How to pray salah
Learn how to perform salah (prayer) with this gentle guide, so you can grow closer to Allah (SWT) and find peace in your daily prayers.
In this article
Salah is a beautiful way to connect with Allah, say thank you, and ask for His help.
This gentle guide is based on the mainstream Sunni way of praying and is designed for beginners and anyone who wants to grow closer to Allah through prayer.
What is salah?
Salah is the daily prayer in Islam. It's a way for Muslims talk to Allah, show thanks, and ask for help. We pause from our daily activities, quiet our hearts, and turn toward our Creator with love and remembrance.
Salah is not just movements or words. It's a moment to feel peace, find meaning, and get closer to Allah. Each prayer helps us stay strong in our faith.
Why do we pray?
Salah is one of the 5 Pillars of Islam. It helps us feel close to Allah and brings peace to our hearts. When young Muslims grow up and become adults, these prayers become a sacred duty that brings peace and guidance to their lives.
When we pray, we show love, trust, and thanks to Allah. Prayer also helps us stay focused, patient, and kind each day. Even when life feels busy or hard, prayer gives us a quiet moment to stop and remember what really matters.
When do we pray?
Muslims are blessed with the opportunity to connect with Allah 5 times each day through prayer. The 5 daily prayers happen at specific times based on the sun:
- Fajr – the peaceful dawn prayer before sunrise
- Dhuhr – the midday prayer after the sun reaches its highest point
- Asr – the afternoon prayer
- Maghrib – the sunset prayer, just as the sun sets
- Isha – the night prayer
The prayer times change a little each day. You can use a prayer app or your mosque’s timetable to know the right times.
Getting ready to pray
If you're learning these prayers for the first time, take a gentle breath and remember that Allah sees your sincere heart. Your effort matters more than perfection. Start with what feels comfortable, and let your practice grow naturally, step by step.
Wash for prayer
Before you pray, get ready by doing wudu which means washing certain parts of your body with clean water to feel clean and prepared to stand before Allah. You can search online or on YouTube for how to do wudu to learn the steps.
Wear clean and modest clothes
Wear clothing that covers your body well and helps you feel comfortable and focused during prayer. For men, this means covering from the belly button to the knees. For women, this is covering the body except for the face, hands, and feet.
Find a clean and quiet space
Choose a quiet, clean place to pray. A prayer mat can help mark your space and help you stay focused.
If any physical movements feel challenging, know that Allah accepts prayer in whatever way you are able. You can pray while sitting in a chair, lying down, or making smaller movements.
Beginning the prayer
Face the qibla
Stand and face the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah. In the UK, this is usually southeast. You can use a prayer app or a qiblah compass to find the direction.
Make your intention (niyyah)
Your niyyah is the intention in your heart before doing something for Allah. It helps you remember what you're doing and why, for the sake of Allah.
You don't need to say it out loud, but you can say softly, "I intend to pray 4 rak‘ahs of Dhuhr for Allah, facing the qibla."
If you're new to prayer, you can simply say, "This is my Dhuhr prayer."
What to say and do during prayer
1. Start with takbir
Raise your hands and say:
Some Sunni scholars say the hands are raised to the ears. Others say they are raised to the shoulders. Both are correct.
2. Place your hands
Place your right hand over your left while standing, usually just below the belly button.
Scholars had different views on hand placement in prayer. Some place them below the navel, some on the chest, and some at the sides. All are accepted in Sunni Islam.
3. Opening prayer
Begin with:
4. Seeking protection
Continue with:
5. Recite Surah Al-Fatihah
Recite the opening chapter of the Quran (Al-Fatihah).
After reciting Surah Al-Fatihah, say Ameen ("O Allah, accept it").
Some scholars teach saying Ameen out loud in prayer. Others teach saying it quietly. Both ways are allowed.
6. Recite another Surah
Next, recite another Surah or a few verses from the Quran. A great one to start with is Surah Al-Ikhlas because it's short, easy to memorize, and very meaningful.
7. Ruku (Bowing)
Say "Allahu Akbar" and bow down. Place your hands on your knees and keep your back flat.
Remain still and say this 3 times:
Some Sunni scholars taught raising the hands again before and after bowing. Others did not. Both practices come from trusted teachings.
8. Stand up from ruku
As you are coming up say:
9. Sujud (Prostration)
Place your forehead, nose, hands, knees, and toes on the ground. Stay in this position and say the following 3 times:
Then say "Allahu Akbar" as you sit back up. Sit with your hands on your thighs and take a short pause.
Then repeat a second sujud in the same way. Say the following 3 times:
10. The second rak'ah (unit) of prayer
You have now completed the first rak'ah of your prayer, which includes reciting, bowing, and two prostrations.
Now, repeat those same steps (2–9) to perform the second rak'ah of prayer before continuing with the rest of your salah.
Sitting for tashahhud
11. Tashahhud (testimoney of faith)
After you have prayed the 2 rak'ahs (units) of prayer, sit down peacefully and say the following tashahhud. This is a beautiful prayer that honors Allah and sends blessings to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
During this part of the tashahhud, raise your right index finger.
Scholars also differed on how to use the index finger in prayer. Some raise it once, some keep it raised, and some move it gently. All of these are correct ways to pray.
After reciting the tashahhud
If your prayer has more rak'ahs (units) of prayer, say "Allahu Akbar" and stand up to start the next rak'ah (repeat steps 2–9).
If this is your final rak‘ah, stay seated and move on to finish the prayer.
Not sure how many rak'ahs are in each prayer? Here's a quick guide:
Prayer
Compulsory
Fajr
2
Dhuhr
4
Asr
4
Maghrib
3
Isha
4
12. Send peace on the Prophet (Salawat)
Say a special prayer to send peace and blessings on the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
13. Make a personal du'a (optional)
You can now take a quiet moment to make a du'a before ending the prayer. This is a personal prayer where you ask Allah (SWT) for anything, like help, forgiveness, guidance, or peace.
You can make du'a in your own language or in Arabic.
Here's a short Arabic du'a from Surah Ibrahim (14:41) that many people like to say:
14. End the prayer with Tasleem
To finish the prayer, turn your head to the right and say:
Then turn your head to the left and say it again.
This ends the prayer and sends peace to those around you, including the angels.
Staying close to Allah
Salah is Allah's precious gift to you. It's an invitation to pause, express gratitude, and draw closer to Allah's infinite mercy. Don't worry if you don't remember everything right away. Try your best, and Allah will help you.
To support your spiritual journey, our app offers calming remembrances (adhkar), daily reflections, meditations, Quran stories and more to help you stay focused and connected to Allah.
