Salah is the Islamic prayer performed five times a day. It is the second pillar of Islam and the most important act of worship after the declaration of faith. This guide will walk you through the basics.
The Five Daily Prayers
| Prayer | Arabic | Approximate Time | |--------|--------|-------------------| | Fajr | الفجر | Before sunrise | | Dhuhr | الظهر | After midday | | Asr | العصر | Late afternoon | | Maghrib | المغرب | Just after sunset | | Isha | العشاء | Night-time |
Each prayer has a set number of rak'ahs (units): Fajr has 2, Dhuhr has 4, Asr has 4, Maghrib has 3, and Isha has 4.
Before You Begin
- Perform wudhu — make sure you are in a state of ritual purity.
- Face the Qiblah — the direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah. You can use a compass app on your phone.
- Cover your awrah — men should cover from the navel to the knees; women should cover everything except their face and hands.
- Pray on a clean surface — a prayer mat is common but any clean area works.
The Steps of One Rak'ah
1. Standing (Qiyam)
Stand upright, raise your hands to your ears and say:
"Allahu Akbar" (God is the Greatest)
This is called the takbir. Place your right hand over your left on your chest.
2. Recitation
Recite Surah Al-Fatihah (the opening chapter of the Quran). This is required in every rak'ah.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen. Ar-Rahmanir Raheem. Maliki Yawmid-Deen. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een. Ihdinas Siratal Mustaqeem. Siratal ladhina an'amta alayhim, ghayril maghdubi alayhim walad-daalleen. Ameen.
After Al-Fatihah, in the first two rak'ahs, you may recite any other short surah or verses you know.
3. Bowing (Ruku)
Say "Allahu Akbar" and bow with your hands on your knees, back straight.
In this position, say:
"Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem" (Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty) — three times.
4. Standing Up from Ruku
Rise back up and say:
"Sami Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears the one who praises Him)
Then say:
"Rabbana wa lakal hamd" (Our Lord, to You is all praise)
5. Prostration (Sujud)
Say "Allahu Akbar" and go down into prostration — your forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, and toes touching the ground.
Say:
"Subhana Rabbiyal A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) — three times.
6. Sitting Between Prostrations
Rise to a sitting position and say "Allahu Akbar". Sit for a moment, then prostrate again repeating the same words.
This completes one rak'ah.
The Tashahhud
After every two rak'ahs, you sit and recite the Tashahhud (testimony of faith). In the final sitting, you also send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ before ending the prayer.
Ending the Prayer
To finish, turn your head to the right and say:
"Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah" (Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you)
Then turn to the left and repeat the same words.
Tips for New Muslims
- Start with the basics — learn Al-Fatihah and the movements first. You can gradually add more surahs.
- Use transliterations — it's perfectly fine to read from a sheet while you're learning.
- Don't worry about mistakes — Allah sees your effort and sincerity, not perfection.
- Pray on time — try your best to pray within the designated time window for each prayer.
- Use a prayer app — apps can notify you of prayer times and show the Qiblah direction.
Prayer is the direct connection between you and Allah. It may feel unfamiliar at first, but with consistency, it becomes the most grounding part of your day.