How To Pray Salah

Pronunciation Help for Transliteration

Before You Begin A Warm Word of Encouragement

Learning to pray is a journey. Nobody begins with perfect Arabic. What matters most is sincerity and consistency.

Islam teaches that a person prays with whatever they know while they continue learning. Start now, grow calmly.

Start with what you can. Allah will guide you as long as you keep taking small steps.

1. Before You Pray Checklist

• You have wudu
• You face the qiblah
• Your body and place of prayer are clean
• Prayer time has entered
• Your intention is in the heart

Understanding the Five Prayer Times

Each prayer has its own time window. Pray within that window for validity.

• Fajr early morning
• Dhuhr after midday
• Asr late afternoon
• Maghrib after sunset
• Isha night time

3. Level 1 Basic Salah Movements

1. Stand and intend
   For example if praying Fajr think to yourself: "I am going to pray Fajr for Allah's sake"
2. Opening Takbir
   الله أكبر
   Say: "Allahu akbar"
   Say loud enough for you to hear yourself
3. Standing Recitation
   "Bismillahir rahmanir raheem, Alhamdulillahi rabbil aalameen..."
   Recite whatever you know from al Fatihah.
   Learn Surah Al Fatihah
4. Ruku
   Say: "Allahu akbar" and then Bow down
   سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيم
   Then whisper: "Subhana rabbeeyal adheem" 3 or more odd number of times
   The sound spelled as dh here is the same as the sound in the.
5. Standing after Ruku
   سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه
   Say: "Sami Allahuliman hameedah" as you stand up from the ruku
   رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْد
   Then say: "Rabbana wa lakal hamd"
   The sound spelled as i as in Sami is pronounced as ee.
6. Sujud
   Say: "Allahu akbar" and then prostrate yourself on the ground with your forehead, nose and hands on the ground
   سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى
   Then in prostration say: "Subhana rabbiyal a'la" 3 or more odd number of times
   The sound spelled as i as in rabbiyal is pronounced as ee. Think rabbeeyal.
7. Sit up
   Sit between first Sujud and second Sujud
   رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
   Whilst sat for a moment say: "Rabbighfir li"
   The sound spelled as i as in li is pronounced as lee.
8. Second Sujud
   Say: "Allahu akbar" and then prostrate yourself again on the ground with your forehead, nose and hands on the ground
   سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى
   Then in prostration say: "Subhana rabbiyal a'la" 3 or more odd number of times
   The sound spelled as i as in rabbiyal is pronounced as ee. Think rabbeeyal.
9. Tashahhud
   If at the end of the second rakah stay sitting for a moment and say:
   ٱلتَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَٱلصَّلَوَاتُ وَٱلطَّيِّبَات
   ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
   ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلصَّالِحِينَ
   أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ
   وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
   "At tahiyyatu lillahi wassalawaatu wattayyeebat,
   assalamu alayka ayyuhan nabee wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
   as salamu alayna wa ala ibadillahi saliheen,
   ash hadu an la ilaha illa Allah,
   wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh."
10. Next Rakah
    Stand up and repeat steps 2-8 again
11. Final Sitting Salam
    ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ
    As salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah

4. Learn Surah Al Fatihah Fully

5. Add Short Surahs

Example Surah Al Ikhlas