How to Perform Salah (Prayer) Step by Step

1. Preparation

• Perform wudu (ablution) before prayer.

• Ensure your clothes and body are clean.

• Face the Qiblah (direction of Kaaba in Makkah).

• Make the intention (niyyah) in your heart for the specific prayer.

2. Starting the Prayer

• Raise both hands to your ears and say: “Allahu Akbar” (Takbeer).

• Place your right hand over your left hand on your chest or navel area.

3. Recitation in Standing Position (Qiyaam)

• Recite Surah Al-Fatihah (The Opening).

• Recite any other Surah or verses from the Qur’an (commonly Surah Al-Ikhlas).

4. Bowing (Ruku)

• Say “Allahu Akbar” and bend down, keeping your back straight and hands on your knees.

• Say three times: “Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem” (Glory is to my Lord, the Most Great).

5. Standing After Bowing

• Rise from bowing while saying: “Sami‘Allahu liman hamidah” (Allah hears the one who praises Him).

• Then say: “Rabbana lakal hamd” (Our Lord, to You belongs all praise).

6. Prostration (Sujood)

• Say “Allahu Akbar” and go down into prostration.

• Place your forehead, nose, palms, knees, and toes on the ground.

• Say three times: “Subhana Rabbiyal A‘la” (Glory is to my Lord, the Most High).

7. Sitting Between Two Prostrations

• Say “Allahu Akbar” and sit with your left foot flat and right foot upright.

• Recite: “Rabbighfir li, Rabbighfir li” (My Lord, forgive me, My Lord, forgive me).

8. Second Prostration

• Perform another sujood the same way.

This completes one unit (Rak‘ah) of Salah.

9. Continuing the Prayer

• Stand up for the second Rak‘ah and repeat steps 3–8.

• After the second Rak‘ah, sit for Tashahhud.

10. Tashahhud (Sitting for Testimony)

Recite:

• “At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat, As-salamu ‘alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibadillahi-s-saliheen. Ashhadu alla ilaha illallahu wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh.”

If the prayer has more than two Rak‘ah (like Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha), stand again and continue.

11. Final Tashahhud & Salat upon the Prophet

In the last sitting, after Tashahhud, recite:

• Salat Ibrahimiyya (Durood):
  “Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad, kama sallayta ‘ala Ibraheem wa ‘ala aali Ibraheem, innaka Hameedun Majeed. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad, kama barakta ‘ala Ibraheem wa ‘ala aali Ibraheem, innaka Hameedun Majeed.”

12. Ending the Prayer

• Finish by turning your head to the right and saying:
  “Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah”.

• Then to the left:
  “Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah”.