Step By Step Guide to the Prayer

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Performance of Salah

1.Intention (it is a determination in the heart that you are performing a particular Salah; not to be uttered).

2.Face the direction of the Qiblah (Sacred House in Makkah Known as Ka'bah). Raise your hands to the level of the shoulders, or earlobes, and say “ALLAHU AKBAR”

Standing Facing Qiblah and Making Takbeer with raised voice.

3.Place the right hand over the left on the chest. Look at the place of prostration without lowering your head:

Hands on the Chest; Right hand over the left.

4.Recite the Opening Invocation (du'aa) for Salah:
Allaah! I declare You far removed from above all imperfection, and that You deserve all Praise. Blessed is Your Name. Your Majesty (Glory and Might) is Exalted., and there is no true God Worthy of Worship Except You.

سبحانَكَ اللهمَ وبِحَمدِكَ تَباركَ اسمُكَ وتَعالَى جَدُّكَ ولا إلَهَ غيرُك

Transliteration: Subhanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika tabaarakas muka wa ta'aalaa jadduka wa laa ilaaha ghairuk.]

5.Recitation of Soorat Al-Faatiha (Opening Chapter of the Qur'an):

It must be recited in every unit of prayer (Rak'ah). Begin by utter the following with a low voice:

“I seek Refuge with Allaah from Satan, the outcast.”

{أعوذُ باللهِ منَ الشَّيطانِ الرَّجيم}

Transliteration: A'oodthu billahi minash-shaitanir-rajeem.

“In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, I begin-“

{بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم}

Transliteration: Bismillaahir-Rahmannir-Raheem

Then you Must recite the Faatiha in every Rak'ah, pausing after each verse (aayah):

“All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). (2) The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. (3) The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) (4) You (Alone) we worship, and you (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). (5) Guide us to the Straight Way (6) The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray.” [Al-Fatiha 1:2-7]
 

Transliteration: Alhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena (2) Alrrahmani alrraheemi (3) Maliki yawmi alddeeni (4) Iyyaka naAAbudu waiyyaka nastaAAeenu (5) Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema (6) Sirata allatheena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almaghdoobi AAalayhim wala alddalleena

At the end, you should say Ameen.

Reciting the Faatiha is obligatory in Salah, and for those who don't know Arabic, they can hold a paper with a transliteration for the verses until they memorize it insha'Allah.

6.Rukoo' (Bowing Down)

(i) Raise the hands as described previously (see above) and say ALLAAHU AKBAR (Allaah is the Greater) while going into the bowing position.

(ii) In bowing posture, put the hands on the knees and grab them with your elbows away from your sides, and your back straightened with the head leveled with your back.

Bowing (Rukoo') Position in Salah

(iii) While in bowing position one says:
Far removed from every imperfection is my Rabb (Lord), the Great. [3 times]

سُبحانَ رَبِّيَ العَظيم

Transliteration: Subhanna Rabbiyal 'Adheem (3 times)


7.Standing Erect (Qiyaam) after Rukoo':

(i) Rise from bowing, raising your hands to the levels of the shoulders, or earlobes, saying:
Allaah hears the one who praises Him.

سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ

Transliteration: Sami'Allahu li man hamdidah

ii)Stand upright until every part takes its postion and say:

O our Rabb (Lord)! All the praise is due to You.

رَبَّنَا ولكَ الحَمد

Transliteration: Rabbana walakal-hamd

8.The Sujood (Prostration) & Juloos (Sitting):

(i) Reach the ground with the hand's first and then the knees while saying ALLAAHU AKBAR (Allaah is the Greater), and rest on your palm's and place your forehead, nose, knees, and feet on the floor with your belly away from your thighs. Toes should be erected and directed to the Qiblah. Your arms should be away from the ground, as bellow, saying:

"Far removed is my Rabb, the Most High, from any Imperfection" (3 times)

سُبحَانَ ربِّيَ الأعْلَى

Transliteration: Subhaana Rabiyyal-'Alaa

Prostration Position

(iii) Then you raise your head while saying: ALLAAHU AKBAR (sometimes raising one's hands), sit on your left leg while keeping your right foot upright with its fingers to the Qiblah. Put your hands on your knees, and supplicate saying:

O my Rabb! Forgive me.

رَبِّي اغفِر لِي

Transliteration: Rabbigh-fir lee

Sitting Position

The left and right foot in IFTIRASH

This position of IFTIRASH is done in the last Rak'ah of Fajr and Maghrib Prayer and in all Regular or optional prayers.

(iv) Following the sitting position, you come up with a second prostration as you did before. Once done you have completed one full unit (Rak'ah). Say Allaahu Akbar and stand up for the second Rak'ah. Do it in the same manner as you did the first one, but without reciting the opening supplication.

9.Sitting for Tashahhud (Testification of Faith):

First Tashahhud

(i) Once you finish the second Rak'ah, follow the same way of sitting as above. Hold your right hand closed with its thumb and middle finger touching each other like in a circle while pointing the index finger straight in the direction of the Qiblah and moving it through the recitation of the Tashahhud:

“All compliments [Allaah is free of all imperfection, His is the dominion, Magnificence, Endless existence belongs to Him], prayers, and pure words and deeds, are due to Allaah. May Allaah grant the Prophet safety from all defects and imperfections and keep his message safe from all evil; [may Allaah grant him] mercy and honor. May safety and security be granted to us and to all the righteous slaves of Allaah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.”
 

Transliteration: Attahiyyaatu lillaahi wassalawaatu wattayyibatu. Assalaamu 'alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyi warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh. Assalaamu 'alyna wa 'ala 'ibaadillaahis saaliheen. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illallaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasooluh.

Full Tashahhud

(i) At the end of the last Rak'ah, recite the first Tashahhud and follow it with the following recitation known as As-Salaatul Ibraaheemiyyah:

“O Allaah! Praise Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, as You Praised Ibraaheem, and the family of Ibraaheem; You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory. And send blessings on Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, as you sent blessings on Ibraaheem, and the family of Ibraaheem; You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory.”

Transliteration: Allaahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad kama sallaita 'ala Ibraaheem wa 'ala aali Ibraaheem innaka Hameedun Majeed, wabaarik 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhamaad kama baarakta 'ala Ibraaheem wa 'ala aali Ibraaheem innaka Hameedun Majeed.

What to do when going for the final Rak'ah in Salah?

In the prayers of the three or four Rak'ah type, after finishing the second Rak'ah and the first Tashahhud, stand up raising your hands (as described earlier) and say: ALLAAHU AKBAR. When you reach the straight standing position, recite the Faatiha and go for the prostrations as done earlier. If you are praying the three Rak'ah prayer of Maghrib sit with your body resting on your left thigh, your left leg under your right, while keeping your right foot upright. This position is called Tawarruk:

Tawarruk Position

For the four Rak'ah prayers, stand up at the end of the third Rak'ah and bring fourth the fourth and final Rak'ah. Recite full Tashahhud in the Tawarruk position

After recitation of the Tashahhud, you can supplicate Allaah with the following invocation (du'aa):

O Allaah! I seek refuge with You from the Punishment of the grave and from the Fitnah (trail or affliction) of Ad-Dajjaal [pseudo Messiah], and from the Fitnah of life and Fitnah of death. O Allaah! I seek refuge with You from the sins and from being in debt.