Salah is the second pillar of Islam and the first thing every believer will be asked about on the Day of Judgement. This guide explains how to pray a single rak'ah step-by-step, then how to combine rak'ahs into the five daily prayers — using simple language and the exact words the Prophet ﷺ taught.
Before you begin
- Make wudu (see our separate Wudu and Ghusl guide).
- Make sure your clothes and place of prayer are clean.
- Cover your awrah — for men, at minimum from navel to knee; for women, the whole body except face and hands.
- Face the Qibla (direction of the Kaaba in Makkah). Use our Qibla finder if unsure.
- Make the intention (niyyah) silently in your heart for the prayer you are about to perform.
How to pray one rak'ah, step by step
1. Takbir al-Ihram (the opening takbir)
Stand upright facing the Qibla. Raise your hands to the level of your ears (or shoulders for women) and say:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu Akbar
Allah is the Greatest.
This is the formal entry into the prayer. From this point until the closing salam, you should not speak or look around. Place your right hand over your left on or just above the navel.
2. The opening dua (Thana)
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَىٰ جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdik, wa tabaraka smuk, wa ta'ala jadduk, wa la ilaha ghayruk
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. Blessed is Your name and exalted is Your majesty. There is no god worthy of worship except You.
Sunan Abi Dawud 776 — narrated by Aisha (RA)
3. Surah al-Fatiha
Then say A'udhu billahi mina sh-shaytani r-rajim ('I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan'), then Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim ('In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful'). Then recite the whole of Surah al-Fatiha. After 'wa la d-dallin', say 'Ameen' quietly.
4. A short surah or verses
In the first two rak'ahs, recite a short surah after al-Fatiha — for example al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq or an-Nas. In the third and fourth rak'ahs of any prayer, only recite al-Fatiha.
5. Ruku' (bowing)
Say 'Allahu Akbar' and bow with a flat back, hands gripping the knees. Say three times (or more, in odd numbers):
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhana Rabbiya l-'Azim
Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
6. Standing up from ruku' (i'tidal)
Rise to a full stand, raising your hands again to ear level (Sunnah for many schools), and say:
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah
Allah hears whoever praises Him.
Then say while standing:
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Rabbana wa laka l-hamd
Our Lord, all praise belongs to You.
7. Sujud (prostration)
Say 'Allahu Akbar' and prostrate. Seven body parts must touch the ground: the forehead (with the nose), both palms, both knees and the toes of both feet. Keep elbows off the ground. Say three times:
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَىٰ
Subhana Rabbiya l-A'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
8. Sitting between the two prostrations
Rise from sujud saying 'Allahu Akbar', sit briefly on the left foot with the right foot upright, and say:
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbi ghfir li
My Lord, forgive me.
9. Second sujud
Say 'Allahu Akbar' and prostrate again, repeating Subhana Rabbiya l-A'la three times. That completes one rak'ah.
Joining rak'ahs together
After the second rak'ah of every prayer, sit and recite the Tashahhud. After the final rak'ah of every prayer, recite the Tashahhud followed by Salat al-Ibrahimiyyah, then close with two salams.
Tashahhud
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu 'alayka ayyuha n-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahi s-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.
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 slaves of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6265
Salat al-Ibrahimiyyah (sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ)
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ. اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
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 indeed Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim — You are indeed Praiseworthy and Glorious.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3370
Closing the prayer (Tasleem)
Turn your head to the right and say 'As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah', then to the left and repeat. The prayer is now complete.
How many rak'ahs in each prayer?
- Fajr — 2 rak'ah fard (preceded by 2 sunnah).
- Dhuhr — 4 rak'ah fard (preceded by 4 sunnah, followed by 2 sunnah).
- Asr — 4 rak'ah fard.
- Maghrib — 3 rak'ah fard (followed by 2 sunnah).
- Isha — 4 rak'ah fard (followed by 2 sunnah and 3 witr).
If you make a mistake
If you forget a rak'ah, add it on, then perform two extra prostrations called sujud as-sahw before the final salam — saying 'Subhana Rabbiya l-A'la' three times in each. The prayer is then valid.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Rushing through ruku' or sujud — every position needs stillness (tuma'ninah).
- Looking around — keep your gaze at the place of sujud throughout.
- Speaking after the takbir — anything other than the prescribed words breaks the prayer.
- Forgetting the niyyah — the intention is in the heart, no need to say it aloud.
Build it slowly — even one prayer a day, prayed properly, is better than five rushed. Allah loves consistency: 'The most beloved deeds to Allah are those done consistently, even if small' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464).