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By · Editorial Lead, Prayer Times Near Me·May 15, 2026·12 min read

How to Pray Salah: Step-by-Step Guide with Positions and Recitations

Salah (Arabic: الصلاة) is the second pillar of Islam — five daily prayers performed at specific times tied to the sun's position. This guide walks through every position, what to recite at each step, and how many rak'aat each prayer requires. Whether you're a new Muslim, a returning Muslim brushing up, or simply curious, this is your complete reference.

Prerequisites — Purity, Clothing & Direction

Salah has three outer conditions that must be met before you begin. If any one is absent, the prayer is invalid and must be repeated when the condition can be fulfilled.

1 — Wudu (Ritual Ablution)

Wudu purifies from minor ritual impurity (hadath asghar). The four obligatory acts of wudu are: washing the face once, washing both arms to the elbows once, wiping at least a quarter of the head, and washing both feet to the ankles once. The Sunnah is to do each act three times in order.

  1. Intention (niyyah) — silently resolve to make wudu
  2. Wash hands three times
  3. Rinse mouth three times (madmadah)
  4. Sniff water into nostrils and blow out three times (istinshaq)
  5. Wash face three times — from hairline to chin, ear to ear
  6. Wash right arm to elbow three times, then left
  7. Wipe over the head once (mash al-ra's)
  8. Wipe outer and inner ears with the same water
  9. Wash right foot to ankle three times, then left

Wudu remains valid until broken by one of its nullifiers (passing gas, urination, defecation, deep sleep, loss of consciousness, or — in the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools — skin contact with a non-mahram of the opposite sex). If you prayed Fajr with wudu and nothing broke it, the same wudu is valid for Dhuhr.

2 — Clothing (Satrul-'Awrah)

Men must cover from the navel to below the knee. Women must cover everything except the face and hands (the face veil is a separate discussion not required for prayer validity in most schools). Tight, sheer, or translucent clothing that reveals skin color does not fulfill this condition.

3 — Facing the Qibla

The Qibla is the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca. From the United States, the Qibla points northeast — not east, as many assume from a flat map. Use our Qibla Direction tool to get your exact compass bearing.

Rak'aat per Prayer

Each of the five daily prayers consists of a set number of rak'aat(prayer cycles). A rak'ah is one complete sequence of standing, bowing, and two prostrations. The table below shows the obligatory (fard) rak'aat and the associated confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu'akkadah) rak'aat.

PrayerArabicSunnah (before)FardSunnah (after)Time
Fajrالفجر22—Dawn
Dhuhrالظهر442Midday
Asrالعصر—4—Afternoon
Maghribالمغرب—32Sunset
Ishaالعشاء—42Night

Know the exact time for each prayer today? Check our dedicated prayer pages: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha.

The Six Positions of Salah

Every rak'ah passes through six distinct physical positions. The illustrations below show each position with its Arabic name, a description of the body posture, and the exact words recited.

Qiyam — Standing — Islamic prayer position illustration
1

Qiyam — Standing

القيام

Stand upright facing the Qibla, feet shoulder-width apart. Raise both hands to ear-level and say the opening takbir: "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest). Then fold your right hand over the left on your chest or navel (school-dependent). This is the beginning of every rak'ah.

What to recite

Opening du'a (Istiftah)

Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabarakasmuka, wa ta'ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghayrak.

Ta'awwudh

A'udhu billahi min al-Shaytani al-rajim.

Surah Al-Fatiha (obligatory every rak'ah)

Bismillahi al-Rahmani al-Rahim. Al-hamdu lillahi rabb al-'alamin. Al-Rahmani al-Rahim. Maliki yawm al-din. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in. Ihdina al-sirat al-mustaqim. Sirata alladhina an'amta 'alayhim, ghayri al-maghdubi 'alayhim wa la al-dallin. [Amin]

Additional Surah (first 2 rak'aat)

Any short Surah or verses — e.g. Surah Al-Ikhlas: Qul huwa Allahu ahad. Allahu al-samad. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.

Ruku — Bowing — Islamic prayer position illustration
2

Ruku — Bowing

الركوع

Say "Allahu Akbar" and bow at the waist until your back is flat and parallel to the ground. Place both hands firmly on your knees with fingers spread. Keep your head level — neither raised nor dropped below the back. Remain still (tuma'ninah) for at least one full breath.

What to recite

Tasbeeh (×3 minimum)

Subhana Rabbiyal-'Adhim (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great)

I'tidal — Rising from Ruku — Islamic prayer position illustration
3

I'tidal — Rising from Ruku

الاعتدال

Rise fully upright while saying "Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah" (God hears those who praise Him). Once fully erect, pause and say the tahmid below. Your arms drop naturally to your sides. This upright position must be held until stillness is achieved — it is a pillar of the prayer, not merely a transition.

What to recite

Rising

Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah.

Tahmid (while standing)

Rabbana wa laka al-hamd, hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fih.

Sujood — Prostration — Islamic prayer position illustration
4

Sujood — Prostration

السجود

Say "Allahu Akbar" and go down to the ground on seven bones: forehead + nose, both palms, both knees, and the underside of both big toes. Your elbows should be lifted off the ground, arms away from your sides. The forehead must be fully touching the ground — not hovering. Hold still for at least one breath. Every rak'ah contains two sujood.

What to recite

Tasbeeh (×3 minimum)

Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High)

Optional du'a (sujood is the best time to supplicate)

Allahumma ighfir li, warhamni, wahdini, wa'afini, warzuqni.

Jalsah — Sitting between Prostrations — Islamic prayer position illustration
5

Jalsah — Sitting between Prostrations

الجلسة

After the first sujood, rise to a sitting position saying "Allahu Akbar". Sit on your left foot (iftirash) with the right foot upright. Pause fully in this position — it must be a complete stop, not just a bounce. Then go back down for the second sujood. This sitting position is a wajib (obligatory) pause.

What to recite

Du'a (brief)

Rabb ighfir li, Rabb ighfir li. (Lord forgive me, Lord forgive me.)

Tashahhud — Final Sitting — Islamic prayer position illustration
6

Tashahhud — Final Sitting

التشهد

In the final rak'ah (and in the 2nd rak'ah of 4-rak'ah prayers), sit in tasha'hhud position: left foot tucked under (or between, per Hanafi), right foot upright with toes forward. Raise your right index finger at the mention of "illa Allah" in the Tashahhud to testify to God's oneness. The prayer ends with tasleem — turning your head to the right: "Al-Salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah", then to the left.

What to recite

Al-Tashahhud

At-tahiyyatu lillahi wa al-salawatu wa al-tayyibat. Al-salamu 'alayka ayyuha al-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Al-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillah al-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.

Salawat (Ibrahimiyya) — in final rak'ah

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta 'ala Ibrahim wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta 'ala Ibrahim wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid.

Tasleem (ending)

Al-Salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah. (right then left)

Walking Through a Full Rak'ah

Here is the exact sequence for one complete rak'ah as it flows in practice:

  1. Niyyah— Form the intention in your heart for which prayer you are praying and how many rak'aat. No verbal pronouncement is required (though some schools permit it quietly).
  2. Takbirat al-Ihram— Raise both hands to ear-level and say “Allahu Akbar.” This opening takbir enters you into the prayer. From this point, all worldly speech or action is prohibited.
  3. Qiyam— Recite the opening du'a, ta'awwudh, Surah Al-Fatiha, and an additional Surah (in the first two rak'aat).
  4. Ruku— Bow, say “Allahu Akbar,” recite tasbeeh ×3+.
  5. I'tidal— Rise fully, say Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah, pause in stillness, say the tahmid.
  6. First Sujood— Say “Allahu Akbar,” go to the ground on seven bones, recite tasbeeh ×3+.
  7. Jalsah— Rise to sitting saying “Allahu Akbar,” pause, say the brief du'a.
  8. Second Sujood — Repeat steps 6 exactly.
  9. Rise to the next rak'ah or sit for Tashahhud— In a 2-rak'ah prayer, sit after the second sujood of rak'ah 2. In a 3- or 4-rak'ah prayer, sit after rak'ah 2 for the first Tashahhud (without Salawat), then stand and continue.
  10. Final Tashahhud & Tasleem— In the last rak'ah, sit, recite the full Tashahhud and Salawat (Ibrahimiyya), then end with tasleem to the right and left.

5 Common Mistakes in Salah

1 — Rushing Through the Positions

Tuma'ninah (stillness/tranquility in each position) is a pillar of the prayer. The Prophet ﷺ told a companion who prayed quickly to “go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” Each position — especially ruku, i'tidal, and sujood — must be held until the body is fully at rest.

2 — Not Straightening Fully in I'tidal

Many people go directly from ruku into sujood without pausing upright. I'tidal is an independent pillar of the prayer, not a transition. The back must return fully vertical and the body must be still before descending to sujood.

3 — Incorrect Sujood (Forehead Not Grounded)

The forehead must touch the prayer surface with enough weight that the nose is also grounded. Hovering the forehead slightly above the carpet — even unconsciously — invalidates the sujood. The seven bones of sujood must all be in contact with the ground simultaneously.

4 — Skipping the Second Jalsah Pause

Between the first and second sujood, the sitting position (jalsah) must be a complete pause. Bobbing immediately back into the second sujood is a mistake. Say “Rabb ighfir li” at least once to ensure the pause is present.

5 — Praying Without Wudu

Accidentally praying without wudu (e.g., forgetting that it was broken) requires repeating the prayer. If you realize during the prayer, stop immediately, make wudu, and restart. There is no penalty — it is simply invalid and must be redone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many rak'aat are in each of the five daily prayers?
Fajr has 2 fard rak'aat. Dhuhr has 4 fard. Asr has 4 fard. Maghrib has 3 fard. Isha has 4 fard. Each prayer also has associated Sunnah rak'aat before or after, which are highly recommended but not obligatory.
Do I need to understand Arabic to pray?
The core recitations of Salah (Al-Fatiha, tasbeeh in ruku/sujood, the Tashahhud) must be said in Arabic. You do not need to speak Arabic fluently, but you do need to memorize these specific phrases. Scholars recommend also learning the translations so the prayer has meaning beyond rote recitation.
What breaks your wudu (ablution) and requires repeating it?
Wudu is broken by: passing gas, urinating, defecating, bleeding from a wound (larger amounts per some madhabs), loss of consciousness or sleep, and sexual contact. Once broken, you must repeat wudu before the next prayer.
Can I pray if I don't know Surah Al-Fatiha yet?
Al-Fatiha is a pillar (rukn) of Salah and the prayer is invalid without it according to the majority of scholars. Beginners who cannot recite it yet should repeat 'Subhan Allah' or 'Allahu Akbar' while working to memorize Al-Fatiha. A new Muslim has a grace period while learning.
How long does one rak'ah take?
A single rak'ah typically takes 60–90 seconds when prayed at a moderate pace. A 4-rak'ah prayer (Dhuhr, Asr, Isha) takes roughly 5–8 minutes. Longer recitation of Quran in qiyam extends this. The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged a calm, unhurried pace.
What should I do if I forget how many rak'aat I've prayed?
If you are genuinely unsure, take the lower number (the certain amount) and complete the prayer. At the end, perform two extra sujood (sajdat al-sahw — prostration of forgetfulness) before or after the final tasleem, depending on the school of thought.

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