How to perform Salat

Make the intention to pray

Make the intention in your heart for the specific prayer you are about to perform — for example, the four farḍ rakʿahs of Ẓuhr. The place of intention is the heart, but in the Hanafi school it is also mustaḥabb (recommended) to verbalise it quietly. The intention specifies which prayer you are praying, how many rakʿahs, and that it is for the sake of Allah.

Raise hands to the earlobes and say the opening Takbīr

Stand upright facing the Qibla. Raise both hands so that your thumbs touch your earlobes, palms facing forward, fingers neither tightly together nor spread apart. Say Allāhu Akbar. From this moment you have entered the state of iḥrām for the prayer — speech, eating, drinking, and turning away are no longer permitted.

Place hands below the navel and recite the opening praise

Lower your hands and place your right hand over your left, below the navel. The right hand grasps the left wrist, with the thumb and little finger encircling it. Lower your gaze to the spot where you will prostrate. Then quietly recite the Thanāʾ — the opening praise of Allah.

Seek refuge in Allah, then say Bismillāh

Before reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, seek refuge in Allah from Shayṭān, then say Bismillāh. Both are recited silently, even in audible prayers.

Recite the Opening of the Quran

Recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah — the foundation of every prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book.' (Bukhari 756) After completing the surah, say Āmīn silently (the Hanafi position).

Recite another short surah or three verses

After al-Fātiḥah, recite another surah or at least three short verses from the Quran. This is only done in the first two rakʿahs of farḍ prayers. In sunnah and nafl prayers, additional surah is recited in every rakʿah. Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ is shown here as the most commonly memorised example.

Bow forward, hands gripping the knees

Say Allāhu Akbar (this time without raising the hands) and bow forward. Grasp your knees firmly with your fingers spread, keep your back straight and parallel to the ground, head level with your back. Keep your arms away from your sides. Recite the tasbīḥ at least three times — though more (5, 7, or higher odd numbers) is better.

Rise from bowing and stand upright

Rise from rukūʿ to a fully upright standing position. Do not raise your hands when rising (this is the Hanafi position — other schools differ here). When praying alone, say both phrases yourself. When praying behind an imam, the imam says 'Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah' and the followers respond only with 'Rabbanā laka l-ḥamd'.

Prostrate, with seven points touching the ground

Say Allāhu Akbar and lower yourself to the ground in this order: knees first, then hands, then nose, then forehead (Hanafi position). Seven body parts must touch the ground: forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, and the toes of both feet (with toes pointing toward Qibla). Keep your elbows raised off the ground and away from your sides. Recite the tasbīḥ at least three times.

Sit briefly between the two prostrations

Say Allāhu Akbar, rise from sujūd, and sit upright. Sit on your left foot folded beneath you, with the right foot upright and toes pointing toward Qibla. Place your hands flat on your thighs, fingers reaching just to the knees. Sit calmly — do not rush.

Prostrate a second time, exactly as the first

Say Allāhu Akbar and prostrate a second time, exactly as before — knees first, then hands, then nose, then forehead. Recite the tasbīḥ at least three times. After this second prostration, you have completed one full rakʿah — one cycle of the prayer.

Sit and recite the testimony of faith

After every two rakʿahs, sit in the jalsah position and recite the Tashahhud. When you reach the words 'lā ilāha' (no god), form a circle with your right thumb and middle finger and raise your right index finger. Then lower it at 'illa llāh' (except Allah). The other fingers remain folded. After lowering the finger, your right hand returns to a relaxed position on your thigh.

Send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ

After completing the Tashahhud in your final sitting, recite the Durood Ibrāhīm — sending blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his family. This is recited only in the final sitting before the salām.

Make a supplication before closing the prayer

After the Durood, before the closing salām, it is recommended to make a duʿā. This duʿā taught by the Prophet ﷺ to Abu Bakr is the most well-known and beloved. You may also add other supplications from the Quran and Sunnah.

Turn your face right and left to give the salām

Turn your head to the right until your cheek can be seen from behind, and say the salām. Then turn your head to the left and say it again. With the second salām, the prayer is formally complete. You are greeting the angels who recorded your prayer on each side, and returning to the world with peace.