How to Perform Prayer (Salah)

Before Prayer: How to Perform Wudu (Ablution)

Before praying, Muslims perform Wudu (washing) to prepare physically and spiritually. Make the intention in your heart to purify yourself for prayer.

1. Wash both hands.
2. Rinse your mouth.
3. Rinse your nose gently.
4. Wash your entire face.
5. Wash your right arm including the elbow, then the left arm.
6. Wipe over your head lightly with wet hands.
7. Wipe inside and behind your ears.
8. Wash your right foot including the ankle, then the left foot.

Step 1: Standing (Qiyam)

Stand facing the Qiblah (direction of Makkah). Raise your hands and say:
Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest)

Recite Surah Al-Fatiha, followed by another short Surah in the first 2 Rak'ahs.

Step 2: Bowing (Ruku)

Bend forward with your back straight and hands on your knees. Say:
Subhana Rabbiyal Azeem (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great)

Step 3: Prostration (Sujood)

Go into prostration placing your forehead, nose, hands, knees, and toes on the ground. Say:
Subhana Rabbiyal A'la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High)

Sit briefly, then perform a second prostration.

Step 4: Completing a Rak'ah

Each Rak'ah (unit of prayer) consists of:

• Standing (Qiyam)
• Bowing (Ruku)
• Two Prostrations (Sujood)

After the second prostration, return to standing to begin the next Rak'ah.

Step 5: Sitting and Completion

In the second Rak'ah, after the second prostration, sit and recite the Attahiyat (Tashahhud) and the declaration of faith. While reciting it, lift your right index finger as a sign of witnessing the oneness of Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger.

If the prayer is two Rak'ahs (such as Fajr), after completing the Tashahhud and Durood, you may recite:

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ

Rabbi ijAAalnee muqeema assalati wamin thurriyyatee rabbana wtaqabbal duAAa'.

My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication.

Then end the prayer by turning your head to the right and saying:
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah

Then turn your head to the left and say:
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah

If the prayer is four Rak'ahs, after the second Rak'ah and Tashahhud, stand again and continue the prayer. In the final Rak'ah, sit again and recite the Tashahhud, Durood, and supplication, then complete the prayer with Salam.

Start by learning one prayer at a time. Improvement comes with consistency.