Prayer
How to pray, step by step
Prayer (ṣalāh) is your daily meeting with God — five times a day. It takes only a few minutes. Learn it slowly; while you are learning, you may read from this page or pray next to someone.
Prayer times where you are
Uses your device’s location. Your location stays on your device — it is never sent to us.
Times are calculated and may differ by a few minutes from your local mosque.
1
Wudu — washing before prayer
You need wudu before you pray. It stays valid until you use the toilet, pass wind, or fall deeply asleep.
- 1
Intention and Bismillāh
Intend in your heart to purify yourself for prayer, and say “Bismillāh”.
- 2
Hands
Wash both hands up to the wrists, three times.
- 3
Mouth
Take water in your right hand and rinse your mouth, three times.
- 4
Nose
Sniff water gently into the nose and blow it out with the left hand, three times.
- 5
Face
Wash the whole face from the hairline to the chin and from ear to ear, three times.
- 6
Arms
Wash the right arm up to and including the elbow, then the left, three times each.
- 7
Head
Pass your wet hands over your head from front to back, once.
- 8
Ears
Wipe the inside of the ears with your index fingers and the back with your thumbs, once.
- 9
Feet
Wash the right foot up to and including the ankle, then the left, three times each.
2
The prayer — one unit (rakʿah) at a time
Here is the two-unit morning prayer (Fajr). Every prayer is made of these same movements; only the number of units changes.
- 1
Begin
Stand facing the qibla. Intend the prayer in your heart. Raise your hands to your ears and say “Allāhu akbar” (God is the Greatest).
- 2
Stand and recite
Place your right hand over your left on your chest. Recite Sūrat al-Fātiḥah, then a short surah such as al-Ikhlāṣ.
- 3
Bow (rukūʿ)
Say “Allāhu akbar” and bow with your back straight and hands on your knees. Say three times: “Subḥāna rabbiya l-ʿaẓīm” (Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent).
- 4
Rise
Stand up saying “Samiʿa llāhu liman ḥamidah” (God hears whoever praises Him), then “Rabbanā wa laka l-ḥamd” (Our Lord, to You is all praise).
- 5
Prostrate (sujūd)
Say “Allāhu akbar” and go down: forehead and nose, both palms, both knees and the toes touch the ground. Say three times: “Subḥāna rabbiya l-aʿlā” (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High).
- 6
Sit briefly
Say “Allāhu akbar” and sit up. Say “Rabbi ghfir lī” (My Lord, forgive me). Then prostrate a second time as before. This completes the first unit.
- 7
Second unit
Stand up saying “Allāhu akbar” and repeat everything: al-Fātiḥah and a short surah, bowing, rising and two prostrations.
- 8
Final sitting
After the second prostration, sit and recite the tashahhud and the blessings on the Prophet ﷺ. Your mentor will help you learn them.
- 9
End with peace
Turn your head to the right saying “Assalāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu llāh”, then to the left saying the same. Your prayer is complete.
How many units?
Fajr 2 · Dhuhr 4 · Asr 4 · Maghrib 3 · Isha 4. In prayers of three or four units, sit for the tashahhud after the second unit, then stand up for the rest.
Learning is easier with a person. Pray with us by video call, or let a mentor show you.