(A short and comprehensive guidance)
Allah Almighty Said in the Holy Quran:
وَأَنْ أَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
And to establish prayer and fear Him. And it is He to whom you will be gathered. (Surah Al-Anaam: 72)
Importance of Salah:
Salah stands as the cornerstone of a Muslim’s relationship with Allah. It is the most significant and frequent act of worship prescribed in Islam, ordained upon every believer as a direct connection with his Creator. Salah is the one most important act after entering Islam. The Quran emphasizes the importance of prayer repeatedly, stating:
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ
And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]. (Surah Baqrah:43)
Allah Also says in the Holy Quran:
إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا
Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times. (Surah An’Nisa: 103)
It serves as a daily reminder of the believer’s purpose to worship and submit to Allah, seeking His mercy, guidance, and forgiveness. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also stressed the significance of Salah, describing it as the most important act of devotion. He said:
ِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُحَاسَبُ بِهِ العَبْدُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ صَلَاتُهُ، فَإِنْ صَلُحَتْ فَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ وَأَنْجَحَ، وَإِنْ فَسَدَتْ فَقَدْ خَابَ وَخَسِرَ
The first of man’s deeds for which he will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection will be Salat. If it is found to be perfect, he will be safe and successful; but if it is incomplete, he will be unfortunate and a loser. (Sunan Tirmidhi:413).
This Hadith highlights the central role of Salah in a Muslim’s life and its critical impact on their spiritual journey. Prayer is not only a ritual but an act that draws the believer closer to Allah, purifying their heart, and enhancing their awareness of Him.
The importance of prayer/Salah has been emphasized in Islam. After becoming a Muslim, the first duty upon a person is prayer, rather it is considered one of the pillars of Islam. The Messenger of Allah said: “there are five basic pillars of Islam and prayer is one of them”. (Sahih Bukhari:8)
Explaining the importance of prayer, the Messenger of Allah PBUH said that “a person who refuses to offer Salah despite accepting Islam, then his Islam has no validity”. (Sunan Abi dawud: 4678)
Prayer is not excused under any circumstances. Even if the prayer is missed due to some compulsion, it is ordered to perform it immediately when there is time. If a person is unable to pay standing up, then he is allowed to sit and offer. The Messenger of Allah PBUH said:
Pray standing, but if you are unable, do it sitting; and if you are unable to do that, do it lying on your side. (Sahih Bukhari: 1117)
It is also necessary to offer the prayer at its appointed time, so the Messenger of Allah was asked which action is dearest to God and he replied, “Prayer at its proper time”. (Sahih Bukhari:7534)
The importance of prayer in Islam can be well understood from the above details. This brief but comprehensive writing will guide you on how to present your prayer to Allah as a Sunnah, so that it can be a source of mercy and blessing for you in this world and a means of success in the Hereafter. In Sha Allah.
Note: It should be remembered that prayers (Salah) performed in a non-Sunnah manner are not accepted, but rather become a cause for further sin.
Preparing for Salah
Before starting the Salah, it’s important to ensure you’re prepared both physically and spiritually. For this, the following few things should be kept in mind:
- Purification (Wudu): Cleanliness is a crucial aspect of Salah. Muslims must perform Wudu or ceremonial washing, before prayer. Allah’s Messenger said: There is no prayer for one who does not have ablution. (Sunan Abi Dawud:101)
- Purification (Wudu): Cleanliness is a crucial aspect of Salah. Muslims must perform Wudu or ceremonial washing, before prayer. Allah’s Messenger said: There is no prayer for one who does not have ablution. (Sunan Abi Dawud:101)
- Dress Appropriately: The area that a man should cover during prayer is from the navel to the knees, although according to a hadith, it is also necessary to have some clothing on his shoulders. It is the minimum requirements for a man to offer Salah; however, it is preferable that his clothing fulfills the meaning of adornment described in holy Quran even during prayer. It is necessary for a woman to have a veil or a thick scarf on her head during prayer, meaning that a woman cannot pray bare-headed, while a man can. Similarly, she will pray in full veil, however, it is not necessary for her to cover her hands and feet and to cover her face during prayer. She can pray with her face bare and her hands and feet bare.
- Find a Pure/Clean Place: The place where you’re praying should be clean and free from impurities. It is better to choose a mosque for prayer, but prayer can be performed in any clean and impure place.
- Facing the Qibla: All Muslims around the world face the Qibla (the Ka’aba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia) while praying. It should be remembered that it is necessary to face the Qiblah to perform prayer. Allah Almighty said: So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. (Surah Baqrah: 144)
Method of Salah & its supplications
A full sequence of the prayer consists of specific actions and recitations. Here’s a streamlined step-by-step guide on how Muslims pray:
1. Intention (Niyya): Start with Intention (Niyyah). Islamic prayers commence by setting an explicit intention in the heart. Niyyah (Intention) is necessary before any Islamic action the Prophet PBUH said:
the reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. (Sahih Bukhari:01)
2. Entering into prayer: Raise your hands to your shoulders and say, “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest). This is called “Takbir e Tahreema”, after that recite the following Dua in Arabic
سُبْحَانَكَ اللهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، تَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ۔
Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. Blessed be Your name and exalted be Your majesty, there is none worthy of worship except You.
After that recite:
Tawwudh
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ، وَنَفْخِهِ، وَنَفْثِهِ
I seek refuge in Allah, the All-Hearing and the All-Knowing from the accursed devil, from his madness or evil suggestion (Hamz), from his puffing up (Nafkh), and from his witchcraft (Nafth)
Tasmiyah
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.”
Surah Al-Fatihah
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ، الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ، مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ، إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ، اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ، صِرَاطَ الَّذِيْنَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ
All praises are [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds. the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. It is only You we worship and only You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
Note: Surah Fatiha should be recited in every unit of the prayer. (Sahih Bukhari:756). After reciting Surah Fatiha, you can recite any part of the Holy Quran. Surah Ikhlas is given below:
Surah Al-Ikhlas
قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أَحَدٌ، اللهُ الصَّمَدُ، لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ، وَلَمْ يَكُنٓ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
He is Allah, (the) One, The Self-Sufficient Master. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none equal unto Him.
3. Ruku (Bowing): after reciting the above supplications, raise your hands to your shoulders again and bow while saying “Allahu Akbar”. In bowing hold your knees with your hands. Straighten your back and neck and look at the place of prostration. Recite the following supplication: (minimum 3 times)
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيْمِ
Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty.
4. Getting up from bowing: Rise from bowing, saying, “Sami Allahu liman Hamidah” (Allah hears the one who praises Him). Raise your hands to your shoulders again and stand up straight. This condition is called “qaowma” in Arabic. Now recite the following supplication:
Supplication of “Qaowma”
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ
Our Lord, all praise is to You abundant, good and blessed praise
5. Sajdah/Sujud/ Prostration: Now go into Sajdah while saying “Allahu Akbar”. In this condition you have Touch the ground with some organs of your body; 1.forehead with nose, 2. Both your palms straight with your fingers together, 3.both knees, and 4. Stand both your feet and touch your toes on ground. Keep elbows raised above the ground and away from your stomach. Place hands parallel to the ears, fingers together pointing towards the qiblah (direction of the Ka’bah). And recite the following supplication: (minimum 3 times)
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّیَ الْاَعْلٰی
Glory to my Lord, the Highest
6. Jalsa and its Dua: Now, while saying “Allahu Akbar”, rise from prostration and sit down and recite the following supplication.
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
O Lord forgive me, O Lord forgive me
Now go into prostration again saying “Allah u Akbar” and do the same as you did in the first prostration. After completing this prostration, stand up saying “Allahu Akbar”. Your first rak’ah (unit of prayer) is complete. Now you will start your second rak’ah with “Surah Fatiha” and complete it just like the first rak’ah (unit of Salah).
Note: Here are the short and simple prayers for bowing and prostration are written, while many other prayers are also available in the books of hadith.
7. Tashahud and Durood Sharif:
Do not get up from your place after completing two rak’ahs. This state is called “tashahhud”. Now recite the following supplications.
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah (SWT) and his blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah (SWT). I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Durood Sharif
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ.
English: O Allah bestow your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad just as You have bestowed Your blessings upon Ibrahim and family of Ibrahim Truly You are Praiseworthy and Pure.
O Allah! Send your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as you have blessed Ibrahim and family of Ibrahim Truly You are praiseworthy and pure.
8. Duas in Tashahhud after Durood Sharif:
If you are performing a four-rak’ah prayer, recite Durood Shareef and say “Allahu Akbar”, stand up for the third rak’ah and complete your two rak’ahs as before. After the fourth rak’ah, while sitting in the tashahhud, recite the above supplication and Durood Shareef and then recite the supplications given below.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ ظُلْمًا كَثِيْرًا، وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ مَغْفِرَةً مِّنْ عِنْدِكَ، وَارْحَمْنِيْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ
O Allah, I have greatly wronged myself, and no one forgives sins but You. So, grant me forgiveness and have mercy on me. Surely, you are Forgiving, Merciful.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيْحِ الدَّجَّالِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا، وَفِتْنَةِ الْمَمَاتِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْمَأْثَمِ وَالْمَغْرَمِ
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave, and I seek refuge in You from the trial of the False Messiah, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from sin and from debt.
Note: After reciting these duas, a person can recite any dua on his behalf.
9. Completing the prayer:
To complete your prayer (Salah), say the words below and turn your face to the right. Similarly, say the same words again and turn your face to the left. Your prayer is complete.
لسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ
Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you
Conclusion
The Islamic method of praying is a beautiful expression of faith and surrender, a direct link between the believer and Allah. It may seem daunting at first glance, but with practice, patience, and a willing spirit, anyone can learn how to pray in Islam.
Remember to show respect and humility in your prayers, as these are the fundamental elements in all forms of worship. Understanding and mastering the Muslim way of prayer can enrich your spiritual journey tremendously.
Pray in Islam: FAQ Section
What are the 5 prayers in Islam in English?
The five daily prayers in Islam, also known as Salah, are as follows:
Fajr (Pre-Dawn Prayer)
Dhuhr (Noon Prayer)
Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
Maghrib (Sunset Prayer)
Isha (Night Prayer)
Can I pray Fajr at 9 am?
The timing of Fajr prayer begins with the start of dawn and ends just before sunrise. Therefore, if it is past sunrise at 9 am in your location, the Fajr prayer time has already concluded and you should not pray Fajr at that time.
Is prayer a collective act of worship?
Prayer can be performed both individually and in congregation, however, if performed in congregation by going to the mosque, the reward for praying is much greater than that of praying alone.
Is there a special book for learning prayer?
Yes! Hundreds of books have been published on the subject of prayer in different languages of the world. Darussalam has published thousands of books on many Islamic topics along with prayer. You can get details from the following link.
