Practice · The Five Daily Prayers

How to Pray

كَيْفَ تُصَلِّي

The five daily prayers are the second pillar of Islam and the most important act of worship. This guide walks you through everything you need to know to begin praying.

Before You Pray

Three conditions must be met before starting the prayer:

💧

Wudu

You must be in a state of ritual purification. If you have broken your Wudu, perform it again before praying.

👘

Proper clothing

For men: cover from navel to knee. For women: cover everything except the face and hands.

🧹

Clean place

Pray on a clean surface. A prayer mat is convenient but any clean floor, carpet or ground is acceptable.

You must also face the Qibla — the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah. Use our Qibla tool to find the exact direction from your location.

The Five Daily Prayers

Allah has prescribed five prayers throughout the day. Each has a specific time window and a specific number of units (Rak'ahs).

Fajr

الفجر

Dawn — before sunrise

The dawn prayer. Its time begins at true dawn and ends just before sunrise.

2 Rak'ahs

Dhuhr

الظهر

Midday — after the sun passes its zenith

The midday prayer. Its time begins when the sun starts to decline after noon.

4 Rak'ahs

Asr

العصر

Afternoon

The afternoon prayer. Its time begins when the shadow of an object equals its length.

4 Rak'ahs

Maghrib

المغرب

Just after sunset

The sunset prayer. Its time begins immediately after the sun sets.

3 Rak'ahs

Isha

العشاء

Night — after twilight disappears

The night prayer. Its time begins when the red twilight disappears from the sky.

4 Rak'ahs

Use our Prayer Times tool to find the exact times for your city today.

How to Perform One Rak'ah

A Rak'ah is one complete unit of prayer. Each prayer consists of multiple Rak'ahs. Here is how to perform one complete Rak'ah:

Takbirat al-Ihram — Opening Takbeer

تكبيرة الإحرام

Stand upright facing the Qiblah. Raise both hands to your earlobes (or shoulders for women) and say:

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Allahu Akbar

Allah is the Greatest

This opens the prayer. From this moment, you are in a state of prayer and worldly speech is forbidden until the prayer ends. Place your right hand over your left hand on your chest.

Opening Supplication — Dua al-Istiftah

دعاء الاستفتاح

Silently recite the opening supplication:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ

Subhanakal-lahumma wa bihamdika wa tabarakas-muka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuk

Glory be to You O Allah, and praise. Blessed is Your name and exalted is Your majesty. There is no god but You.

This is Sunnah — if you forget it, the prayer is still valid.

Recite Al-Fatihah

قراءة الفاتحة

Recite Surah Al-Fatihah. This is obligatory in every Rak'ah. Begin with:

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

A'udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajeem

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil

Then recite Bismillah and Al-Fatihah:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿١﴾ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٢﴾ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿٣﴾ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ﴿٤﴾ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ﴿٥﴾ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ﴿٦﴾ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ ﴿٧﴾

Bismillahir-rahmanir-raheem. Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil-'alameen. Ar-rahmanir-raheem. Maliki yawmid-deen. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een. Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqeem. Siratal-ladheena an'amta 'alayhim ghayril-maghdubi 'alayhim wa lad-dalleen.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path — the path of those You have blessed, not of those who have earned anger, nor of those who have gone astray.

After Al-Fatihah say quietly: Ameen

Recite an Additional Surah or Verses

قراءة سورة

In the first two Rak'ahs, recite any additional passage from the Quran after Al-Fatihah. For beginners, Surah Al-Ikhlas is recommended:

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ﴿١﴾ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ ﴿٢﴾ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ﴿٣﴾ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ ﴿٤﴾

Qul huwa Allahu ahad. Allahus-samad. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.

Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor was born. Nor is there to Him any equivalent.

Ruku — Bowing

الركوع

Say Allahu Akbar and bow with your back flat and hands on your knees. Your head should be level with your back — not raised or lowered. While in Ruku, say three times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem

Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great

Then rise saying:

سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ

Sami' Allahu liman hamidah

Allah hears whoever praises Him

Once fully upright, say:

رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ

Rabbana wa lakal hamd

Our Lord, to You is all praise

Sujud — Prostration

السجود

Say Allahu Akbar and prostrate with seven body parts touching the ground: forehead and nose, both palms, both knees, and the toes of both feet. While in Sujud, say three times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subhana Rabbiyal A'la

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High

💡Sujud is the closest a person can be to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration, so make many supplications."

Sitting Between the Two Prostrations

الجلسة بين السجدتين

Rise from prostration saying Allahu Akbar and sit briefly. While sitting say:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي

Rabbighfir li

My Lord, forgive me

Then prostrate again saying Allahu Akbar and repeat the Sujud exactly as before. This completes one Rak'ah.

The Tashahhud — Sitting

After the second Rak'ah (and in the final Rak'ah of every prayer), sit and recite the Tashahhud:

التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu 'alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahis-salihin. Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill-Allah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.

All greetings, prayers and good things are for Allah. Peace be upon you O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allah. Peace be upon us and upon all righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

Then recite the Salah Ibrahimiyyah (sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ):

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim. Innaka Hamidun Majid.

O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Verily You are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.

Ending the Prayer — Tasleem

To end the prayer, turn your head to the right and say:

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ

As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah

Then turn your head to the left and say the same.

This completes the prayer. You are now free to move and speak. It is Sunnah to make Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) after prayer.

After Prayer Dhikr — say each 33 times

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ

Subhanallah

Glory be to Allah

× 33

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

Alhamdulillah

All praise is due to Allah

× 33

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Allahu Akbar

Allah is the Greatest

× 33

The Prophet ﷺ said: whoever says these after every prayer will have their sins forgiven, even if they are as much as the foam of the sea. (Muslim)

Prayer Summary

Here is a quick reference for each prayer:

Prayer	Total Rak'ahs	Recitation
Fajr	2	Both Rak'ahs aloud
Dhuhr	4	All 4 silent
Asr	4	All 4 silent
Maghrib	3	First 2 aloud, 3rd silent
Isha	4	First 2 aloud, last 2 silent

Note on aloud vs silent: "Aloud" means audible recitation that others can hear. "Silent" means moving the lips without others hearing. For men praying alone, they may recite quietly. For women, the prayer is always at a moderate volume.

Tips for New Muslims

🌱

Start with what you can

If you cannot memorize all the Arabic yet, pray with what you know. Allah knows your effort. Learn Al-Fatihah first — it is the only obligatory recitation.

📱

Use a prayer guide app

Many apps show you the Arabic text, transliteration and translation while you pray. This is completely acceptable as you learn.

🕌

Pray with other Muslims

Praying in congregation (Jama'ah) carries 27 times the reward of praying alone. Going to the mosque — especially for Fajr and Isha — is highly encouraged.

⏰

Never miss a prayer intentionally

If you miss a prayer, make it up as soon as you remember. The Prophet ﷺ said: whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when they remember it.

💙

Focus on the meaning

Try to understand what you are saying. Even reading the translation once helps you pray with more presence and awareness.

Ready to find your prayer times?

Use our Prayer Times tool to find accurate salah times for your city, and our Quran Reader to learn Al-Fatihah and the short surahs.

Find Prayer Times →Open Quran Reader