A Step-by-step Guide to the Salah (Prayer)

Salah, the Islamic prayer, is the Second Pillar of Islam, and an act of worship obligatory upon every adult Muslim believer. The five daily prayers in Islam are in place for a believer to connect directly to Allah, giving peace and discipline into everyday life and routine.

Whether you’re new to Islam, a believer returning back to your faith, or just looking for a helpful Salah prayer guide, this guide to Salah by Orphans in Need covers the fundamentals in a simple and easy way for you to follow.

Allah says in the Quran

When you perform your daily prayer, you are practicing consistency, developing good character and self-discipline. Salah unites Muslims across the world, as every believer stands in worship to face in the same direction, praying to Him.

Understanding Salah

Every Salah is made up of units known as Rakah’s. Each Rakah includes the performance of standing, reciting verses from the Quran, bowing down (Ruku), standing again, prostrating (in to Sujood), sitting briefly, and prostrating once more, before closing the Salah with supplication and Salaam (greetings) to the right and left side of your shoulders.

Salah consists of obligatory (Fard) prayers which every believer must perform, along with recommended (Sunnah) and voluntary (Nafl) prayers for extra reward and for a believer to seek closeness to Allah.

The Five Daily Prayers

The daily five prayers are performed during specific times throughout the day. The first prayer of the day, the Fajr prayer, is offered before the sun rises, consisting of two obligatory Rakah’s. Fajr is in place for the believer to begin their day with worship, setting a positive tone for the day ahead.

The Dhuhr prayer, the second prayer of the day, is performed after the sun passes its highest point and consists of four obligatory Rakah’s.

The Asr prayer, the afternoon prayer, has four obligatory Rakah’s that must be performed. Allah highlights the importance of this prayer in the Quran, guiding us to not miss it.

The Maghrib prayer is the evening prayer, beginning immediately after the sun sets, consisting of three obligatory Rakah’s.

The last and final prayer of the day is the Isha prayer, performed once darkness has set in, and includes four obligatory Rakah’s. The Isha prayer is followed by the Witr prayer, which under the Hanafi School of Thought is considered as Wajib, a mandatory duty upon a believer.

Preparing for Salah

Before entering the state of Salah, Muslims must be in a form of purity through the performance of Wudu. Wudu includes the washing of the hands, rinsing of the mouth and nose, washing of the face, arms till the elbows, wiping over the head and behind the ears, and washing the feet. Upon the completion of Wudu, it is recommended to recite the following Dua,

If water is unavailable to carry out your Wudu, or cannot be used due to an illness, Islam allows Tayammum. Tayammum involves making the intention for purity, striking clean earth or dust with the hands, wiping the face, and then wiping the hands as a substitute for Wudu.

Clothing during your Salah must be clean and modest, with men expected to cover from the navel to the knees, and women should cover their entire body except their face and hands.

Before your Salah begins, you must make sure you are facing the Qibla, the direction of the Islamic prayer, which is towards the Kabbah in Makkah.

Muslims all around the world pray facing the same direction as a symbol of unity. A Qiblah compass or online Qiblah finder can identify the accurate direction for you to face and pray wherever in the world you are.

The Call to Prayer (Adhan)

The call to prayer, known as the Adhan, is an announcement made before the beginning of each prayer, reminding Muslims to leave behind their worldly matters and answer to the call of Allah. The Adhan during the Fajr prayer includes the following recitation

"As-Salatu Khayrun Minan-Nawm"
"Prayer is better than sleep."

This is to urge the believers to wake up from their sleep to stand in prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be Upon Him) would recite the following dua after the Adhan, advising his Ummah to also do so,

A Step-by-Step Guide to Salah

The Salah begins with the intention (Niyyah), with sincerity coming from the heart for the prayer you’re about to perform.

You start with raising both your hands and reciting "Allahu Akbar." This action is known as Takbir, marking the beginning of your prayer.

Whilst standing, you must recite Surah Al-Fatihah followed by another short Surah or verses of the Quran.

You must then proceed to bow down into Ruku, placing your hands on your knees, whilst reciting, "Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem" three times.

You must then stand upright again and recite, "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah", followed by "Rabbana wa lakal hamd."

Your next step is to move into Sujood (prostration) by placing your forehead, nose, palms, knees, and toes on the ground. In this position, you must recite "Subhana Rabbiyal A'la" three times.

You must then sit up briefly before making the second prostration and reciting the same dua.

You must continue with these steps until you reach the required number of Rakah’s for that prayer. During the final sitting, you recite the Tashahhud and send blessings upon the Messenger of Allah (Peace be Upon Him).

End your prayer by turning your head to the right and then left, reciting, "As-salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah."

Missing a Prayer

For a believer, it is mainly encouraged to perform every prayer on time. Allah warns us in the Quran of those who will neglect their prayer,

However, if a prayer happens to be missed because of genuine reason, it should be made up as soon as possible by the performance of Qadah Salah. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) has said,