How to pray, step by step
Follow these steps for a prayer of two rak'ahs, with everything you say in each position.
The first rak'ah
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Stand and make your intention ⚑
Stand facing the qiblah. In your heart, intend which prayer you are praying (for example “two rak'ahs of Fajr”).
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Raise your hands and say the Takbeer ⚑
Raise your hands up to your ears (or shoulders) and say “Allahu akbar”. Now you are in the prayer: keep your eyes on the place of sujood.
Takbeer
al-laa-hu ak-bar
“Allah is the Greatest.”
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Fold your hands and begin ⚑
Place your right hand over your left on your chest or below the navel (depending on your school) and say quietly:
Thanaa (the opening praise)
sub-ḥaa-na-kal-laa-hum-ma wa bi-ḥam-di-ka wa ta-baa-ra-kas-mu-ka wa ta-'aa-laa jad-du-ka wa laa i-laa-ha ghay-ruk
“Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. Blessed is Your name, high is Your majesty, and there is no god but You.”
📚 Sunan Abi Dawud 775; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 242
Ta'awwudh
a-'oo-dhu bil-laa-hi mi-nash shay-ṭaa-nir ra-jeem
“I seek Allah's protection from Shaytan, the rejected one.”
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Recite Surah Al-Faatiḥah ⚑
Al-Faatiḥah is recited in every rak'ah of every prayer. Tap each ayah to hear it.
bis-mil-laa-hir-raḥ-maa-nir-ra-ḥeem
“In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind.”
al-ḥam-du lil-laa-hi rab-bil-'aa-la-meen
“All praise is for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.”
ar-raḥ-maa-nir-ra-ḥeem
“The Most Merciful, the Most Kind.”
maa-li-ki yaw-mid-deen
“Master of the Day of Judgement.”
iy-yaa-ka na'-bu-du wa iy-yaa-ka nas-ta-'een
“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”
ih-di-naṣ-ṣi-raa-ṭal-mus-ta-qeem
“Guide us along the straight path,”
ṣi-raa-ṭal-la-dhee-na an-'am-ta 'a-lay-him ghay-ril-magh-ḍoo-bi 'a-lay-him wa laḍ-ḍaaaaal-leen
“the path of those You have blessed, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who have gone astray.”
After Al-Faatiḥah
aa-meen
“O Allah, accept (our dua).”
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Recite another surah ⚑
In the first two rak'ahs, recite a surah or a few ayahs after Al-Faatiḥah.
Surah Al-Ikhlaaṣ (or any other surah you know)
qul hu-wal-laa-hu a-ḥad. al-laa-huṣ-ṣa-mad. lam ya-lid wa lam yoo-lad. wa lam ya-kul-la-hoo ku-fu-wan a-ḥad
“Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He has no child, and He was not born. And there is none comparable to Him.”
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Bow (rukoo') ⚑
Say “Allahu akbar” and bow, hands on your knees and back straight.
In rukoo' × 3
sub-ḥaa-na rab-bi-yal 'a-ẓeem
“Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great.”
📚 Sahih Muslim 772
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Stand up again ⚑
While rising
sa-mi-'al-laa-hu li-man ḥa-mi-dah
“Allah hears the one who praises Him.”
📚 Sahih al-Bukhari 795
Standing straight
rab-ba-naa wa la-kal ḥamd
“Our Lord, and all praise is for You.”
📚 Sahih al-Bukhari 795
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Go down into sujood ⚑
Say “Allahu akbar” and prostrate: forehead and nose, both palms, both knees and the toes of both feet on the ground.
In sujood × 3
sub-ḥaa-na rab-bi-yal a'-laa
“Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.”
📚 Sahih Muslim 772
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Sit up ⚑
Say “Allahu akbar” and sit for a moment.
Sitting between the two sujood × 2
rab-bigh-fir lee
“My Lord, forgive me.”
📚 Sunan Abi Dawud 874; Sunan Ibn Majah 897
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The second sujood ⚑
Say “Allahu akbar” and make sujood again, saying the same words.
In sujood × 3
sub-ḥaa-na rab-bi-yal a'-laa
“Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.”
📚 Sahih Muslim 772
The second rak'ah and the end of the prayer
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Stand up for the second rak'ah ⚑
Say “Allahu akbar” and stand. Repeat everything from Al-Faatiḥah to the second sujood (no thanaa this time).
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Sit for the Tashahhud ⚑
After the second sujood of the second rak'ah, sit and recite:
Tashahhud (At-Tahiyyaat)
at-ta-ḥiy-yaa-tu lil-laa-hi waṣ ṣa-la-waa-tu waṭ ṭay-yi-baat, as-sa-laa-mu 'a-lay-ka ay-yu-han na-biy-yu wa raḥ-ma-tul-laa-hi wa ba-ra-kaa-tuh, as-sa-laa-mu 'a-lay-naa wa 'a-laa 'i-baa-dil-laa-hiṣ ṣaa-li-ḥeen, ash-ha-du al-laa i-laa-ha il-lal-laah, wa ash-ha-du an-na mu-ḥam-ma-dan 'ab-du-hoo wa ra-soo-luh
“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.”
When you say “ash-ha-du al-laa i-laa-ha”, many raise the right index finger.
📚 Sahih al-Bukhari 831; Sahih Muslim 402
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Send salawaat on the Prophet ﷺ ⚑
In the last sitting of the prayer, continue with:
Salawaat (Durood Ibraaheem)
al-laa-hum-ma ṣal-li 'a-laa mu-ḥam-ma-diw wa 'a-laa aa-li mu-ḥam-mad, ka-maa ṣal-lay-ta 'a-laa ib-raa-hee-ma wa 'a-laa aa-li ib-raa-heem, in-na-ka ḥa-mee-dum ma-jeed. al-laa-hum-ma baa-rik 'a-laa mu-ḥam-ma-diw wa 'a-laa aa-li mu-ḥam-mad, ka-maa baa-rak-ta 'a-laa ib-raa-hee-ma wa 'a-laa aa-li ib-raa-heem, in-na-ka ḥa-mee-dum ma-jeed
“O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers upon Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.”
📚 Sahih al-Bukhari 3370
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Make a dua ⚑
A dua before the salaam
al-laa-hum-ma in-nee ẓa-lam-tu naf-see ẓul-man ka-thee-raa, wa laa yagh-fi-rudh dhu-noo-ba il-laa an-ta, fagh-fir lee magh-fi-ra-tam min 'in-di-ka war-ḥam-nee, in-na-ka an-tal gha-foo-rur ra-ḥeem
“O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly, and no one forgives sins except You. So forgive me with forgiveness from You and have mercy on me. You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
The Prophet ﷺ taught this to Abu Bakr for his prayer. You may also say Rabbanaa aatinaa (Qur'an 2:201) from the Duas page.
📚 Sahih al-Bukhari 834; Sahih Muslim 2705
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Finish with the salaam ⚑
Salaam: turn your face right, then left
as-sa-laa-mu 'a-lay-kum wa raḥ-ma-tul-laah
“Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.”
📚 Sunan Abi Dawud 996; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 295
This guide is being checked by teachers. The English pronunciation is a guide: learn the exact sounds by listening.