Salah - how to perform the Muslim prayer presented in an easy manner

The Prayer (Ṣalāh) Made Easy

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The Prayer (Ṣalāh) made easy

The First Unit What to Say (Transliteration/Translation)

What to Do

1. Takbīr (Exaltation of Allāh) Raise your hands to your ears and then tie them below your navel with the right hand over the left, staring at the place of prostration.

Allāhu Akbar Allāh is the Greatest.

2. Thanā’ (Praise)

subḥānak Allāhumma wa bi-ḥamdiKa wa tabārak-asmuKa wa taʿālā jadduKa wa lā ilāha ghayruK(a) 1

This must be recited in the first unit of every prayer.

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Glory be to You, O Allāh, and [extreme] praise Your Name is blessed Your Majesty is exalted And there is no god but You.

3. Taʿawwudh (Seeking Protection)

aʿūdhu bi ’Llāhi mina ’sh-shayṭāni ’r-rajīm

This must be recited in the first unit of every prayer.

I seek refuge with Allāh from Shayṭān the accursed

4. Basmalah (Saying the Name of Allāh)

bismi ’Llāhi ’r-Raḥmāni ’r-Raḥīm

This is be recited in the first unit of every prayer.

[I begin] with the Name of Allāh, the Divinely-Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful.

5. [Sūrat] al-Fātiḥah (the Opening)

al-ḥamdu li ’Llāhi Rabbi ’l-ʿālamīn ar- Raḥmāni ’r-Raḥīm Māliki yawmi ’d-dīn iyyāKa naʿbudu wa iyyaKa nastaʿīn ihdina ’ṣ-ṣirāṭā ’l-mustaqīm ṣirāṭa ’lladhīna anʿamTa ʿalayhim 2

This must be recited in every unit of every prayer.

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ghayri ’l-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim wa la ’ḍ-ḍāllīn (āmīn) All Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of [all] the worlds The Divinely-Compassionnate, the Ever-Merciful Master of the Day of Judgement You alone we worship, and You alone we seek for help Guide us on the Straight Path The Path of those whom You have favoured Not of those who have earned [Your] anger and nor of those who went astray.

6. Added Sūrah [Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ]

qul huwa ’Llāhu aḥad Allāhu ’ṣ-Ṣamad lam yalid wa lam yūlad wa lam yaku ’l-laHū kufuwan aḥad Say (O Beloved Muḥammad): ‘He is Allāh, the only One Allāh is Eternal, Independent He did not beget and nor was He begotten And there is none equal to Him.’

7. Takbīr (Exaltation of Allāh)

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A short Sūrah, or at least three verses, are added in every unit of every non-obligatory prayer. In obligatory prayers, it is only added in the first 2 units.

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Release your hands and enter the bowing (rukūʿ) posture, with hands gripping the knees, back being parallel to the ground, and staring between the feet.

Allāhu Akbar Allāh is the Greatest.

8. Tasbīḥ (Praise) in Bowing (Rukūʿ)

subḥāna Rabbī (y)al-ʿAẓīm

This must be pronounced three times in the bowing posture.

Glory to my Lord, the Great.

9. Tasmīʿ

samiʿAllāhu li-man ḥamidaH Allāh hears whoever praises Him.

Whilst saying this, adopt the standing posture, with hands hanging down the sides, staring at the place of prostration.

10. Taḥmīd

Rabba-nā laKa ’l-ḥamd

Say this when you are standing upright.

Our Lord! All praise be to You.

11. Takbīr (Exaltation of Allāh) Perform the prostration: knees 4

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should touch the ground first, softly, then the hands, nose+forehead.

Allāhu Akbar Allāh is the Greatest.

12. Tasbīḥ (Praise) in Prostration (Sajdah)

subḥāna Rabbī (y)al-Aʿlā

This must be pronounced three times.

Glory to my Lord, the Most High.

13. Takbīr (Exaltation of Allāh) Adopt the sitting posture. The right foot must be erect with the toes bent facing the Qiblah, and the left foot must be resting flat on the floor.

Allāhu Akbar Allāh is the Greatest.

14. Takbīr (Exaltation of Allāh) Repeat Step 12

Allāhu Akbar Allāh is the Greatest.

15. Takbīr (Exaltation of Allāh) After second prostration of first unit, say the Takbīr and adopt

Allāhu Akbar 5

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Allāh is the Greatest.

the standing posture, with hands tied below the navel, as you did in the first unit.

The Second Unit In the second unit, repeat what you did in the first unit, missing out Steps 1,2,3 & 4. 16. Tashahhud (Testimony)

at-taḥiyyātu li ’Llāhi wa ’ṣ-ṣalawātu wa ’ṭ-ṭayyibātu, as-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuha ’n-nabiyyu wa-raḥmatu ’Llāhi wa barakātuH, as-salāmu ʿalaynā wa-ʿalā ʿibādi ’Llāhi ’ṣ-ṣāliḥīn, ash’hadu al-lā ilāha illa ’Llāhu wa ash’hadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabdu-Hū wa-rasūluH All oral, physical and monetary worship is for Allāh, peace be upon you O Prophet, as well as the mercy and blessings of Allāh, peace be upon us all, and upon the righteous servants of Allāh. I testify that there is no god but Allāh, And I testify that Muḥammad is His servant and messenger.

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After the second prostration of the second unit, adopt the sitting posture, staring at the lap. When pronouncing the word of negation (lā), coloured here in green, one is to form a circle with the middle finger and thumb of the right hand, and raise the index finger. When reaching the word of affirmation (illā), he should lower the index finger and release the circle to normal position coloured here in red.

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If this is a prayer of more than 2 units, then say the Takbīr, adopt the standing posture and repeat all the Steps from Step 5 onwards. At the end of the final unit, perform the following Steps.

17. Ṣalawāt (Invoking Blessings)

Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli-Muḥammadin ka-mā ṣallayTa ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli-Ibrāhīma inna-Ka Ḥamīdu ’m-Majīd, Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli-Muḥammadin ka-mā bārakTa ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli-Ibrāhīma inna-Ka Ḥamīdu ’m-Majīd, Rabbi ’jʿal-nī muqīma ’ṣ-ṣalāti wa min-dhurriyyatī, Rabbanā wa-taqabbal duʿā, Rabbana ’ghfir lī wa-liwālidayya wa li ’l-mu’minīna yawma yaqūmu ’l-ḥisāb O Allāh! Shower mercy upon Muḥammad and upon the family of Muḥammad, just as you showered mercy upon Ibrāhīm and upon the family of Ibrāhīm - indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Majestic. O Allāh! Shower blessings upon Muḥammad and upon the family of Muḥammad, just as you showered blessings upon Ibrāhīm and upon the family of Ibrāhīm - indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Majestic. My Lord, make me one who performs the prayer, as well as my children. Our Lord, accept the supplication. Our Lord, forgive me, both my parents and [all] the believers on the day when the Reckoning will be established.

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Remain in the sitting posture, with both hands on thighs, fingers spread apart, and staring at the lap.

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18. Salām (Salutation)

as-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatu ’Llāh Peace and Blessings of Allāh be upon you.

as-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatu ’Llāh

Turn your head to the right side. Turn your head to the left side.

Peace and Blessings of Allāh be upon you.

End of Prayer Text Highlighted GREEN is only to be recited in the first unit of any prayer (or third unit of non-emphasised sunnah prayer). Text Highlighted PINK is: short Sūrah or 3 verses to be added to the Fātiḥah in first 2 units of obligatory (farḍ) prayer, or every unit of non-obligatory prayer.

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