The Act of Prayer

1.Wudu Your prayer will not be valid unless your body and clothing are clean. Clothing must be considered tahir and removed of all impurities. Impurities include blood, urine, and excrement. During Salaat, boys and men must cover the area between the navel to the knees. Girls and women must cover their entire body, excluding covering the hands, feet up to the ankle, and the face. You can refer to the wudu instructions on the salaat page for more details.

2. Qiblah Turn and face the Qiblah (the direction of Mecca)

3. Iqama You should begin with a private call to prayer.

4. Niyyat Stand silently and attentively, do not let yourself be interrupted. Bring hands to ears, palms forward, thumbs behind earlobes and say: Allahu Akbar!

5. Qiyam Place right hand over left, men below navel, women at chest level. Look at the ground in the location where you will place your forehead. Recite Opening Supplication (optional): Subhaana ala humma wa bihamdika wa tabaara kasmuka wa ta'aalaa jadduka wa laa ilaaha ghairuk A'uudhu billaahi minash shaitaan ar-Rajeem

6. Fatiha Continue with your current stance and say: Bismillaah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Al hamdu lillaahi rabbil 'alameen Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Maaliki yaumid Deen Iyyaaka na'abudu wa iy yaaka nasta'een Ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem Siraatal ladheena an 'amta' alaihim Ghairil maghduubi' alaihim waladaaleen Aameen Next recite another surah. Here is [108]surat Al-Kauthar (Abundance) for you to use as an example. Bismillaah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Inna A taynaka Al-Kauthar Fasalli Lirabbika Wa Anhar Inna Shani'aka Huwa Al-abtaru

7. Ruku While bending forward at the waist say: Allahu Akbar! Continue by placing the palms of the hands on your knees and say three times: Subhanna rabbiyal 'Azeem! Subhanna rabbiyal 'Azeem! Subhanna rabbiyal 'Azeem!

8. Qauma Raise yourself back to standing position, hands at side, palms slightly turned upward and say again: Sami' allaahu liman hamidah ! Rabbanaa wa lakal hamd !

9. Sudjood Place hands on knees and lower slowly to kneeling position, bending your toes so that they face the Qiblah. You should then place hands, forehead, nose and palms to the ground (do not let elbows touch). You should then say: Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Pause and say: Allahu Akbar!

10. Qu'ud Raise yourself into a kneeling position resting on your heels. Men should turn up the heel of their right foot, and keep their toes bent. Women should keep both feet up with the soles under them. Both hands should be placed palms down on the tops of your thighs. Rest for second in this position and then say: Allahu Akbar!

9. Sudjood Place hands on knees and lower slowly to kneeling position, bending your toes so that they face the Qiblah. You should then place hands, forehead, nose and palms to the ground (do not let elbows touch). You should then say: Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Pause and say: Allahu Akbar!

12. Qu'ud Rise yourself in to kneeling position resting yourself your heels. Men should turn up the heel of their right foot, and keep their toes bent. Women should keep both feet up with the soles under them. Both hands should be placed palms down on the tops of your thighs. Rest for second in this position and then raise into standing position

This completes one full ruka. Now you begin the second ruka.

13. Qiyam Place right hand over left, men below navel, women at chest level. Look at the ground in the location where you will place your forehead.

14. Fatiha Continue with your current stance and say: Bismillaah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Al hamdu lillaahi rabbil 'alameen Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Maaliki yaumid Deen Iyyaaka na'abudu wa iy yaaka nasta'een Ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem Siraatal ladheena an 'amta' alaihim Ghairil maghduubi' alaihim waladaaleen Aameen Next recite another surah. Here is [112]surat Al-Ikhlas (Purity) for you to use as an example. Bismillaah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Qul Huwa Allahu Ahadun Allahu As-Samadu Lam Yalid Wa Lam Yulad Walam Yakun Lahu Hufuan Ahadun

15. Ruku While bending forward at the waist say: Allahu Akbar! Continue by placing the palms of the hands on your knees and say three times: Subhanna rabbiyal 'Azeem! Subhanna rabbiyal 'Azeem! Subhanna rabbiyal 'Azeem!

16. Qauma Raise yourself back to standing position, hands at side, palms slightly turned upward and say again: Sami' allaahu liman hamidah ! Rabbanaa wa lakal hamd !

17. Sudjood Place hands on knees and lower slowly to kneeling position, bending your toes so that they face the Qiblah. You should then place hands, forehead, nose and palms to the ground (do not let elbows touch). You should then say: Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Pause and say: Allahu Akbar!

18. Qu'ud Raise yourself into a kneeling position resting on your heels. Men should turn up the heel of their right foot, and keep their toes bent. Women should keep both feet up with the soles under them. Both hands should be placed palms down on the tops of your thighs. Rest for second in this position and then say: Allahu Akbar!

19. Sudjood Place hands on knees and lower slowly to kneeling position, bending your toes so that they face the Qiblah. You should then place hands, forehead, nose and palms to the ground (do not let elbows touch). You should then say: Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa! Pause and say: Allahu Akbar!

20. Qu'ud & Tashahhud Raise yourself into a kneeling position, resting on your heels. Men should turn up the heel of their right foot, and keep their toes bent. Women should keep both feet up with the soles under them. Both hands should be placed palms down on the tops of your thighs. Rest for second in this position and then say: At Tahiyyaatu lilaahi was Salawaatu wat tayibaatu As Salaamu 'alaika ayyuhan nabiyyu wa rahmatul laahi wa barakaatuh As Salaamu 'alainaa wa 'alaa 'ebaadillaahis saaliheen, Raise right forefinger Ash hadu allaa ilaah ilallaah Wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhuu wa rasuuluh

This completes the second full ruku. Now if you are only praying a two ruku prayer you can finish by moving on to step 21. If you are praying a three ruku you should stand and return to step 13 and follow straight threw to step 21. If you are praying a four ruku prayer then you must stand and return back to step 5 and follow straight threw to step 21.

21. Tashahhud Continue with your current position and say Allaahumma salli 'alaa Muhammadin wa 'alaa ali Muhammadin Kamaa sallaita 'alaa Ibraaheema wa 'alaa ali Ibraaheema Innaka hameedun Majeed Alaahumma baarik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'alaa ali Muhammadin Kamaa baarakta 'alaa Ibraaheema wa 'alaa ali Ibraaheema Innaka hameedun Majeed

22. To Complete Your Prayer Remain sitting and look over right shoulder at the angel recording your good deeds and say: As Salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatulaah Then you should look at the angel recording your bad deeds and say: As Salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatulaah