Salah (prayer) is the second pillar of Islam and the most important act of worship after the declaration of faith. It is your direct connection with Allah, performed five times daily at prescribed times. This guide will teach you how to pray.
"Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times."
Surah An-Nisa (4:103)"The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgement is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is corrupt, then the rest of his deeds will be corrupt."
Tabarani, graded SahihA note on madhab differences
There are slight differences in how Salah is performed between the four Sunni schools of thought — Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali. These differences are in details such as where to place the hands, how to recite, and minor postural variations. They are not discussed here and are not necessary for a new Muslim to learn at this stage. Focus on mastering the basics first, and if you ever pray behind an Imam from another school, simply follow him.
Before you can begin praying, six conditions must be met. Without them, your prayer is not valid.
| # | Condition | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Islam & sanity | You must be a Muslim of sound mind. Prayer is not obligatory on non-Muslims or the insane. |
| 2 | Reaching puberty | Salah becomes obligatory once a child reaches puberty. Children should be taught to pray from the age of seven. |
| 3 | Ritual purity (Taharah) | You must have valid wudu, or have performed Ghusl (full bath) if required. Your body, clothes and place of prayer must be clean of impurities. |
| 4 | Covering the Awrah | Men must cover from the navel to the knees. Women must cover the entire body except the face, hands and feet. The clothes must be opaque and not tight. |
| 5 | Facing the Qibla | You must face the direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah. Use a compass or prayer app to find the Qibla from your location. |
| 6 | Correct time | Each prayer has a specific time window. Praying before or after this window invalidates the prayer, unless you have a valid excuse. |
Allah has prescribed five obligatory prayers at specific times throughout the day and night. Each prayer consists of a set number of units called rak'ahs. Alongside the obligatory (Fard) rak'ahs there are recommended (Sunnah) prayers before and after, and the Witr prayer.
| Prayer | Time | Fard | Sunnah before | Sunnah after | Witr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr Dawn | From dawn until sunrise | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Zuhr Midday | After the sun passes its zenith until mid-afternoon | 4 | 4 | 2 | — |
| Asr Afternoon | From mid-afternoon until just before sunset | 4 | 4* | — | — |
| Maghrib Sunset | From sunset until twilight disappears | 3 | — | 2 | — |
| Isha Night | From the disappearance of twilight until midnight | 4 | 4* | 2 | 3 |
* Sunnah Ghayr Mu'akkadah — non-emphasised Sunnah. The Sunnah before Fajr and Zuhr, and after Zuhr, Maghrib and Isha, are Mu'akkadah (emphasised) and strongly recommended.
Other prayers exist too
Beyond the five daily prayers there are many others: Jumu'ah (the Friday congregational prayer), the Eid prayers, Janazah (funeral prayer), Taraweeh (Ramadan night prayers), Tahajjud (the night vigil) and numerous voluntary (Nafl) prayers. These are not covered in this beginner's guide. Establish your five daily prayers first — this is the foundation of your relationship with Allah.
Your prayer is built upon essential pillars. If any of these are intentionally omitted, the prayer is invalid.
| # | Pillar | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niyyah Intention | A silent resolve in your heart specifying which prayer you are about to perform, for example "I am praying Zuhr Fard". It is not said aloud. |
| 2 | Takbiratul Ihram | Saying "Allahu Akbar" to begin the prayer, raising your hands to your earlobes (men) or shoulders (women). This marks your entry into the sacred state of prayer. |
| 3 | Qiyam Standing | Standing upright while reciting Qur'an. If you are unable to stand due to illness, you may sit. |
| 4 | Qira'ah Recitation | Reciting at least three verses of the Qur'an in the first two rak'ahs. Surah Al-Fatiha is Wajib, and an additional Surah is Wajib in the first two rak'ahs of Fard prayers. |
| 5 | Ruku' & Sujud | Bowing (Ruku') and prostrating (Sujud) twice in each rak'ah. In Sujud, seven body parts must touch the ground: the forehead, nose, both palms, both knees and both feet. |
| 6 | Qa'dah Akhirah & Tasleem | The final sitting to recite the Tashahhud, and ending the prayer with the Tasleem — "Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah" — to both sides. |
These are also essential. If missed forgetfully, the prayer can be corrected with Sujud As-Sahw (the prostration of forgetfulness) at the end. If missed intentionally, the prayer is invalid.
Below is the complete method of praying one rak'ah (unit) of Salah according to the Hanafi school. The five daily prayers are made up of multiple rak'ahs performed in sequence.
Stand facing the Qibla. Make the intention silently in your heart for the specific prayer and its rak'ahs — for example, "I intend to pray Zuhr Fard, four rak'ahs, for Allah". Raise your hands to your earlobes (men) or shoulders (women), palms facing forward, and say: Allahu Akbar — Allah is the Greatest.
Recite silently: "Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika wa tabarakasmuka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghayruk" — Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise. Blessed is Your Name, and Exalted is Your Majesty. There is no god but You.
Recite Surah Al-Fatiha: "Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil 'alamin…" — Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds — and complete the Surah. Then recite any short Surah, or at least three verses of the Qur'an. In the third and fourth rak'ahs of a four-rak'ah prayer you recite Al-Fatiha only.
Say "Allahu Akbar" while raising your hands to your ears, then bow. Place your hands firmly on your knees, keep your back straight and level and your head in line with your back, and look at your feet. Say three times: Subhana Rabbiyal 'Azim — Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
Rise from bowing, saying: "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah" — Allah hears those who praise Him. Then, standing upright, say silently: "Rabbana wa lakal hamd" — Our Lord, to You belongs all praise.
Say "Allahu Akbar" and prostrate. Place your forehead, nose, both palms, both knees and both feet firmly on the ground. Your arms should not touch your sides and your stomach should not touch your thighs. Turn your toes towards the Qibla. Say three times: Subhana Rabbiyal A'la — Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Say "Allahu Akbar" and sit up on your left foot, with your right foot upright and the toes facing the Qibla. Place your hands on your thighs near the knees. Say silently: "Rabbighfir li, warhamni, wajburni, warfa'ni, wahdini, wa 'afini, warzuqni" — O Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, mend my affairs, raise my rank, guide me, grant me well-being, and provide for me.
Say "Allahu Akbar" and prostrate again, exactly as in the first prostration, reciting "Subhana Rabbiyal A'la" three times. This completes one rak'ah.
After completing all the rak'ahs, sit for the final sitting. Sit on your left foot with the right foot upright, and place your hands on your thighs. Form a circle with your right hand by joining the thumb and middle finger, and point the index finger towards the Qibla during the Shahadah.
Recite the Tashahhud: "At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibatu. As-salamu 'alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahis-salihin. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh."
All greetings, prayers and good deeds are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
Turn your face to the right and say: Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah — peace and the mercy of Allah be upon you. Then turn your face to the left and repeat the same greeting.
Establish the prayer, and let it hold the shape of your day. It is the first thing you will be asked about, and the first thing that will speak for you.
Sources: this article follows the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence as derived from the Qur'an, the Sahih hadith collections, and classical Hanafi fiqh texts. If you are unsure about anything, ask a knowledgeable teacher — or get in touch with us.
Reading about salah is one thing — praying it with someone patient next to you is another. Our team in Portsmouth will teach you, step by step.
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