The opening takbir, hands raised, then folded
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allāhu akbar
“Allah is the Greatest.”
Also said at each change of position through the prayer.
Reviewed July 2026
How to pray, gently
The prayer is four positions and a handful of phrases, repeated in cycles. You do not need all of it on day one: pray along with the positions, read what you haven't memorized, and let it build. You need wudu first. While you learn the rest, the printable pocket card puts every phrase below in your hands.
The four positions
Qiyam, standing
Facing the qibla; Al-Fatiha is recited here in every rakʿah.
Ruku, bowing
Back level, hands on knees, glorifying Allah quietly.
Sujud, prostration
Forehead, nose, palms, knees, and toes on the ground: the closest a servant is to their Lord.
Julus, sitting
Between prostrations, and for the tashahhud.
One rakʿah, from the top
Each card gives the Arabic, how to say it, and what it means. Learn to say the words first; the script and depth come with time.
Standing: recite Surah Al-Fatiha. It is part of every rakʿah; learn it verse by verse here. In the first two rakʿahs, a short surah or some verses follow it.
In ruku (bowing), quietly ×3
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subḥāna Rabbiyal-ʿAẓīm
“Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.”
Rising from ruku
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ · رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Samiʿa-llāhu liman ḥamidah · Rabbanā wa-lakal-ḥamd
“Allah hears the one who praises Him · Our Lord, and to You is all praise.”
The wording with wa- ('and'), as in the recording; رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ (Rabbanā lakal-ḥamd), without it, is also authentic.
In sujud (prostration), quietly ×3
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Subḥāna Rabbiyal-Aʿlā
“Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.”
Sitting between the two prostrations
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbi-ghfir lī
“My Lord, forgive me.”
Often said twice, as in the recording.
In sujud (prostration), quietly ×3
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Subḥāna Rabbiyal-Aʿlā
“Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.”
Finishing the prayer
After every two rakʿahs you sit and recite the tashahhud. In the final sitting, add the salawat, then end with the taslim.
The tashahhud, seated, at the end of every two rakʿahs
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
At-taḥiyyātu li-llāhi waṣ-ṣalawātu waṭ-ṭayyibāt. As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa raḥmatu-llāhi wa barakātuh. As-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādi-llāhiṣ-ṣāliḥīn. Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illa-llāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhū wa rasūluh.
“All greetings, prayers, and pure 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.”
The salawat, in the final sitting, after the tashahhud
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، فِي الْعَالَمِينَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad, kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm; wa bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad, kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm, fil-ʿālamīna innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd.
“O Allah, send Your grace upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your grace upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim; and bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim, in all the worlds, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.”
This is the wording narrated in Sahih Muslim, matching the recording; other authentic wordings exist (like the Bukhari variant) and any of them fulfills the sunnah.
The taslim, turning the head right, then left
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu-llāh
“Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah.”
Said once to each side; this ends the prayer.
How many rakʿahs in each prayer?
| Prayer | Obligatory rakʿahs |
|---|---|
| Fajr (dawn) | 2 |
| Dhuhr (midday) | 4 |
| Asr (afternoon) | 4 |
| Maghrib (sunset) | 3 |
| Isha (night) | 4 |
This description follows common Sunni practice; postures and phrasing vary a little between schools and communities. Praying beside others at your local masjid is the fastest way to absorb the rhythm. Nobody is watching for mistakes.
Beginner questions, answered
How do I pray if I haven't memorized anything yet?
Pray anyway. Follow the positions, say 'Allahu akbar' between them, and keep this page or a card in front of you for the rest, reading while learning is fine. Memorize Al-Fatiha first (it's recited in every rakʿah), then add the other phrases one at a time. Allah honors effort while learning, He does not penalize it.
What is a rakʿah?
One complete cycle of the prayer: standing with recitation, bowing, two prostrations. Prayers are built from these cycles, Fajr has two, Maghrib three, and Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha four each. After every two rakʿahs (and at the end), you sit for the tashahhud.
Which direction do I face to pray?
Toward the Kaaba in Makkah, the qibla. From most of North America that is roughly northeast; every Qadir area page states the exact bearing for its coordinates, and any prayer app's compass will point you there.
What if I make a mistake during the prayer?
Mistakes don't invalidate a sincere prayer while you're learning. If you forget a step, there is even a simple remedy taught for it (two extra prostrations at the end, called sujud as-sahw), but as a beginner, simply continue and keep practicing. Consistency matters more than perfection.
Pray with others
Find a masjid in your city, with its Jumu'ah time.