Sahih al-Bukhari 597). Deliberately abandoning prayer is a grave sin requiring sincere repentance.
What do I do if I make a mistake in prayer?
For certain errors (adding or omitting an action, or uncertainty in the count), the prayer is corrected with two prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) before or after the final tasleem.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
1
Ensure All Conditions Are Met
Confirm you have wudu, your clothes and place are clean, you are facing the qiblah (use a compass or app), and the prayer time has entered.
2
Stand Upright Facing the Qiblah
Stand with feet slightly apart, looking downward toward your place of prostration. You are now in the qiyam (standing) position.
3
Make the Intention (Niyyah)
Intend in your heart which prayer you are about to perform (e.g., Fajr, Dhuhr). Niyyah is internal — no need to say it aloud.
4
Opening Takbeer (Takbirat al-Ihram)
Raise both hands to ear level (men: to earlobes; women: to shoulders) and say: "Allahu Akbar." This begins the prayer — you are now in a state of prayer and cannot speak or move out of prayer until tasleem.
5
Opening Supplication (Thana)
Silently recite the opening supplication: "Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika wa tabarakasmuka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuk."
6
Recite Surah Al-Fatiha
Recite Surah Al-Fatiha in full. It is a pillar (rukn) of every rak'ah — Salah is invalid without it. End with "Ameen" quietly (or aloud in Shafi'i/Hanbali madhabs).
7
Recite an Additional Surah or Verses
After Al-Fatiha, recite any additional surah or verses (minimum 3 verses). This is wajib in the first two rak'at.
8
Bow (Ruku')
Say "Allahu Akbar," bend forward until your back is horizontal, hands on knees, back straight. Recite at least 3 times: "Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem" (Glory be to my Lord, the Great).
9
Rise from Ruku'
Rise saying: "Sami'Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears whoever praises Him). When standing, say: "Rabbana lakal hamd" (Our Lord, all praise is to You).
10
Prostrate (Sujud) — First
Say "Allahu Akbar" and prostrate. Seven body parts must touch the ground: forehead + nose, both palms, both knees, and toes of both feet. Recite 3 times: "Subhana Rabbiyal A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High).
11
Sit Between Prostrations
Rise from sujud saying "Allahu Akbar," sit briefly, and recite: "Rabb-ighfirli, Rabb-ighfirli" (O Lord, forgive me) or the extended iftirash dua.
12
Second Prostration
Prostrate again saying "Allahu Akbar" and repeat the tasbeeh. This completes one rak'ah.
13
Repeat Rak'at
Rise for the next rak'ah. After every 2 rak'at, sit for the tashahhud (at-tahiyyat). For 3 or 4 rak'at prayers, stand for the remaining rak'at after the first tashahhud.
14
Final Tashahhud (At-Tahiyyat)
In the final sitting, recite at-Tahiyyat, then salawat on the Prophet ﷺ (Allahumma salli ala Muhammad...), then the dua before tasleem (e.g., dua for seeking refuge from hellfire and trials).
15
End with Tasleem
Turn your head to the right and say: "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah," then to the left. This ends the prayer.
Authentic Guidance
This guide is prepared based on authentic Islamic sources. We ensure that all steps are consistent with established scholarly consensus.