Islamic Light

Worship

The prayer — Salāh.

حَيَّ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَاة

Ḥayya ʿalā ṣ-ṣalāh — come to the prayer

Five times a day, at dawn, at midday, in the afternoon, at sunset, and at night, a Muslim turns toward Makkah and speaks with the Creator directly. Learn it slowly. Every movement is a mercy.

The five daily prayers

A rhythm from dawn to night.

ٱلْفَجْر

Fajr

Before dawn

2 rakʿah

The dawn prayer — quiet, cool, the sky still dark blue.

ٱلظُّهْر

Ẓuhr

After midday

4 rakʿah

A pause at the peak of the day, when the sun begins its descent.

ٱلْعَصْر

ʿAṣr

Afternoon

4 rakʿah

The 'middle prayer' — a return to Allah before the day fades.

ٱلْمَغْرِب

Maghrib

Just after sunset

3 rakʿah

The most tender prayer — the sky in orange and rose.

ٱلْعِشَاء

ʿIshāʾ

Night

4 rakʿah

The final prayer, closing the day in the arms of the night.

Before you begin

Foundations of prayer.

A few questions often asked by those learning Salāh. Open each one to understand the meaning, the obligation, and the preparation that comes before the prayer itself.

Step 1 — Wudu

The small ablution.

Before every prayer, a brief washing — not just of the body, but of the day. The Prophet ﷺ said: with each drop, small mistakes fall away.

  1. 1

    Say Bismillāh

    Begin with 'In the name of Allah' and make intention in your heart.

  2. 2

    Wash your hands

    Three times, up to the wrists.

  3. 3

    Rinse your mouth

    Three times — a light rinse, swishing water gently.

  4. 4

    Clean your nose

    Three times — gently sniff a little water and blow it out.

  5. 5

    Wash your face

    Three times, from hairline to chin and ear to ear.

  6. 6

    Wash your arms

    Three times each, from the fingertips up to the elbows, right then left.

  7. 7

    Wipe your head

    Once, with wet hands from front to back.

  8. 8

    Wipe your ears

    Once, gently with wet fingers — inside and behind.

  9. 9

    Wash your feet

    Three times each, up to the ankles, right then left.

  10. 10

    Closing duʿāʾ

    Raise your hands and say: Ashhadu an lā ilāha illa Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh.

Step 2 — One rakʿah

The shape of the prayer.

A single unit — a rakʿah — moves through standing, bowing, and prostrating. Every prayer is two, three, or four rakʿahs repeated.

  1. 01

    Illustration of a Muslim standing in prayer with hands folded on chest

    Standing — Qiyām

    قِيَام

    Face the Qiblah (toward Makkah). Raise your hands to your ears and say "Allāhu akbar". Place your right hand over your left on your chest.

    Said in this position: Recite Surah Al-Fātihah, then one short surah of your choice.

  2. 02

    Illustration of a Muslim bowing with straight back, hands on knees

    Bowing — Rukūʿ

    رُكُوع

    Say "Allāhu akbar" and bow with a straight back, hands on knees.

    Said in this position: Say three times: Subḥāna Rabbī al-ʿAẓīm — 'Glory to my Lord, the Most Great.'

  3. 03

    Illustration of a Muslim rising back to standing after bowing

    Rising — Iʿtidāl

    ٱعْتِدَال

    Rise back to standing, hands at your sides.

    Said in this position: Say: Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah Rabbanā wa laka al-ḥamd wa Al-Shokr— 'Allah hears the one who praises Him, Our Lord, and to You belongs the praise.

  4. 04

    Illustration of a Muslim in prostration with forehead on the ground

    Prostration — Sujūd

    سُجُود

    Say "Allāhu akbar" and go down: knees, hands, then forehead and nose to the ground. Seven points touch the floor.

    Said in this position: Say three times: Subḥāna Rabbī al-Aʿlā — 'Glory to my Lord, the Most High.' This is the closest a servant is to Allah.

  5. 05

    Illustration of a Muslim sitting between prostrations with hands on thighs

    Sitting between — Jalsah

    جَلْسَة

    While coming up to the sitting position say "Allāhu akbar", sit briefly on your left foot with the right foot upright.

    Said in this position: Say: Rabbi ighfir lī — 'My Lord, forgive me.'

  6. 06

    Illustration of a Muslim in the second prostration of the rakʿah

    Second prostration

    سُجُود

    Say "Allāhu akbar" and go down: knees, hands, then forehead and nose to the ground. Seven points touch the floor.

    Said in this position: Same as the first, Say three times: Subḥāna Rabbī al-Aʿlā.

Step 3 — The second rakʿah

Completing the prayer.

The second rakʿah mirrors the first, then rests in the sitting of Tashahhud — a moment of witness — and closes with Taslīm, turning right and left in peace. In a two-rakʿah prayer such as Fajr, this is the end.

  1. 01

    Illustration of a Muslim standing to begin the second rakʿah

    Rise for the second rakʿah — Qiyām

    قِيَام

    After the second prostration of the first rakʿah, say "Allāhu akbar" and rise back to standing. Place your right hand over your left on the chest.

    Said in this position: Recite Surah Al-Fātihah again, followed by another short surah. There is no opening supplication this time — only Bismillāh, then Al-Fātihah.

  2. 02

    Illustration of a Muslim bowing in the second rakʿah

    Bowing — Rukūʿ

    رُكُوع

    Say "Allāhu akbar" and bow with a straight back, hands resting on the knees.

    Said in this position: Say three times: Subḥāna Rabbī al-ʿAẓīm.

  3. 03

    Illustration of a Muslim rising after bowing in the second rakʿah

    Rising — Iʿtidāl

    ٱعْتِدَال

    Rise back to standing, arms at your sides, at complete stillness.

    Said in this position: Say: Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah Rabbanā wa laka al-ḥamd wa Al-Shokr— 'Allah hears the one who praises Him, Our Lord, and to You belongs the praise.

  4. 04

    Illustration of a Muslim in prostration during the second rakʿah

    First prostration — Sujūd

    سُجُود

    Say "Allāhu akbar" and go down to prostration: knees, hands, then forehead and nose — seven points touching the ground.

    Said in this position: Say three times: Subḥāna Rabbī al-Aʿlā.

  5. 05

    Illustration of a Muslim sitting briefly between the two prostrations

    Sitting between — Jalsah

    جَلْسَة

    While coming up to the sitting position say "Allāhu akbar", sit briefly and calmly between the two prostrations.

    Said in this position: Rabbi ighfir lī — 'My Lord, forgive me.'

  6. 06

    Illustration of a Muslim in the second prostration of the second rakʿah

    Second prostration — Sujūd

    سُجُود

    Say "Allāhu akbar" and prostrate again, exactly as before, unhurried.

    Said in this position: Subḥāna Rabbī al-Aʿlā — three times.

  7. 07

    Illustration of a Muslim sitting for the Tashahhud with right index finger raised

    Sitting for Tashahhud

    ٱلتَّشَهُّد

    While coming up to the sitting position say "Allāhu akbar", sit on your left foot with the right foot upright. Rest your hands on your thighs and gently raise the right index finger at the mention of Allah — a quiet witness of His Oneness.

    Said in this position:

  8. 08

    Illustration of a Muslim turning his head to the right to give the salam

    Taslīm to the right

    ٱلتَّسْلِيم

    Still seated, turn your head to the right shoulder and greet the angel of good deeds.

    Said in this position: As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh — 'Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah.'

  9. 09

    Illustration of a Muslim turning his head to the left to give the salam

    Taslīm to the left

    ٱلتَّسْلِيم

    Then turn your head to the left shoulder and repeat the greeting. With this, the prayer is complete.

    Said in this position: As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh — and the prayer closes in peace.

A gentle note

For prayers of three or four rakʿahs

After the Tashahhud of the second rakʿah, do not give Taslīm. Instead, rise again for the third (and fourth) rakʿah, reciting only Surah Al-Fātihah — silently — before bowing. The final Tashahhud and the two Taslīms come at the very end.

وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي

"And establish prayer for My remembrance."

Surah Ṭāhā · 20:14

Next: the Book you'll recite in prayer.

Every prayer opens with Surah Al-Fātihah — the first surah of the Qur'an.

Open the Qur'an →