Prayer Guide
5 Daily Prayers and their Rak'ahs
Start with any prayer
Click on any part to learn step by step with pictures, Arabic text, translation and audio.Learn About Salah
Essential knowledge every muslim should know
Salah (prayer) is an act of worship in Islam that connects us directly with Allah ﷻ. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and a duty upon every Muslim.
Salah purifies the heart, brings discipline to life and keeps us on the right path.
Connects us with Allah
Forgives sins
Brings peace & tranquility
Increases patience & gratitude
Protects from wrongdoing
Niyat (Intention)
Purify your intention and make Niyat in your heart that you are praying for the sake of Allah.
"Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will get what he intended."Qiblah (Direction)
Face the Qiblah (direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah) in all prayers. Use a Qiblah compass or app to find the correct direction.
Learn MoreFajr
Before Sunrise
Dhuhr
After Midday
Asr
Late Afternoon
Maghrib
Just After Sunset
Isha
Night
Rak'ah is a unit of prayer. Each Salah consists of a certain number of Rak'ahs. In each Rak'ah we stand, bow, prostrate and sit in a specific order.
Fard (Obligatory)
Prayers that are compulsory.Witr (Wajib)
Special night prayer. Odd Rak'ahs prayed in Isha.Sunnah Muakkadah (Emphasized)
Sunnah prayers strongly encouraged.Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah
Sunnah prayers encouraged.Nafl (Voluntary)
Extra prayers done for the sake of Allah.Qiyam (Standing)
Hands folded below the chest.
Hands folded Slightly higher on the chest.
How to Do
- 1 Stand facing the Qiblah.
- 2 Place your feet parallel.
- 3 Raise your hands to your ears saying "Allahu Akbar".
- 4 Place your right hand over the left on your chest.
- 5 Look down at the place of prostration.
Qiblah Direction
Face the Qiblah (direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah) in all prayers. Use a Qiblah compass or app to find the correct direction.Common Mistakes
- Not standing calmly.
- Wrong Qiblah direction.
- Incorrect hand placement.
- Looking away from focus point.
Ruku (Bowing)
How to Do
- 1 Say “Allahu Akbar” and bow forward.
- 2 Place hands on knees.
- 3 Keep back straight.
- 4 Look at your feet.
- 5 Say “Subhana Rabbiyal Azeem”.
Common Mistakes
- Bowing too early or too late
- Bent back (not straight)
- Hands not on knees
- Raising head while bowing
Sujood (Prostration)
How to Do
- 1 Say “Allahu Akbar” and go down.
- 2 Place hands, knees, and forehead on the ground.
- 3 Keep elbows off the ground.
- 4 Point toes towards Qiblah.
- 5 Say “Subhana Rabbiyal A’la”.
Common Mistakes
- Elbows touching the ground
- Not placing all seven points
- Raising toes too early
- Toes not towards Qiblah
Tashahhud (Sitting)
Sit on your left leg with toes upright. Right foot upright with toes towards Qiblah. Hands on thighs.
Sit on the floor with legs to one side. Hands on thighs.
How to Do
- 1 Sit properly after the second sujood.
- 2 Place hands on thighs.
- 3 Keep back straight.
- 4 Recite Tashahhud.
- 5 Send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ.
Tashahhud (What to say)
At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. As-salaamu ‘alayna wa ‘alaa ‘ibaadillahis-saaliheen. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illallaahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh.Common Mistakes
- Sitting carelessly
- Hands not on thighs
- Forgetting Tashahhud
- Moving unnecessarily
Salam (Closing)
Turn head to the right
Turn head to the left
How to Do
- 1 Turn head to the right and say “Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah.”
- 2 Turn head to the left and say the same.
- 3 This completes the prayer.
Common Mistakes
- Turning whole body
- Incorrect words
- Skipping second side
Wudu (Ablution)
Learn the correct way of making Wudu.
Steps of Wudu
- 1 Intention (Niyyah)
- 2 Wash hands up to wrists (3 times)
- 3 Rinse mouth (3 times)
- 4 Rinse nose (3 times)
- 5 Wash face (3 times)
- 6 Wash right arm up to elbow (3 times)
- 7 Wash left arm up to elbow (3 times)
- 8 Wipe head (Masah)
- 9 Wipe ears
- 10 Wash right foot up to ankle (3 times)
- 11 Wash left foot up to ankle (3 times)
Cleanliness (Body & Clothes)
It is essential to be clean for Salah.
Body Cleanliness
- Bath regularly
- Keep body parts clean
- Trim nails
- Remove unwanted hair
- Use perfume (for men)
Clothes Cleanliness
- Wear clean clothes
- Remove stains and impurities
- Clothes should be free from najasah (impurity)
Sattar (Covering)
Covering the body is a condition of Salah.
For Men
- From navel to knees must be covered.
- Should not wear silk or gold.
- Clothes should be loose and decent.
For Women
- Whole body must be covered except face and hands.
- Loose, non-transparent clothes.
- No tight fitting or showing shape.
Fajr
The 2 Sunnah of Fajr are highly emphasised — pray them before the Fard.
Dhuhr
Asr
The 4 Sunnah before Asr are non-emphasised (optional but rewarded).
Maghrib
Jumu'ah
- 4Sunnah before Pray first
- 2Fard (with Khutbah) In congregation
- 4Sunnah after Pray third
- 2Sunnah Pray last
Good to Know
- Fard rak'ahs are obligatory — missing them is a sin and they must be made up.
- Sunnah Mu'akkadah are emphasised Sunnah the Prophet ﷺ regularly prayed — strongly encouraged.
- Sunnah Ghayr Mu'akkadah are non-emphasised Sunnah — rewarded but optional.
- Nafl are voluntary prayers that bring extra reward.
- Witr is prayed after Isha and is Wajib (necessary) in the Hanafi view; strongly Sunnah in others.
Rak'ah counts shown follow the widely-used Hanafi arrangement; numbers of Sunnah/Nafl may differ slightly between schools of thought.
How to Pray Salah
Tap a position below to learn how to perform it and exactly what to recite at each stage.
The pictures change with this choice; the instructions are the same for everyone.
Qiyam (Standing)
How to Do
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1Niyyah — IntentionFace the Qiblah, stand upright and make the intention in your heart for the prayer you are about to perform.
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2Takbiratul IhramRaise both hands to your ears (or shoulders) and say the opening takbir. This begins the prayer.
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3Qiyam — RecitationPlace your right hand over your left, then recite Surah Al-Fatihah followed by another passage of the Quran.
Common Mistakes
- Not standing calmly
- Wrong Qiblah direction
- Incorrect hand placement
- Looking away from focus point
What to Recite
In order, while standing
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
سُبْحَانَكَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَىٰ جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
أَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ ۞ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ١ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ٢ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ٣ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ٤ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ٥ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ٦ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ ٧
قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ أَحَدٌ ١ اللّٰهُ الصَّمَدُ ٢ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ٣ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ ٤
Ruku (Bowing)
How to Do
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1Ruku — BowingSay the takbir, bow with a straight back and hold your knees, then glorify your Lord three times.
-
2Qawmah — Standing from RukuRise from bowing and stand fully upright before prostrating.
Common Mistakes
- Back not straight
- Hands off the knees
- Head too high or low
- Rushing the position
What to Recite
In order, while bowing
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Sujood (Prostration)
How to Do
-
1Sujood — ProstrationGo down to prostration placing forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes on the ground. Glorify your Lord three times.
-
2Jalsa — Sitting between prostrationsSit up briefly between the two prostrations and ask for forgiveness.
-
3Second SujoodProstrate a second time exactly as before. This completes one rakah.
Common Mistakes
- Forehead not touching ground properly
- Elbows resting on the floor
- Rushing the sujood
- Feet not in correct position
What to Recite
In order, in prostration
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Tashahhud (Sitting)
How to Do
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1Short Qaʿdah — At-Taḥiyyāt OnlyAfter the 2nd rakaʿat sit and recite At-Taḥiyyāt ONLY. Do NOT recite Durūd here — you will stand up to continue with the remaining rakaʿāt.
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2TashahhudAfter the required rakahs, sit and recite the tashahhud, raising the index finger at the declaration of faith.
Common Mistakes
- Not sitting calmly and still
- Keeping the finger raised the whole time
- Forgetting Durood in the final sitting
- Rushing through the words
What to Recite
In order, while sitting
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلّٰهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ اللّٰهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، اللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Salam (Closing)
How to Do
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Salam — ConcludingTurn your head to the right then to the left, giving salam each time. The prayer is complete.
Common Mistakes
- Turning the head before finishing the words
- Saying Salam only to one side
- Standing up immediately without calmness
What to Recite
To end the prayer
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ