There are many parts to doing the Salah correctly. I will address each part of this prayer separately. The very last section of this page will give a link for a printable copy of the prayers to recite during salah. Topics we will cover are:
- Why do salah?
- Who should do salah?
- What do I have to do to prepare for salah?
- When and where do I do this prayer?
- How often?
- Do I say the prayers out loud or silently?
- Is the practice different for men than women?
- Are there times I can’t do salah?
- What is a raka’at?
- What are the different positions/postures to the salah?
- What if I’m traveling?
Why do salah?
This practice was given to Muhammad when he made the Night Journey. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, told his companions that Allah removes the dirt of his faults from those who offer salah five times a day. Keeping the 5 times a day, ritual prayer, is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. Here is what Sidi has to say about salah (salat) in Music of the Soul, page 28: “Each time you pray, you are speaking with your God. When you pray, you pray from yourself to yourself. Allah does not need your praying, but He loves to hear your voice. Each prayer cleans your heart so that you may be closer to Him. This is necessary for the student to know how to walk in the way. So God sends the order for the student to pray five times a day. This is special for the student who believes in the message of all the prophets, and wants to know God. This prayer is called salat and has deep inside meanings.” (See “The Deeper Meaning Behind the Pillars of Islam” by Shaykh Muhammad al-Jamal for the hidden meanings behind the rituals.)
What do I have to do to prepare for salah?
Sidi says there are 5 preconditions that need to be met before making salah. (See The Deeper Meaning Behind the Pillars of Islam) The first precondition is Islam, being surrendered to Allah. The second precondition is that the person has reached the age of 15. They need to be old enough for reason, insight, and capable of being able to drink from the knowledge of the people of Allah. The third precondition is that the student has a mind that knows everything that is not Allah is without intelligence and is foolishness. The fourth precondition is that the student must be in state of ablution (ghusl) as well as wudu’. The fifth precondition is that the student prays at the correct times for prayer.
Before your enter the prayer, it is essential that you be in a state of wudu, ritual purity. The ritual of wudu or ablution, if made with the intention to return the whole being to Allah, blessed is He, washes the limbs and sensory organs or physical dirt and brings the eye of the heart to the whole body.
The massallah or place of prayer should be clean and orderly, free of images that may draw the eye, and must be free of najazah or magor pollutants: blood, corpses, or bodily waste from humans or animals, etc. Bathrooms are not appropriate places to do the salat. It is said that no one rests of the earth but that place of earth begins immediately to curse you or to intercede for you! The salah is a blessing for any place you enter into.
Postures of Salah
Ahmad means “most praised” and is one of the names of the blessed Prophet Muhammad. In Arabic the name is written like this:
The four letters (going from right to left) are: alif, ha, mim, and dal. Each letter represents the four postures you will take during salah. The first one is stanind upright. Then the body bows deeply. The third is prostrating to the earth and the last finishes by kneeling. The human being thus writes out the word “Ahmad” with the body.
You should make every effort to face the qiblah, the direction of the Ka’bah in Mecca. Qiblah is most widely accepted as northeast in most of the United States except in the northwestern states where north is closer to the shortest distance around the globe to the Ka’bah. Determining qiblah may not be simple; know that “wherever you turn, there is the face of Allah.”
At the beginning of salah, it is a sunnah, a custom blessed of the Prophet, to call the iqamah or call to commence prayer immediately. Make the iqamah aloud or quietly, even when praying by yourself.
The first Call to Prayer is called the Athan.
Allahu akbar allahu akbar (x2) God is Most Great
Ash’hadu an la illah il-allah (x2) I witness there is no god but God.
Ash’hadu anna Muhammadan rasulallah (x2) I witness Muhammad is the Messenger
of God.
Hayya’alal salah (x2) Come into prayer.
Hayya’alal falah (x2) Come into prosperity.
Allhu akbar allahu akbar God is Most Great
La ilaha il-allah There is no god, but God.
Here is a recording of Sidi making the adhan (Call to prayer).
Iqamah Second Call to Prayer
Allahu akbar allahu akbar God is Most Great
Ash’hadu an la illah il-allah I witness there is no god but God.
Ash’hadu anna Muhammadan rasulallah I witness Muhammad is the Messenger
of God.
Hayya’alal salah Come into prayer.
Hayya’alal falah Come into prosperity.
Qad qama tis salah Stand for prayer
Qad qama tis salah Stand for prayer
Allhu akbar allahu akbar God is Most Great
La ilaha il-allah There is no god, but God.
After the iqamah, we raise our hands to ear level and declare “Allahu akbar!” This is the takbir al-ihram, the magnification of sanctity. By this action the prayer itself begins. Everything normally allowed to us is forbidden: we are in sacred space and time, putting everything before Allah. This ihram or state of special sanctity ends with the final blessing of peace, as-salamu ‘alaykum! we may leave the prayer early if someone is in danger and needs our help, or if we lose our wudu due to anger or passing gas, etc. But even then the adab is to give at least one greeting of peace to the angel on the right side.
Is the practice different for men than women?
Salah is performed in the same way for women as for men. The requirements for clothing that covers is greater for women than men. A man’s clothing should cover him from the navel to the knees, but it is better if he also covers his shoulders and head. The clothing for a woman should cover everything but her face and hands and the feet below the ankles. Clothing for both sexes should be loose so as not to expose the contours of the body and it shouldn’t be see through. Shoes are removed for both sexes.
Some authorities hold that women should cross their hands over the sternum and men should cross their hands over the waist or stomach. Others say that everyone should fold their hands across the stomach or let their arms hang at their sides. Allah knows best. If you cross your hands, the right hand must be over the left. Some authorities recommend that one grip the left wrist the thumb, ring and little fingers of the right hand, the first two fingers pointing along the arm.
When to perform salah?
Each of the salah has a different name and is done within a certain span of time during each day. It is best if you make salah at the beginning of its allotted time span, but it can be made at any time within that time span. Each salah has a specific number of cycles, or raka’at, assigned. If a salah is missed, it can be made up, but the blessing of its time is past. If the salah is made is made after the sun has set, the prayers should be said out loud. If the salah is made when the sun is up, the prayers are said silently. Salat fajr, maghrib, and ‘isha’ are said aloud, and salat dhuhr and ‘asr are said sliently.
The prayers are said in Arabic, the language of the Qur’an. This is because a translation of the prayers is an interpretation, an opinion, not the true,actual message of the Qur’an. It is fine to read the prayers from a sheet of paper until you have them memorized.
The salat can be performed in any clean place (privately or in public) facing the qiblah (the direction toward the Kaaba). In the United States this is usually toward the northeast. You can spread out a prayer rug (sajadah) to kneel on to make sure the area is clean, but it is not required. You should not perform the salat in a bathroom. You can perform salat with other people or alone.
When to do specific salah?
The day begins after sunset. This is when you perform salat-al-Maghrib. When it is fully dark, then salat-al-‘Isha’ is performed. The next prayer, salat-al-Fajr is made at the crack of dawn, before it is fully light. Salat-al-Dhuhr begins when the sun is just past its zenith until shadows are twice their height, when it is time to perform salat-al-‘Asr. Rather than trying to figure all these time out, I just google “5 times a day prayer times”. One such link is islamicfinder.org which will tell you the appropriate times to do each prayer anywhere in the world. You can also download apps that will make the athan (call to prayer) on your phone or computer. You should avoid doing the salat at sunrise, sunset, or high noon. These were times that other religions used to worship the sun.
How many raka’at (cycles) do I do?
I have included a chart of the 5 prayers. This chart includes Sunnah prayers (extra prayers said before the fard prayers (required) and the Sunnah prayers allowed after the fard prayers. A rakat is one whole cycle of going from standing, bending, standing, prostrating, sitting and then back to standing. See below for more specifics on what to do in each position.
Salat Name sunnah (before) fard sunnah (after)
Salatu-l-maghrib 2 3 2
Salatu-l-‘isha 0 4 2
Salatu-l-fajr 2 2 0
Salatu-l-dhuhr 2 4 2
Salatu-l-‘asr 4 4 0
Fard prayers are required, ordered by Allah.
Sunnah prayers are extra prayers that were done by the Prophet, (saws). Different Islamic schools will list a different number of sunnah prayers because the same number were not always done by the Prophet. This chart is based from the Shafi’i tradition.
Nafl prayers are prayers that the Prophet (saws) sometimes made, but not always. This is the term used for any extra salah you may want to make after the salah or any other time that salah is permitted.
There are other optional prayers for those who feel guided to do more prayers. These include: wajib salah, salatu-l-witr, and tahajjud. Jama’ah salah is prayer made as a congregation.
5 Postures to the salah
The postures of the salah follow a pattern. They start with standing, go to bowing, standing, prostrating on the ground, sitting and then back to standing. In Sahih al-Bukhari the Prophet (saws) said: “When you stand for the salah, say takbir and then recite from the Qur’an what you know, and then bow with calmness until you feel at ease, then rise from bowing ’till you stand straight. Afterwards prostrate calmly ’till you feel at ease, then rise and sit with calmness ’till you feel at ease, and then prostrate with calmness ’till you feel at ease in prostration, and do the same in the whole of your prayer.”
Here is a step by step break down of the process.
1. Stand quietly and face the qibla. Your eyes are usually focused on the ground where you will place your forehead in just a few moments. Your eyes must be open all the way through the prayer.
2. Set your intention. Your intention varies slightly depending on which prayer you are making. Start by saying: A’audhu billahi mina-sh-shaytani-rajim bismillahi-r-rahmani-r-rahim nawaytu an usalliya: I take refuge with Allah from the accursed shaytan. In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Mercy Giving, I intend to pray: (then add which ever is the appropriate number of rak’ah (rakat) for the prayer you are intending to perform).
For Fajr: rakk’atayni fardu salatu-l- fajri – 2 rakats fard salat of fajr For Dhuhr: ‘arba’a rak’atin fardu salatu-l-dhuhri – 4 rakats fard salat of dhuhr For ‘Asr: ‘arba’a raka’atin fardu salatu-l-‘asri – 4 rakats fard salat of ‘asr For Maghrib: thalatha raka’atin fardu salatu-l-maghribi – 3 rakats fard salat of maghrib For ‘Isha’i: 4 rakats fard salat of ‘isha’
Then end your intention with the following: Muqabila-l-qiblati-llahi ta’ala – Facing the qibla of Allah Most High.
3. Raise your hands up, putting your thumbs behind your ears and say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is the Greatest. (This is called the Takbir). Next put your hands over your navel for men (and over the chest for women), right hand over the left wrist. This begins the first rakat of the salat.
4.Recite the Fatiha.
5. Recite another surah (chapter from the Qur’an) or ayah (verse). Any of the 4 Quls or other short surahs will work.
The section of the Qur’an recited in the first rak’ah should be longer than that recited in the second rak’ah, and the ayah and surahs should be recited in order. For example, it is inappropriate to recite Iklas in the first rak’ah and Lailat al-Qadr in the second because Surat al-Qadr is longer and becomes it comes earlier in the Qur’an. But it is entirely appropriate to recite al-qadr in the first rak’ah and Ikhlas in the second. The Prophet (saws) and his companions would sometimes recite 3 or more surahs in one rak’ah.
6. Raise your hands to your ears and say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest You may raise your hands to the level of the ears while doing so, before or while bowing. In the bow, find your balance and stillness and from this place glorify Allah with the prayer in step 7.
7. Bow at the waist, hands on thighs and say say 3 times: Subbana rabbiya-l-‘adhim – Glory to my Lord the tremendous (the Great) It is permissible to say the phrase 3,7, or 10 times, silently or under your breath.
8. Stand up while saying: Sami’a-llahu liman hamidah – Allah hears who praises Him. This is said if you are praying alone or leading beloveds in salah. If you are being led, say, “Rabbana laka-l-hamd,” Our Lord to You is the praise!. After the prayer leader has called, “Sami’a …” you may raise your hands to ear or shoulder level while rising.
9. While standing say the reply: Rabbana laka-l-hamd – Our Lord, to you is the praise.
10. Prostrate. While on the way down say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest
11. Prostrate on your knees. Your palms should be flat on the floor by your ears and your forehead and nose touching the floor. Silently or under your breath say 3, 7 or 10 times: Subhana rabbiya-l-‘a’la – Glory to my Lord Most High (or All praise to Allah). The tops of your feet should be off the floor and your toes pointing toward the Qiblah. Your hands should rest to the sides of your head or under your shoulders.
12. While moving to sit up on your knees, say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest
13. While kneeling on your knees and say: Rabbi-ghfirli wa li-walidayya – My Lord, forgive me and my parents
14. Begin to prostrate on your knees once more. On your way down say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest
15. While prostrated again, say 3 times Subhana rabbiya-l-‘a’la – Glory to my Lord Most High
16. Stand up fully while saying Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest. This completes the first rah’ah.
17. Begin the second rah’ah same as before, stand quietly. Repeat the Fatiha again.
18. Recite a different short surah than you did in the first rak’ah. Use any of the 4 Quls or other short surahs.
19. Raise your hands and say; Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest
20. Bow at the waist, hands on thighs and say say 3 times: Subbana rabbiya-l-‘adhim – Glory to my Lord the tremendous (the Great)
21. Stand up while saying: Sami’a-llahu liman hamidah – Allah hears who praises Him
22. While standing say the reply: Rabbana laka-l-hamd – Our Lord, to you is the praise.
23. Prostrate. While on the way down say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest
24. Prostrate on your knees. Your palms should be flat on the floor by your ears and your forehead and nose touching the floor. Say 3 times: Subhana rabbiya-l-‘a’la – Glory to my Lord Most High (or All praise to Allah).
25. While moving to sit up on your knees, say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest
26. While kneeling on your knees and say: Rabbi-ghfirli wa li-walidayya – My Lord, forgive me and my parents
27. Begin to prostrate on your knees once more. On your way down say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest
28. While prostrated again, say 3 times Subhana rabbiya-l-‘a’la – Glory to my Lord Most High
29. As you move to sit on your knees say: Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest
30 This time do not stand again. When you are in this position, you must keep your eyes at your lap. Men sit with your weight on the left heel, left foot tucked under you, right foot up on its toes with the heel up, palms on the thighs. Women can keep both their feet, soles up, under their body. Recite the witnessing – at-Tashahhud:
At-tahiyyatu lillahi wa-s-salawatu wa-t-tayyibatu, As-salamu ‘alayka ‘ayyuha-n-nabiyyu wa rahmatu-llahi wa barakatu-Hu. As-salamu ‘alayna wa ‘ala ‘Ibadi-llahi-s-salihin. Ash-hadu’ al-la-‘laha ‘illa-llahu-wa’ ash-hadu ‘anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa Rasuluh. All the praises belong to Allah, and prayers and good things. O Prophet! Peace be upon you and HIs Mercy and His Blessings. Peace be on us and on all 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.
31. If you are making 3 or 4 raka’ah, rise here while saying Allahu ‘Akbar and then make 1 or more raka’ah just as before except, omit the short surah after the Fatiha. If you are only performing 2 raka’ah then go on to recite the Prayer of ‘Ibrahim. If you are performing 3 or 4 raka’ah, proceed to the Prayer of ‘Ibrahim only after having make your extra 1 or 2 raka’ah.
Prayer of ‘Ibrahim
Allahuma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin kama sallayta ‘ala ‘Ibrahim wa ‘ala aali ‘Ibrahim. Wa barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin kama barakta ‘ala ‘Ibrahim wa ‘ala aali ‘Ibrahim fi-l-‘alamin, ‘innaka hamidun majid.
O Allah, greet Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as you greeted Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim in all the worlds. Truly! You are the Glorious Praised One.
32. Next you can recite either of the du’a below or a different du’a of your own choosing. Allahumma ‘inni dhalamtu nafsi dhulman kathiran wa la yaghfiru-dh-dhunuba’illa ‘anta-faghfirli maghfiratam-min ‘indika wa-r-hamni, ‘innaka ‘anta-l-Ghafuru-r-Rahim.
O Allah! I have done against myself great wrong, and no one else can forgive sins except You. So, forgive me with forgiveness from yourself and have mercy on me. Indeed! You are Forgiving, Merciful.
Rabbi j’alni muqim as-salati wa min zurriyati rabbana wataqabbal du’a. Rabbana ighfirli wali walidayya wa lil mu’minina yauma yaqumul hisab.
My Lord, make me keep up my prayer and by my offering, our Lord, accept the prayer. Oh my God forgive my sins and those of my parents and those of the faithful when the day of reckoning shall come.
33. Turn your head to the right and say: As-sallamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatu-llahi wa barakatuh – The peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and His blessings.
Then turn your head to the left and say: As-sallamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatu-llahi wa barakatuh – The peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and His blessings.
This completes the salah. There are many videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to do the salah. This is a link to one of the videos.There are some prayers that are traditionally said after the the completion of the salah. These are not required in order to fulfill your duty of performing the salah. These additional prayers are made while still sitting.
It is sunnah to ask for forgiveness, to make supplications, and to bless Allah with the prayer for peace. It is nearly universal for Muslims throughout the world to sit in remembrance saying subhanaa-llah, al-hamdu li-llah and Allahu akbar 10 or 33 times each as well as other forms of remembrance.
Optional additional supplications and prayers:
Prayer for Forgiveness (repeat 3 times) Astaghfir Allah al ‘Azim wa la ilaha ila huwa al al hayy al qayyum wa atubu illay. (with palms turned upward) I ask God for forgiveness and there is no God but He the Living, the Everlasting, and to Him I turn in repentance.
This is the time to make your personal prayer.
Prayer for Peace (repeat 3 tmes) Allahumma anta as-salam wa minka as-salam wa ‘alaika ya’udu salam. Tabarakta rabana wa ta ‘alayta ya dhul jalali wal-ikram. (palms opened upwards) Oh Allah You are the Peace, and from You comes the Peace. Give us the Peace. Blessed art Thou the most High O Lord of majesty and bounty.
(Repeat 3 times) La illaha ila’ah then say: Muhammadan Rasulullah ‘alayhi salat Allah. There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is His messenger, may Allah’s peace be upon him.
Repeat each of the following 33 times. Subhana-llah – Glory to Allah, Alhamdu li-llah – Praise be to Allah, Allahu ‘Akbar – Allah is Greatest.
Any sunnah raka’at are made at this time.
There are several short suwar (chapters of the Qur’an that can be used in the salah after the Fatiha in either of the first two raka’ah.) They are available here.
Closing thoughts on the salah by A. Nooruddeen Durkee: ” The Sufi way entails complete adherence to all the outer requirements of the Islamic shari’ah which must be preceded by sincere intention because Allah looks neither to one’s acts nor to appearances but to the heart and the intention contained within. The Acts of Worship in the realm of the seen are the salah, fasting, the poor due (az-zakah), the pilgrimage (hajj) and the bearing of witness (shahdatayn). The Acts of Worship in the realm of the unseen are intention, presence, sincerity, and truthfulness. Acts of Worship in the realm of the unseen are of greater significance than ones in the realm of the seen.
True salah consists of the abstinence of the limbs from inclining towards anything other than Allah, steadfast patience of the self in fulfilling the sacred trust of Allah; purity of the innermost self and the pre-eminence of the spirit with the trust bestowed on one by Allah and complete absorption in Him.
Of all the pillars of the faith the most important is the five times daily practice of the salah. It constitutes the combination of all the other practices because in addition to the various postures of supplication, it involves the glorification and praising of Allah, recitation of the profession of faith, and the reading of the Qur’an. It gives expression to personal prayer, fear of Allah, surrender to Allah, humility in the Face of Allah and need for the favours of Allah.
If the salah does not have certain specific effects upon the being of the worshipper then the salah remains incomplete. Ten signs demonstrating that the salah has been successful are: 1. Witnessing divine beauty close to the eye; 2. Smelling the subtle fragrances of Lordship; 3. Opening of the heart; 4. Contentment of the heart; 5. Tenderness of the skin; 6. Delight of the inmost being; 7. Appearance of the spirit; 8. Ecstasy; 9. Intimate conversation with Allah and 10. Listening to the greeting from the Divine Presence.
If these do not occur, the seeker should not be saddened or discouraged. Instead she or he should continue in their practice because the goal is not the experience but the servitude and conformity to the command of Allah. Sublime mystical taste and magnificent sweetness such as has been described will, ‘inshallah, eventually appear.”