How to pray – in Sunni Islam

1Why prayer matters so much

Prayer (salah) is the second pillar of Islam, right after the testimony of faith. Allah says in the Quran: "And establish the prayer and give the zakah and bow with those who bow" (2:43). Elsewhere: "Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing" (29:45). Prayer is not only a duty; it is a protection and a training for the whole day.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that the first of a servant's deeds to be examined on the Day of Resurrection is the prayer (reported by at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i). And he ﷺ said: "Pray as you have seen me praying" (Sahih al-Bukhari). Everything described here rests on that.

2Conditions of prayer

For a prayer to be valid, a few conditions must be met:

• Muslim, sane and of age: Prayer is obligatory on every sane Muslim from puberty. Children are gently accustomed to it from around the age of seven.
• Ritual purity: You need the ablution (wudu); after major impurity (e.g. marital intercourse) the full bath (ghusl).
• Clean clothes, body and place: free of impurities such as urine or blood. A prayer mat is lovely but not required.
• Covering the 'awrah: for men at least from the navel to the knees; for women the whole body except the face and hands (the Hanafis also exempt the feet).
• Facing the qibla: towards the Kaaba in Makkah.
• The right time: each prayer has its own window (4:103).
• Intention (niyyah): in the heart; it does not have to be spoken aloud.

3The five prayers and their times

1. 1Fajr (dawn): 2 rak'at – from true dawn until sunrise.
2. 2Dhuhr (midday): 4 rak'at – just after the sun passes its zenith.
3. 3Asr (afternoon): 4 rak'at – when an object's shadow equals its length (Hanafis: twice its length), until before sunset.
4. 4Maghrib (sunset): 3 rak'at – right after sunset.
5. 5Isha (night): 4 rak'at – once the evening twilight has disappeared.

You can find the exact times for your location under Prayer times. In Fajr, Maghrib and Isha the first two rak'at are recited aloud (by the imam, or by a man praying alone); Dhuhr and Asr are recited quietly.

4The ablution (wudu)

The basis is 5:6: wash the face, the arms up to and including the elbows, wipe over the head and wash the feet up to and including the ankles. This is how wudu is performed in the Sunni schools according to the Sunnah:

1. 1Make the intention in your heart and say "Bismillah".
2. 2Wash both hands up to the wrists three times.
3. 3Rinse the mouth three times.
4. 4Draw water into the nose three times and blow it out.
5. 5Wash the face three times – from the hairline to below the chin, from ear to ear.
6. 6Wash the right arm three times up to and including the elbow, then the left.
7. 7Wipe over the head once with wet hands (from the forehead to the back and back again).
8. 8Wipe the ears – inside with the index fingers, outside with the thumbs.
9. 9Wash the right foot three times up to and including the ankle, then the left; make sure water reaches between the toes.

Afterwards one says: Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh – "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger" (Sahih Muslim).

Wudu is broken by, among other things, using the toilet, passing wind, deep sleep and loss of consciousness. The schools differ in details (e.g. whether the order is obligatory or how much of the head must be wiped) – all of them are grounded in the Quran and Sunnah.

Ghusl (full bath): after marital intercourse and at the end of menstruation and post-natal bleeding. Make the intention, perform wudu and let water flow over the entire body so that no part stays dry.

Tayammum (dry purification): when no water is available or using it would cause harm (5:6, 4:43). Strike the palms lightly on clean earth or dust, wipe the face with them, then the hands.

5The call to prayer (adhan) and iqamah

The adhan calls to prayer:

• Allahu akbar (4×) – Allah is greater.
• Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah (2×) – I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.
• Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah (2×) – I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
• Hayya 'ala s-salah (2×) – Come to prayer.
• Hayya 'ala l-falah (2×) – Come to success.
• Only at Fajr: As-salatu khayrun min an-nawm (2×) – Prayer is better than sleep.
• Allahu akbar (2×) – Allah is greater.
• La ilaha illallah (1×) – There is no god but Allah.

The iqamah announces that the prayer is starting. It resembles the adhan, is said more quickly and adds Qad qamati s-salah (2×) – "The prayer has begun". In many schools the middle phrases are said once; the Hanafis repeat them as in the adhan.

6The prayer step by step

Here using a two-rak'ah prayer (like Fajr) as the example. A rak'ah is one unit of standing, bowing and two prostrations.

1. 1Intention (niyyah): Stand facing the qibla and intend in your heart, e.g. "I pray the two obligatory rak'at of Fajr for Allah."
2. 2Opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram): Raise your hands to your shoulders or ears and say Allahu akbar (الله أكبر) – "Allah is greater". From now on you are in prayer.
3. 3Standing (qiyam): Place the right hand over the left – on the chest or above the navel for the Shafi'is and many Hanbalis, below the navel for the Hanafis. Many Malikis let the hands hang at the sides. All of these are transmitted practice. Look at the place of prostration.
4. 4Opening supplication (thana'): quietly Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaraka smuka, wa ta'ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghayruk – "Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise; blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god but You" (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi). Shafi'is often use another transmitted opening supplication; Malikis usually omit it in obligatory prayers.
5. 5Seeking refuge and basmala: quietly A'udhu billahi mina sh-shaytani r-rajim – "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan", then Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim – "In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful".
6. 6Al-Fatiha: Recite the Opening chapter. Afterwards say Amin – "Answer our prayer".
7. 7Another surah: In the first two rak'at a surah or a few verses follow, e.g. Al-Ikhlas.
8. 8Bowing (ruku'): Say Allahu akbar, bow, hands on the knees, back straight. Say three times Subhana Rabbiyal-'Azim (سبحان ربي العظيم) – "Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent".
9. 9Rising: While rising, Sami'a llahu liman hamidah – "Allah hears the one who praises Him"; standing, Rabbana wa laka l-hamd – "Our Lord, to You belongs all praise".
10. 10Prostration (sujud): Say Allahu akbar and prostrate: forehead and nose, both palms, both knees and the toes of both feet touch the ground (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). Say three times Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la (سبحان ربي الأعلى) – "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High".
11. 11Sitting between the prostrations: Allahu akbar, sit up briefly and say, e.g., Rabbi ghfir li – "My Lord, forgive me".
12. 12Second prostration: Allahu akbar, as before. The first rak'ah is now complete.
13. 13Second rak'ah: Stand up with Allahu akbar and repeat steps 5 to 12 (without the opening supplication).
14. 14Sitting and tashahhud: After the second prostration remain seated and say: At-tahiyyatu lillahi wa s-salawatu wa t-tayyibat. As-salamu 'alayka ayyuha n-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahi s-salihin. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh – "All greetings, prayers and good words are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). The right index finger is raised at the testimony.
15. 15Blessings on the Prophet (as-salat al-Ibrahimiyya): Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid – "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; You are Praiseworthy, Glorious …" (Sahih al-Bukhari).
16. 16Final supplication: e.g. Rabbana atina fi d-dunya hasanah, wa fi l-akhirati hasanah, wa qina 'adhaba n-nar – "Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire" (2:201).
17. 17Greeting of peace (taslim): Turn your head to the right: As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah – "Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah", then to the left. Many Malikis say a single greeting. The prayer is complete.

For three or four rak'at: After the second rak'ah you say only the tashahhud (step 14) and then stand up with Allahu akbar. In the third and fourth rak'at you recite only al-Fatiha, quietly. In the final sitting come the tashahhud, the blessings, a supplication and the taslim.

7Friday prayer and praying in congregation

The Friday prayer (jumu'ah) replaces Dhuhr on Fridays: two sermons (khutbah), then two rak'at recited aloud. It is obligatory for adult, resident men (62:9); women are welcome to attend. Ghusl, good clothes and coming early are recommended.

Praying in congregation is, according to a hadith, twenty-seven times more excellent than praying alone (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). Stand shoulder to shoulder, follow the imam and never move ahead of him.

8Sunnah prayers and witr

Besides the obligatory prayers, the Prophet ﷺ regularly prayed voluntary prayers (rawatib), among them 2 rak'at before Fajr, 4 before and 2 after Dhuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha (Sahih Muslim, at-Tirmidhi). The witr prayer is prayed after Isha until dawn, with an odd number of rak'at (often 1 or 3). The Hanafis consider it necessary (wajib); the other schools regard it as a strongly emphasised sunnah.

9Remembrance after prayer

After the obligatory prayer it is sunnah to say 33× Subhanallah ("Glory be to Allah"), 33× Alhamdulillah ("All praise is for Allah") and 33× Allahu akbar, completing a hundred with La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamdu wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir – or saying Allahu akbar 34× (both forms in Sahih Muslim). You will find more supplications under Duas.

10Common mistakes

• Rushing without stillness in bowing and prostration – every position needs a moment of calm.
• Skipping al-Fatiha or reciting it too fast and unclearly.
• Incomplete wudu, especially dry spots on the heels and elbows.
• Forehead or nose not touching the ground in prostration.
• Moving ahead of the imam in congregation.
• Delaying a prayer beyond its time without need.

If you forget something in the prayer, you make it up with two prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud as-sahw) – the schools regulate the details differently.

11The four schools of law

Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis pray in essentially the same way. The differences concern details such as the position of the hands, the opening supplication, the wording of the tashahhud or whether one or two greetings of peace are said. Each school relies on transmitted practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions. This variety is a blessing, not a quarrel: whoever prays next to someone of another school is praying with a brother or sister. You can read about Shia practice in How to pray – in Shia Islam.

12For beginners, women, travellers and the sick

Beginners: Start with what you can. First learn al-Fatiha and a short surah such as Al-Ikhlas – in our player you can listen to them verse by verse and repeat them. Until you know everything by heart, keep praying with what you already know and grow step by step. Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity (2:286).

Women pray in the same way. During menstruation and post-natal bleeding there is no prayer, and those prayers do not have to be made up (Sahih Muslim). Women may pray in the mosque; prayer at home is equally valuable.

Travellers may shorten the four-rak'ah prayers (Dhuhr, Asr, Isha) to two (qasr, 4:101); Fajr and Maghrib stay as they are. According to the majority, the minimum distance is roughly 80 km. Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis also allow combining Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha while travelling; the Hanafis only at Arafah and Muzdalifah during the pilgrimage.

The sick pray as they are able: standing, otherwise sitting, otherwise lying on the side (Sahih al-Bukhari). If water would cause harm, tayammum is permitted.

13Learn with a teacher

This chapter gives you a reliable overview, but it does not replace instruction. Learn the details from a qualified teacher and follow the school of law taught in your community. May Allah accept your prayer.