Islamic Manual

How to pray, step by step

The full sunnah method of prayer in order, with the words to say, and how it differs for the imam, the follower and a woman.

Here is the full, best way to pray, in order: from making wudu to saying the final Salam. The way of praying is the same for everyone: a man praying alone, an imam, someone following an imam, and a woman. Only a few small things about hand and foot position are different for a woman, and those are explained at the end.

The postures of the prayer, in sequenceFive side-on figures in a row: qiyām standing with hands folded below the navel; rukūʿ bowing with a level back and hands on the knees; sujūd prostrate with forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes on the ground; jalsa sitting between the two prostrations with the left foot flat and the right foot upright; and qaʿdah, the final sitting, hands on the thighs with the index finger raised for the tashahhud.1Qiyām2Rukūʿ3Sujūd4Jalsa5Qaʿdah
The shape of one rak'ah, from standing to sitting.

Before you start

  1. Make sure you have wudu, your clothes and the floor are clean, your awrah is covered, and you are facing the Qibla.
  2. Stand with your hands by your sides and a small gap between your feet. Clear your mind and remember you are standing in front of Allah.
  3. Decide in your heart which prayer you are praying: for example, "I am praying two rak'ahs of Fajr." Saying it out loud too, in Arabic or your own words, is a good habit.
You can say something like this for Fajr

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَي الْفَجْرِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya rakʿatay al-Fajri farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the two rak'ahs of Fajr, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

One rak'ah, step by step

  1. As you make the intention, raise both hands up to your ears, thumbs touching your earlobes, palms facing the Qibla.
  2. Say "Allahu Akbar" (the opening Takbir), then fold your hands below your chest, right hand over left. Look at the spot where you'll put your forehead down.
  3. Quietly say the Thanaa, then the Ta'awwudh, then the Bismillah.
  4. Recite Surah Al-Fatiha, then another surah: for example, Surah Al-Kawthar.
  5. Say "Allahu Akbar" and bow down (Ruku): knees firm, fingers spread on your knees, back flat, eyes on your feet. Say the tasbih of Ruku quietly.
  6. Come up straight, saying "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah," then "Rabbana lakal hamd," with your hands hanging by your sides.
  7. Say "Allahu Akbar" and go down into Sujood: knees down first, then hands, then nose and forehead, toes pointing towards the Qibla. Say the tasbih of Sujood quietly.
  8. Say "Allahu Akbar" and sit up for a moment (Jalsa): left foot flat, right foot standing up, hands on your thighs.
  9. Say "Allahu Akbar" and go down into a second Sujood, the same way.
  10. Stand back up for the next rak'ah and do it all again.
Thanaa: say this quietly after the opening Takbir

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ

Subḥānaka'llāhumma wa bi-ḥamdika, wa tabāraka'smuka, wa taʿālā jadduka, wa lā ilāha ghayruk

Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. Blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god besides You.

Ta'awwudh

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيم

Aʿūdhu billāhi mina'sh-shayṭāni'r-rajīm

I take refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed.

Bismillah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bismillāhi'r-Raḥmāni'r-Raḥīm

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

Tasbih of Ruku

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

Subḥāna Rabbiya'l-ʿAẓīm

Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.

Coming up from Ruku

سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه / رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ

Samiʿa'llāhu liman ḥamidah / Rabbanā laka'l-ḥamd

Allah hears the one who praises Him. / Our Lord, all praise is for You.

Tasbih of Sujood

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subḥāna Rabbiya'l-Aʿlā

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

Finishing the prayer

  1. After the second rak'ah, sit down and recite the Tashahhud. As you say the words about there being only one God, point with your right hand, raising the middle finger and keeping the left hand's fingers down.This is what the source book itself says. It's different from the more commonly taught way of pointing with the index finger, so it's worth checking against the original book.
  2. In a two-rak'ah prayer, stay sitting and also recite the Durood, then a dua, then say Salam to the right and to the left, and you're done.
  3. In a prayer with three or four rak'ahs, after the Tashahhud in this first sitting say "Allahu Akbar" and stand straight back up for the next rak'ah. Don't say Durood or dua yet. In these later rak'ahs, recite only Al-Fatiha, without an extra surah.In a three-rak'ah prayer (Maghrib), sit for good after the third rak'ah. In a four-rak'ah prayer, sit for good after the fourth.
  4. In that very last sitting, recite the Tashahhud, then the Durood, then the dua, then turn your head right and say Salam, then turn left and say Salam again.
Tashahhud: say this sitting down

التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi wa'ṣ-ṣalawātu wa'ṭ-ṭayyibāt, as-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuha'n-nabiyyu wa raḥmatu'llāhi wa barakātuh, as-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādi'llāhi'ṣ-ṣāliḥīn, ashhadu an lā ilāha illa'llāhu wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhū wa rasūluh

All greetings, prayers and good things belong to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.

Durood: say this after the Tashahhud

اللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ اللّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ

Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd

O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, grant barakah to Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You granted barakah to Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are Praiseworthy and Glorious.

Dua: say this after the Durood

اللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِاسْتَاذِيَ وَلِجَمِيعِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ الْأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْأَمْوَاتِ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Allāhumma'ghfir lī wa li-wālidayya wa li-ustādhiya wa li-jamīʿi'l-muʾminīna wa'l-muʾmināti wa'l-muslimīna wa'l-muslimāti'l-aḥyāʾi minhum wa'l-amwāt, bi-raḥmatika yā arḥama'r-rāḥimīn

O Allah, forgive me, my parents, my teacher, and all believing men and women, and all Muslim men and women, the living among them and the dead, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

Salam: turn right, say it, then turn left and say it again

اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu'llāh

Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah.

A short dua after the fard, before standing for the sunnah

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام

Allāhumma anta's-salāmu wa minka's-salām, tabārakta yā dha'l-jalāli wa'l-ikrām

O Allah, You are Peace, and peace comes from You; blessed are You, Possessor of majesty and honour.

The way of praying is the same for a man praying alone, an imam, someone following an imam (a muqtadi), and a woman. What's different is small: mostly about where the hands go, and a few things about following an imam.

If you are leading the prayer (imam)

  1. Recite out loud in Fajr, Maghrib and Isha, so the people behind you can hear.
  2. Say the opening Takbir, the Takbirs as you move, "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah," and the Salams out loud, so people can follow you. Say the second Salam a little quieter than the first.
  3. When you make dua after the prayer, remember the people praying behind you too.

If you are following the imam (muqtadi)

  1. Decide in your heart that you are following this imam, as well as which prayer you are praying.
  2. Copy the imam's actions after he does them; never move before he does.
  3. Stay quiet during the imam's recitation. When he finishes Al-Fatiha out loud, say "Ameen" quietly.
  4. After Ruku, say "Rabbana lakal hamd" instead of "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah"; that part is only for the imam.
  5. When the imam makes dua after the prayer, keep saying "Ameen."

If you are a woman

  1. For the opening Takbir, raise your hands to your shoulders, not your ears.
  2. Fold your hands over your chest, right hand on top of the back of your left hand.
  3. In Ruku, bend just a little, not with your back flat like a man's, and keep your fingers together on your knees instead of spread.
  4. In Sujood, keep your arms in close to your body and your elbows down, instead of lifted up.
  5. When sitting, tuck both legs out to one side instead of sitting the way a man does.
  6. Always recite quietly, never out loud, even if you're praying alone.
  7. If you need to alert someone during prayer, tap one hand on the other instead of saying "SubhanAllah" out loud.
How a man and a woman differ in sujūd and qaʿdahTwo pairs of figures. In sujūd, the man's forearms and elbows are raised clear of the ground and his sides are open away from his body, while the woman's forearms rest flat on the ground, her elbows drawn in and her body compact and low. In qaʿdah, the man sits with the left foot flat and the right foot upright on its toes, while the woman sits with both legs drawn out to one side, feet extended, not upright.Sujūdman: sides open,elbows raisedwoman: compact,arms and sides inQaʿdahman: right footupright on its toeswoman: both legsdrawn to one side
How a woman's Sujood and sitting differ from a man's.

The sunnah and recommended method of performing prayer is to be in a state of Wudu, facing the Qibla, and observing all the necessary conditions. Stand with both hands hanging at the sides and a four-finger gap between the feet. Clear the mind of worldly thoughts and remind yourself that you are standing before Allah. Begin with the intention (niyyah) in the heart, and it is recommended to also state it verbally, in Arabic or in your own language. This method is the same for someone praying alone, for an imam, for a follower, and for a woman; the differences, given at the end of this page, are mainly in the placement of the hands and in following the imam.

The postures of the prayer, in sequenceFive side-on figures in a row: qiyām standing with hands folded below the navel; rukūʿ bowing with a level back and hands on the knees; sujūd prostrate with forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes on the ground; jalsa sitting between the two prostrations with the left foot flat and the right foot upright; and qaʿdah, the final sitting, hands on the thighs with the index finger raised for the tashahhud.1Qiyām2Rukūʿ3Sujūd4Jalsa5Qaʿdah

For example, for Fajr, one would say:

Fajr intention

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَي الْفَجْرِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya rakʿatay al-Fajri farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the two rak'ahs of Fajr, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

Zuhr intention

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ أَرْبَعَ رَكْعَاتِ الظُّهْرِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya arbaʿa rakaʿāti'ẓ-Ẓuhri farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the four rak'ahs of Zuhr, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

Asr intention

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ أَرْبَعَ رَكْعَاتِ الْعَصْرِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya arbaʿa rakaʿāti'l-ʿAṣri farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the four rak'ahs of Asr, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

Maghrib intention

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ ثَلاثَ رَكْعَاتِ الْمَغْرِبِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya thalātha rakaʿāti'l-Maghribi farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the three rak'ahs of Maghrib, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

Isha intention

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ أَرْبَعَ رَكْعَاتِ الْعِشَآءِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya arbaʿa rakaʿāti'l-ʿIshāʾi farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the four rak'ahs of Isha, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

The first rak'ah

  1. During the niyyah, raise both hands up to the ears: thumbs touching the earlobes, palms facing the Qibla.
  2. Say the Takbir (Allahu Akbar), then fold the hands beneath the chest, right hand over left, keeping the eyes on the place of prostration.
  3. Recite the Thanaa, then seek refuge from Shaytan with the Ta'awwudh, then recite the Bismillah.
  4. Recite Surah Al-Fatiha, then follow it with another surah or at least three short verses of the Qur'an: for example, Surah Al-Kawthar.
  5. Say "Allahu Akbar" and go into Ruku: knees firmly placed, fingers spread on the knees, back straight, gaze on the feet.
  6. Say "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah" while rising up straight, then say "Rabbana lakal hamd," keeping the hands by the sides at this moment.
  7. Say "Allahu Akbar" and go into Sujood, placing the knees on the ground first, then the hands, then the nose and forehead, with the toes facing the Qibla and the palms, knees and feet aligned.
  8. Repeat the tasbih of Sujood three times or more.
  9. After the first Sujood, say "Allahu Akbar" and sit in Jalsa: left foot flat on the ground, right foot upright, hands on the thighs, fingers facing the Qibla.
  10. Say "Allahu Akbar" and go into the second Sujood in the same manner.
  11. After completing the two Sujoods, rise for the second rak'ah, repeating the same actions as the first.
Thanaa: recited quietly after the opening Takbir

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ

Subḥānaka'llāhumma wa bi-ḥamdika, wa tabāraka'smuka, wa taʿālā jadduka, wa lā ilāha ghayruk

Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You; blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god besides You.

Ta'awwudh

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيم

Aʿūdhu billāhi mina'sh-shayṭāni'r-rajīm

I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed.

Bismillah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bismillāhi'r-Raḥmāni'r-Raḥīm

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

The tasbih of Ruku

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

Subḥāna Rabbiya'l-ʿAẓīm

Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.

Rising from Ruku

سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه / رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ

Samiʿa'llāhu liman ḥamidah / Rabbanā laka'l-ḥamd

Allah hears the one who praises Him. / Our Lord, all praise is for You.

The tasbih of Sujood

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subḥāna Rabbiya'l-Aʿlā

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

Sitting for the Tashahhud, and finishing

  1. In a two-rak'ah prayer, sit after the second rak'ah's two Sujoods and recite the Tashahhud, pointing at the testimony of faith: the right hand's middle finger raised for it, the left hand's fingers resting down.As printed in the source book. This differs from the more commonly taught practice of pointing with the index finger, so it has been flagged for the owner to check against the original text.
  2. Then recite Darood Sharif.
  3. Then make dua, reciting the transmitted supplication.
  4. Turn the head to the right and say the Salam, then turn to the left and say it again.
Tashahhud

التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi wa'ṣ-ṣalawātu wa'ṭ-ṭayyibāt, as-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuha'n-nabiyyu wa raḥmatu'llāhi wa barakātuh, as-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādi'llāhi'ṣ-ṣāliḥīn, ashhadu an lā ilāha illa'llāhu wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhū wa rasūluh

All greetings, prayers and good things are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger.

Darood Sharif

اللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ اللّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ

Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd

O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim; indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, grant barakah to Muhammad and to the family of Muhammad, as You granted barakah to Ibrahim and to the family of Ibrahim; indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.

The dua after Darood

اللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِاسْتَاذِيَ وَلِجَمِيعِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ الْأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْأَمْوَاتِ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Allāhumma'ghfir lī wa li-wālidayya wa li-ustādhiya wa li-jamīʿi'l-muʾminīna wa'l-muʾmināti wa'l-muslimīna wa'l-muslimāti'l-aḥyāʾi minhum wa'l-amwāt, bi-raḥmatika yā arḥama'r-rāḥimīn

O Allah, forgive me, my parents, my teacher, and all believing men and believing women, and all Muslim men and Muslim women, the living among them and the dead, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

Salam

اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu'llāh

Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah.

Recited after the fard, before standing for the sunnah

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام

Allāhumma anta's-salāmu wa minka's-salām, tabārakta yā dha'l-jalāli wa'l-ikrām

O Allah, You are Peace, and from You is peace; blessed are You, Possessor of majesty and honour.

The Kalima Tawhid, recited once after the counted dhikr

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَ هُوَ حَيٍّ لاَ يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Lā ilāha illa'llāhu waḥdahū lā sharīka lah, lahu'l-mulku wa lahu'l-ḥamd, yuḥyī wa yumīt, wa huwa ḥayyun lā yamūt, bi-yadihi'l-khayr, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr

There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner; His is the dominion and His is all praise; He gives life and causes death, and He is Living and does not die; all good is in His hand, and He has power over everything.

The method of prayer is the same for everyone: a person praying alone (Munfarid), an imam, a follower (Muqtadi), and a woman. The only differences are the manner in which the hands are held or placed, and, for a follower, how their actions relate to the imam's.

A. The imam

  1. After Ruku, the imam says "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah."
  2. When saying the Salaam, the imam intends both the angels and the followers on his right and left.
  3. In loud (Jahri) prayers (Fajr, Maghrib, Isha), the imam recites aloud.
  4. In every prayer, the imam pronounces the Takbir al-Tahreemah, the Takbirat al-Intiqal (the takbirs of transition), the Tasmi' ("Sami' Allahu liman hamidah"), and the Salaam in a loud voice, though the second Salaam is said slightly more quietly than the first.
  5. After completing the prayer, the imam includes the followers in his dua.

B. The follower (Muqtadi)

  1. When starting the prayer, the Muqtadi also intends to follow that imam.
  2. From the Takbir al-Tahreemah to the end of the prayer, the Muqtadi follows the imam in every action, so that their own action begins only after the imam's, never before.
  3. In loud prayers, when the imam finishes reciting Al-Fatiha, the Muqtadi says "Ameen" softly.
  4. Except for recitation, the Muqtadi follows the imam in every other dhikr; after Ruku, instead of "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah," the Muqtadi says "Alhamdulillah."
  5. When saying the Salaam, the Muqtadi intends the imam, the followers on the right and left, and the angels.
  6. When the imam begins to make dua after the prayer, the Muqtadi keeps saying "Ameen."

C. A woman

  1. For the Takbir al-Tahreemah, a woman raises her hands only up to her shoulders.
  2. After the Takbir al-Tahreemah, she folds her hands over her chest, the palm of the right hand resting on the back of the left hand.
  3. In Ruku, she bends only slightly, without keeping the back parallel to the ground, bends her knees slightly, and places her hands on her knees without gripping them, her fingers held together rather than spread.
  4. In Sujood, she keeps her arms close to her body without raising her elbows, places her palms flat on the ground, and keeps herself compact.
  5. In the sitting position (Qa'dah), she sits with her feet extended to the right and her left side on the ground, her fingers held together.
  6. A woman does not recite aloud in any prayer.
  7. If something happens during prayer, such as someone passing by, a woman does not say "SubhanAllah" as a man does; instead, she taps one hand on the other.
How a man and a woman differ in sujūd and qaʿdahTwo pairs of figures. In sujūd, the man's forearms and elbows are raised clear of the ground and his sides are open away from his body, while the woman's forearms rest flat on the ground, her elbows drawn in and her body compact and low. In qaʿdah, the man sits with the left foot flat and the right foot upright on its toes, while the woman sits with both legs drawn out to one side, feet extended, not upright.Sujūdman: sides open,elbows raisedwoman: compact,arms and sides inQaʿdahman: right footupright on its toeswoman: both legsdrawn to one side
The difference between a man's and a woman's posture in Sujood and Qa'dah.

The sunnah and mustaḥabb method of performing the prayer presupposes wuḍūʾ, facing the qiblah, and every other condition of validity already met. The worshipper stands with the hands hanging at the sides and a four-finger gap between the feet, clearing the mind of worldly preoccupation and calling to mind that he stands before Allah. The niyyah is formed in the heart; talaffuẓ bi'n-niyyah (verbalising it, in Arabic or in one's own language) is sunnah, not a condition. This method is identical for the munfarid, the imam, the muqtadī and a woman; the divergences, given at the close of this page, concern chiefly hand-placement and, for the muqtadī, the coordination of his actions with the imam's.

The postures of the prayer, in sequenceFive side-on figures in a row: qiyām standing with hands folded below the navel; rukūʿ bowing with a level back and hands on the knees; sujūd prostrate with forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes on the ground; jalsa sitting between the two prostrations with the left foot flat and the right foot upright; and qaʿdah, the final sitting, hands on the thighs with the index finger raised for the tashahhud.1Qiyām2Rukūʿ3Sujūd4Jalsa5Qaʿdah

For Fajr, for example, the niyyah is verbalised as:

Niyyah of Fajr

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَي الْفَجْرِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya rakʿatay al-Fajri farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the two rak'ahs of Fajr, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

Niyyah of Ẓuhr

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ أَرْبَعَ رَكْعَاتِ الظُّهْرِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya arbaʿa rakaʿāti'ẓ-Ẓuhri farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the four rak'ahs of Ẓuhr, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

Niyyah of ʿAṣr

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ أَرْبَعَ رَكْعَاتِ الْعَصْرِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya arbaʿa rakaʿāti'l-ʿAṣri farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the four rak'ahs of ʿAṣr, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

Niyyah of Maghrib

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ ثَلاثَ رَكْعَاتِ الْمَغْرِبِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya thalātha rakaʿāti'l-Maghribi farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the three rak'ahs of Maghrib, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

Niyyah of ʿIshāʾ

نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ أَرْبَعَ رَكْعَاتِ الْعِشَآءِ فَرْضَ الْوَقْتِ خَالِصًا لِلّٰهِ تَعَالٰى مُتَوَجِّهًا إِلٰى جِهَةِ الْكَعْبَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ

Nawaytu an uṣalliya arbaʿa rakaʿāti'l-ʿIshāʾi farḍa'l-waqti khāliṣan lillāhi taʿālā mutawajjihan ilā jihati'l-Kaʿbati'sh-sharīfah

I intend to pray the four rak'ahs of ʿIshāʾ, the obligatory prayer of this time, purely for Allah the Exalted, facing the direction of the noble Kaaba.

The first rakʿah

  1. During the niyyah, raise both hands to the earlobes, thumbs touching them, palms facing the qiblah.
  2. Pronounce the takbīrat al-taḥrīmah, then fold the hands beneath the chest, right over left, the gaze fixed on the place of sujūd.
  3. Recite the thanāʾ, then the taʿawwudh, then the basmalah.
  4. Recite al-Fātiḥah, followed by a further sūrah or at minimum three short āyāt: Sūrat al-Kawthar, for instance.
  5. Pronounce the takbīr and enter rukūʿ: the knees firmly set, the fingers spread over them, the back level, the gaze on the feet.
  6. Rise, saying "Samiʿa'llāhu liman ḥamidah," then "Rabbanā laka'l-ḥamd" on reaching qiyām, the hands at the sides in this brief interval (qawmah).
  7. Pronounce the takbīr and descend into sujūd (knees first, then hands, then nose and forehead), the toes turned toward the qiblah, palms, knees and feet aligned.
  8. Repeat the tasbīḥ of sujūd three times or more.
  9. After the first sujūd, pronounce the takbīr and sit in jalsah: left foot flat, right foot upright, hands on the thighs, fingers toward the qiblah.
  10. Pronounce the takbīr and perform the second sujūd identically.
  11. On completing both sujūd, rise for the second rakʿah, repeating the same sequence.
Thanāʾ, recited sirran after the taḥrīmah

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ

Subḥānaka'llāhumma wa bi-ḥamdika, wa tabāraka'smuka, wa taʿālā jadduka, wa lā ilāha ghayruk

Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You; blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god besides You.

Taʿawwudh

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيم

Aʿūdhu billāhi mina'sh-shayṭāni'r-rajīm

I seek refuge in Allah from Shayṭān, the accursed.

Basmalah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bismillāhi'r-Raḥmāni'r-Raḥīm

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

Tasbīḥ of rukūʿ

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

Subḥāna Rabbiya'l-ʿAẓīm

Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.

Rising from rukūʿ

سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه / رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ

Samiʿa'llāhu liman ḥamidah / Rabbanā laka'l-ḥamd

Allah hears the one who praises Him. / Our Lord, all praise is for You.

Tasbīḥ of sujūd

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subḥāna Rabbiya'l-Aʿlā

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

The qaʿdah, and concluding the prayer

  1. In a two-rakʿah prayer, having completed the second rakʿah's two sujūd, sit and recite the tashahhud, pointing at the shahādah: the right hand's middle finger raised for it, the left hand's fingers relaxed downward.Reproduced exactly as the source text gives it. This departs from the more widely taught practice of raising the index (shahādah) finger, and is recorded in this batch's review flags for the owner to verify against the original.
  2. Recite the darūd.
  3. Make duʿāʾ, reciting the transmitted supplication.
  4. Turn the head right and pronounce the salām, then left and pronounce it again.
The tashahhud

التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi wa'ṣ-ṣalawātu wa'ṭ-ṭayyibāt, as-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuha'n-nabiyyu wa raḥmatu'llāhi wa barakātuh, as-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādi'llāhi'ṣ-ṣāliḥīn, ashhadu an lā ilāha illa'llāhu wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhū wa rasūluh

All greetings, prayers and good things are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger.

Darūd Ibrāhīmī

اللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ اللّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ

Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīma innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd

O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim; indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, grant barakah to Muhammad and to the family of Muhammad, as You granted barakah to Ibrahim and to the family of Ibrahim; indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.

Duʿāʾ after the darūd

اللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِاسْتَاذِيَ وَلِجَمِيعِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ الْأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْأَمْوَاتِ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Allāhumma'ghfir lī wa li-wālidayya wa li-ustādhiya wa li-jamīʿi'l-muʾminīna wa'l-muʾmināti wa'l-muslimīna wa'l-muslimāti'l-aḥyāʾi minhum wa'l-amwāt, bi-raḥmatika yā arḥama'r-rāḥimīn

O Allah, forgive me, my parents, my teacher, and all believing men and believing women, and all Muslim men and Muslim women, the living among them and the dead, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

Salām

اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu'llāh

Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah.

Recited after the farḍ, before rising for the sunnah

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام

Allāhumma anta's-salāmu wa minka's-salām, tabārakta yā dha'l-jalāli wa'l-ikrām

O Allah, You are Peace, and from You is peace; blessed are You, Possessor of majesty and honour.

Kalimat at-tawḥīd, recited once after the counted dhikr

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَ هُوَ حَيٍّ لاَ يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Lā ilāha illa'llāhu waḥdahū lā sharīka lah, lahu'l-mulku wa lahu'l-ḥamd, yuḥyī wa yumīt, wa huwa ḥayyun lā yamūt, bi-yadihi'l-khayr, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr

There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner; His is the dominion and His is all praise; He gives life and causes death, and He is Living and does not die; all good is in His hand, and He has power over everything.

The method of prayer is identical for the munfarid, the imam, the muqtadī and a woman. The differences lie solely in hand-placement, and, for the muqtadī, in the timing and content of certain dhikr relative to the imam.

A. The imam

  1. After rukūʿ, the imam alone says "Samiʿa'llāhu liman ḥamidah".
  2. In pronouncing the salām, the imam intends both the angels and the followers to his right and left.
  3. In jahrī prayers (Fajr, Maghrib, ʿIshāʾ), the imam recites aloud.
  4. The imam pronounces the takbīrat al-taḥrīmah, the takbīrāt al-intiqāl, the tasmīʿ, and the salām aloud in every prayer, the second salām somewhat softer than the first.
  5. On completing the prayer, the imam's duʿāʾ includes the muqtadīn.

B. The muqtadī

  1. At the start of the prayer, the muqtadī's niyyah includes the intention to follow that specific imam.
  2. From the takbīrat al-taḥrīmah to the prayer's end, the muqtadī follows the imam in every act, his own act commencing only after the imam's has begun, never simultaneously or before.
  3. In jahrī prayers, on the imam's completing al-Fātiḥah, the muqtadī says "Āmīn" sirran.
  4. Excepting the qirāʾah, the muqtadī follows the imam in every other dhikr; after rukūʿ he says "Alḥamdulillāh" in place of the imam's "Samiʿa'llāhu liman ḥamidah".
  5. In pronouncing the salām, the muqtadī intends the imam, the followers to right and left, and the angels.
  6. While the imam supplicates after the prayer, the muqtadī continues saying "Āmīn".

C. A woman

  1. For the takbīrat al-taḥrīmah, a woman raises her hands only to shoulder height, not the earlobes.
  2. After the taḥrīmah, she folds her hands over her chest, the right palm resting on the back of the left hand.
  3. In rukūʿ she bows only slightly, the back not held parallel to the ground, the knees bent somewhat, the hands resting on the knees without gripping and the fingers held together rather than spread.
  4. In sujūd, her forearms and elbows stay drawn in close to the body rather than raised clear of the ground, the palms flat, the body kept compact (mutajammiʿ).
  5. In qaʿdah, she sits with both legs drawn out to the right and the left side resting on the ground, the fingers held together.
  6. A woman does not recite aloud (jahr) in any prayer, even where jahr would otherwise be due.
  7. Where an occurrence during prayer calls for the tasbīḥ that alerts others (as when someone passes in front, or a mistake needs signalling), a woman does not say "Subḥānallāh" as a man does, but claps one hand against the other.
How a man and a woman differ in sujūd and qaʿdahTwo pairs of figures. In sujūd, the man's forearms and elbows are raised clear of the ground and his sides are open away from his body, while the woman's forearms rest flat on the ground, her elbows drawn in and her body compact and low. In qaʿdah, the man sits with the left foot flat and the right foot upright on its toes, while the woman sits with both legs drawn out to one side, feet extended, not upright.Sujūdman: sides open,elbows raisedwoman: compact,arms and sides inQaʿdahman: right footupright on its toeswoman: both legsdrawn to one side
The difference between a man's and a woman's posture in sujūd and qaʿdah.

Terms on this page

niyyah takbir tahrimah qiyam ruku sujud qa'dah tashahhud imam muqtadi

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