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How to Pray
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1 ยท Wudu first
- Make your intention: Intend in your heart that this washing is wudu for prayer. Intention lives in the heart; nothing needs to be said aloud. Then begin with "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah).
- Wash your hands (3 times): Wash both hands up to the wrists, starting with the right.
- Rinse your mouth (3 times): Take water into your mouth, swirl it, and spit it out.
- Rinse your nose (3 times): Sniff water gently into your nostrils and blow it out, using your left hand to clear it.
- Wash your face (3 times): From hairline to chin and ear to ear.
- Wash your arms (3 times): From fingertips up to and including the elbows, right arm first.
- Wipe your head and ears (once): With wet hands, wipe over your head from front to back, then wipe the inside and back of your ears with your index fingers and thumbs.
- Wash your feet (3 times): Up to and including the ankles, right foot first, running water between the toes.
2 ยท The prayers and their units
| Prayer | When | Rakahs |
|---|---|---|
| Fajr | Dawn, before sunrise | 2 |
| Dhuhr | Just after midday | 4 |
| Asr | Mid-afternoon | 4 |
| Maghrib | Just after sunset | 3 |
| Isha | Night | 4 |
3 ยท The steps
1. Stand and intend
Stand facing the qibla (the direction of Makkah). Make the intention in your heart for which prayer you are praying. It does not need to be spoken.
2. The opening takbir (Takbirat al-ihram)
Raise your hands to shoulder or ear level, palms forward, and say the takbir. The prayer has now begun.
ุงูููู ุฃูููุจูุฑ
Allahu Akbar
Allah is the Greatest.
3. Place your hands and open
Place your right hand over your left on your chest or navel (schools differ; both are fine). Quietly recite the opening supplication if you know it; it is recommended, not required.
ุณูุจูุญูุงูููู ุงููููููู ูู ููุจูุญูู ูุฏููู ููุชูุจูุงุฑููู ุงุณูู ููู ููุชูุนูุงููู ุฌูุฏูููู ููููุง ุฅููููู ุบูููุฑููู
Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaraka ismuka, wa ta'ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghayruk
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise. Blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god but You.
4. Recite Al-Fatiha (The Opening)
Recite Surah Al-Fatiha, the seven-verse opening chapter. It is recited in every single rakah of every prayer; it is the heart of salah.
5. Recite a short surah
In the first two rakahs, follow Al-Fatiha with any other passage you know, for example Surah Al-Ikhlas. In the third and fourth rakahs, Al-Fatiha alone is enough.
6. Bow (Ruku)
Say "Allahu Akbar" and bow with your back flat and hands gripping your knees. Say the phrase below three times.
ุณูุจูุญูุงูู ุฑูุจูููู ุงููุนูุธููู
Subhana Rabbiyal-Adheem
Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
7. Rise from bowing
Stand back up straight, saying the first phrase as you rise, then the second once standing.
ุณูู ูุนู ุงูููู ููู ููู ุญูู ูุฏููู ยท ุฑูุจููููุง ูููููู ุงููุญูู ูุฏ
Sami'Allahu liman hamidah ยท Rabbana wa lakal-hamd
Allah hears the one who praises Him ยท Our Lord, to You belongs all praise.
8. Prostrate (Sujud)
Say "Allahu Akbar" and go down: forehead and nose, both palms, both knees, and the toes of both feet on the ground. Say the phrase three times. This is the closest a servant is to their Lord; you may also add any du'a of your own here.
ุณูุจูุญูุงูู ุฑูุจูููู ุงูุฃูุนูููู
Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
9. Sit briefly
Say "Allahu Akbar" and sit up on your left leg, right foot upright. Ask for forgiveness before the second prostration.
ุฑูุจูู ุงุบูููุฑู ููู
Rabbighfir li
My Lord, forgive me.
10. Prostrate a second time
Exactly like the first prostration, with the same words. One full rakah (unit) is now complete.
11. Continue to the next rakah
Say "Allahu Akbar" and stand for the next rakah, which repeats from Al-Fatiha (step 4). The number of rakahs depends on the prayer; see the table above.
12. The sitting (tashahhud) (Tashahhud)
After every second rakah, and in the final rakah, remain sitting after the second prostration and recite the tashahhud, raising your index finger at the declaration of faith.
ุงูุชููุญููููุงุชู ููููููู ููุงูุตููููููุงุชู ููุงูุทูููููุจูุงุชูุ ุงูุณููููุงู ู ุนููููููู ุฃููููููุง ุงููููุจูููู ููุฑูุญูู ูุฉู ุงูููู ููุจูุฑูููุงุชูููุ ุงูุณููููุงู ู ุนูููููููุง ููุนูููู ุนูุจูุงุฏู ุงูููู ุงูุตููุงููุญููููุ ุฃูุดูููุฏู ุฃููู ููุง ุฅููููู ุฅููููุง ุงูููู ููุฃูุดูููุฏู ุฃูููู ู ูุญูู ููุฏูุง ุนูุจูุฏููู ููุฑูุณูููููู
At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu alayna wa ala ibadillahis-salihin. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh
All greetings, prayers, and pure things are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allah. 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.
13. Blessings on the Prophet ๏ทบ (As-Salat al-Ibrahimiyya)
In the final sitting only, after the tashahhud, add the prayer upon the Prophet ๏ทบ, then any du'a you wish.
ุงููููููู ูู ุตูููู ุนูููู ู ูุญูู ููุฏู ููุนูููู ุขูู ู ูุญูู ููุฏู ููู ูุง ุตููููููุชู ุนูููู ุฅูุจูุฑูุงูููู ู ููุนูููู ุขูู ุฅูุจูุฑูุงูููู ู ุฅูููููู ุญูู ููุฏู ู ูุฌููุฏูุ ุงููููููู ูู ุจูุงุฑููู ุนูููู ู ูุญูู ููุฏู ููุนูููู ุขูู ู ูุญูู ููุฏู ููู ูุง ุจูุงุฑูููุชู ุนูููู ุฅูุจูุฑูุงูููู ู ููุนูููู ุขูู ุฅูุจูุฑูุงูููู ู ุฅูููููู ุญูู ููุฏู ู ูุฌููุฏู
Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta ala Ibrahima wa ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahima wa ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid
O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
14. Close with salam (Tasleem)
Turn your face to the right and say the salam, then to the left and repeat it. The prayer is complete.
ุงูุณููููุงู ู ุนูููููููู ู ููุฑูุญูู ูุฉู ุงููู
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah
Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah.
Still learning the words? A prayer prayed imperfectly is worth infinitely more than one postponed. ยท themuslimguide.org