How to Pray in Islam

Salah is the second pillar of Islam and the most important act of worship after the Shahada. It was prescribed directly during the Prophet's ascent to the heavens and is the act that distinguishes a Muslim from a non-Muslim in practice. The Prophet said: "The covenant between us and them is prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved" (Tirmidhi 2621, graded hasan sahih). Muslims pray five times daily at specific times calculated from the position of the sun.

Prerequisites for Prayer

Before praying, four conditions must be met:

• Taharah (Purity): Minor ritual impurity is removed by wudu (ablution); major impurity requires ghusl (full bath). The prayer area, clothing, and body must be free of najasah (ritual impurity).
• Facing the Qiblah: The direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah. Prayer apps and mosque compasses indicate the correct direction for any location on earth.
• Covering the Awrah: For men, from navel to knee. For women, the entire body except hands and face, according to the majority of scholars.
• Niyyah (Intention): A sincere internal intention to perform the specific prayer. It does not need to be spoken aloud.

Performing Wudu

Wudu consists of: (1) Rinsing the hands three times; (2) Rinsing the mouth three times; (3) Cleaning the nostrils three times; (4) Washing the face three times; (5) Washing the arms to the elbows three times, right first; (6) Wiping the head once; (7) Wiping the ears; (8) Washing the feet to the ankles three times, right first. Wudu is invalidated by using the toilet, passing wind, deep sleep, or loss of consciousness.

The Five Daily Prayers

• Fajr: 2 rak'ahs. Time: from true dawn until just before sunrise. The most virtuous prayer — the Prophet said: "The two rak'ahs of Fajr are better than the world and everything in it" (Muslim 725).
• Dhuhr: 4 rak'ahs. Time: after the sun passes its zenith until the Asr time begins.
• Asr: 4 rak'ahs. Time: from when a shadow equals the object's length (Shafi'i/Hanbali) or twice its length (Hanafi) until sunset. The Prophet warned severely against missing it.
• Maghrib: 3 rak'ahs. Time: immediately after sunset until the red twilight disappears.
• Isha: 4 rak'ahs. Time: from disappearance of red twilight until midnight (obligatory) or dawn (permissible). Preceded by Witr prayer (at minimum one rak'ah, highly recommended).

How to Pray — A Rak'ah

Each rak'ah follows the same structure: (1) Takbirat al-Ihram — raise hands to shoulder height and say "Allahu Akbar" (this begins the prayer); (2) Qiyam (Standing) — recite the opening du'a (Istiftah), Surah al-Fatiha (obligatory), and an additional Quran passage in the first two rak'ahs; (3) Ruku (Bowing) — bow with hands on knees, back straight, saying "Subhana rabbiyal-adhim" (Glory to my Lord the Magnificent) three times; (4) I'tidal (Rising from Ruku) — return to standing, saying "Sami'allahu liman hamidah" and "Rabbana wa lakal hamd"; (5) First Sujud (Prostration) — prostrate with seven body parts touching the ground (forehead/nose, two palms, two knees, two feet), saying "Subhana rabbiyal-a'la" three times; (6) Jalsah (Sitting between prostrations) — sit briefly; (7) Second Sujud — repeat the prostration. After completing the rak'ahs, the prayer ends with Tashahhud (sitting recitation) and Tasleem (saying "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah" to the right and left).

Congregational Prayer and Friday Prayer

Prayer in congregation is 27 times more rewarding than praying alone (Bukhari 645). The Friday (Jumu'ah) prayer replaces Dhuhr for men and consists of two rak'ahs preceded by two khutbahs (sermons). It is obligatory for free, sane, adult Muslim men who are resident — not travelers.