Learn to pray, step by step
Every step with the Arabic, transliteration and meaning — listen to the MP3 guide, read it in your language, and ask the AI guide anything about Salah.
Salah is the second pillar of Islam and our meeting with Allah five times a day. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” This guide shows one complete two-rak‘ah prayer, step by step. (Sahih al-Bukhari 631)
1Prepare
Make wudu, wear clean clothes that cover what must be covered, stand on a clean place and face the Qibla. Make the intention in your heart for the prayer you are about to pray.
Quran 5:6; Quran 2:144
2Opening takbir
Raise both hands to your ears or shoulders and say “Allahu Akbar”. The prayer has now begun.
اللّٰهُ أَكْبَر
Allahu Akbar
“Allah is the Greatest”
Sahih al-Bukhari 735
3Standing: opening dua and Al-Fatihah
Place your right hand over your left. Recite the opening dua, then “A‘udhu billahi minash-shaitanir-rajim”, “Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim”, Surah Al-Fatihah, and then any other surah, such as Al-Ikhlas.
سُبْحَانَكَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ ، وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabarakasmuka, wa ta‘ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghairuk
“Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise; blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god but You”
Sahih al-Bukhari 756; Quran 1:1–7
4Bowing (ruku‘)
Say “Allahu Akbar” and bow, with your hands on your knees and your back straight. Say the words of ruku‘ three times.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhana Rabbiyal ‘Azim (3 times)
“Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great”
Sunan Abi Dawud 869
5Rising from ruku‘
Rise to standing while saying “Sami‘ Allahu liman hamidah”, then, standing still, say “Rabbana wa lakal hamd”.
سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Sami‘ Allahu liman hamidah — Rabbana wa lakal hamd
“Allah hears the one who praises Him — Our Lord, all praise is Yours”
Sahih al-Bukhari 795
6Prostration (sujud)
Say “Allahu Akbar” and go down into prostration on seven parts: forehead with nose, both palms, both knees and the toes of both feet. Say the words of sujud three times.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Subhana Rabbiyal A‘la (3 times)
“Glory be to my Lord, the Most High”
Sahih al-Bukhari 812; Sunan Abi Dawud 869
7Sitting, then the second sujud
Say “Allahu Akbar” and sit up calmly, saying “Rabbighfir li”. Then say “Allahu Akbar” and make a second prostration in the same way.
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbighfir li
“My Lord, forgive me”
Sunan Abi Dawud 874
8The second rak‘ah
Stand up saying “Allahu Akbar” and pray the second rak‘ah just like the first: Al-Fatihah and a surah, ruku‘, rising, and two sujud — without the opening dua.
Sahih al-Bukhari 757
9Sitting for tashahhud and salawat
After the second sujud of the second rak‘ah, sit and recite the tashahhud. In the final sitting, add the salawat on the Prophet ﷺ (Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad…) and a short dua.
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلّٰهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللّٰهِ الصَّالِحِينَ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat, as-salamu ‘alaika ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, as-salamu ‘alaina wa ‘ala ‘ibadillahis-salihin, ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah 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 the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger”
Sahih al-Bukhari 831; Sahih al-Bukhari 3370
10Ending the prayer (taslim)
Turn your face to the right and say “As-salamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullah”, then to the left and say it again. Your prayer is complete. Stay a moment for dhikr: “Astaghfirullah” three times.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ
As-salamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullah
“Peace and the mercy of Allah be upon you”
Sunan Abi Dawud 996
In three- and four-rak‘ah prayers, sit for the tashahhud after the second rak‘ah, then stand for the remaining rak‘ahs, reciting only Al-Fatihah in the Fard rak‘ahs after the second. Practices differ slightly between schools; follow your local scholars.
Listen to Surah Al-Fatihah
Recited by Mishary Rashid Alafasy, ayah by ayah — practise along until you know it by heart.
How many rak‘ahs?
| Prayer | Rak‘ahs (common Hanafi practice) |
|---|---|
| Fajr | 2 Sunnah, 2 Fard |
| Dhuhr | 4 Sunnah, 4 Fard, 2 Sunnah |
| Asr | 4 Fard |
| Maghrib | 3 Fard, 2 Sunnah |
| Isha | 4 Fard, 2 Sunnah, 3 Witr |
Practice differs slightly between schools of thought; follow your local scholars. See today’s prayer times.
AI Salah guide — ask in your language
Ask anything about Salah — wudu, the steps, missed prayers, travel, women’s questions. I will answer in the language you choose, with references.
The AI guide can make mistakes. For personal rulings, ask a qualified scholar.
Audio narration is generated by Sukon from this guide. The Quran is never read by a computer voice — Al-Fatihah is played from a human reciter.