How to Perform Salat Prayer (Step by Step Salah Guide for Beginners)

In this article we will be revealing how to perform salah for beginners with step by step guide.

Once you have made wudu, you can start salat prayer however there are some check points such as clothing and overall body chastity.

Requirements for men and women differ thus we have listed down requirements for both of them.

Salah Requirements for Male:

1. In order to perform salat prayer, males must wear proper dress which covers them from shoulders to ankles. Normally, men have to wear any clothing that covers them from navel to the knees but for praying salah, they must cover shoulders to ankles.

Salah Requirements for Female:

2. Females have to cover all the body including their head. The only areas that can be left uncovered are face, hands and according to Imam Abu-Hanifah the toes and a portion of the front of the feet.

Step by Step Salah Prayer:

Here is how to pray in Islam for beginners.
1. Stand Upright for Salat: You need to stand upright facing the direction of Al-Ka’bah which is known as Qiblah in Arabic. This particular position is known as Qiyam.
2. Niyah (Intention for Salat): Now it’s time to make Niyyah (intention). Intention will be in your heart for the prayer you want to pray at that time.
3. Takbeer e Tehreema: After you have made Niyah you now need to raise your hands to your ears and say: “Allahu Akbar” which is also known as Takbir e Tehreema.

Takbir is praise of Allah that means Allah is the Greatest.

4. Qiyam: Once you are done with Takbir, place both your hand on the naval with right hand over the left. Place three fingers of right hand on the back of left hand wrist. And hold the left hand with thumb, little finger and palm of the right hand. Look downward where your forehead will touch the ground and recite the following:

Thana (Sana):

“Subhana Kalla Humma Wa Bi Hamdika Wa Tabarakas Muka Wa Taa’la Jadduka Wala Ilaha Ghayi Ruk”

and then Surah Fatiha:

“Alhamdo Lillahi Rabbil Alameen. Arrahma Nir Raheem. Maliki Youmid Deen. Iyyakanaa’ Budu Wa Iyyakanas Taeen. Ihdinas Sirat al Mustaqeem. Siratal Lazeena An’amta Alayihim Ghayiril Maghdoobi Alayihim Walad Duaalleen.” Ameen.

5. Quran Recitation: Now you need to recite any surah or passage of minimum 3 ayah from the Holy Quran.

6. Ruku: Once you have completed the surah you need to bow down while saying “Allah hu Akbar”. Hold your knees tightly with your hands recite the following ruku dua three, five or seven times.

“Subhana Rabbial Adhim”

7. Raising from Ruku: Now it’s time to stand-up from the bowing position and recite the following:

“Sami Allaho Liman Hamidah, Rabbana Lakal Hamd”

8. Sajdah (Prostration): It’s time to prostrate to the floor. In this step you need to make sure that your forehead, nose, palms of both hands, your knees, and toes should touch the floor. While going down you should recite “Allah u Akbar”. Once you take the right position for Sajdah, you need to recite the following prayer 3, 5 or 7 times:

“Subhana Rabbial Aa’la”

Now it is time to sit up while reciting “Allah u Akbar”. You have to sit on your knees and palms placed on them.

Now stay in this position for 1 to 2 seconds.

Then go to prostration (sujood) again. This will be the second sujood.

This will complete the first Rak’ah of your salah.

Go to top: Step by Step Salah Prayer

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9. Starting Second Rakah: After second prostration, you have to stand up again (while saying Allah o Akbar) to start second rakah.

Remember that you need to repeat all these actions for the rest of the Rak’ahs. But for the rest of the rak’ahs you do not have to recite Thana in the beginning.

10. Tashahhud: After second sujood of second rakah, you have to sit on your knees in the same position as described above and recite the following dua known as At-Tahiyyat:

“Atthiyyato Lillahi Wassalawato Wat Tayyebato,
Assalamo Aalayika Ayyohan Nabiyyo Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatohu;
As Salamo Alayina Wa Alaa Ibadillahis Sualiheen;
Ash Hado Alla Ilaha Illallaho,
Wa Ash Hado Anna Muhammadan Abduhu Wa Rasooluhu”

Remember: When you start saying following words from Attahiyyat dua:

“Ash Hado Alla Ilaha Illallaho,
Wa Ash Hado Anna Muhammadan Abduhu Wa Rasooluhu”

turn your hand into fist and raise the index finger; and convert the hand into previous position while your finish saying the above mentioned words.

11. Durood e Ibrahimi: Once you have recited the above dua, you have to recite Durood e Ibrahim which are as follows:

12. Rabbij Alni Dua: After reciting Durood e Ibrahim, you have to recite the following dua:

“Rabbij Alni Muqeemas Salati Wa Min Dhurriyati Rabbana Wa Taqabbal Duaa,
Rabbanagh Firli Wali Waali Dayya Wa Lil Mo’mineena Youma Yaqoomul Hisaab”

13. Salam: After reciting the dua mentioned in last step, you will offer salam to both right and left shoulders. First face right, looking shoulder and recite:

“Assalam o Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah”

then to the left side, looking at the shoulder and recite once again:

“Assalam o Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah”

This was the complete procedure for two rakah salat.

3 Rakat Salat Prayer:

3 Farz Maghrib
3 Witr Isha

If it is a 3 rakah salah, then after reciting At-Tahiyyat dua (in the same way as described above) after second rakah, you have to stand up to start 3rd rakah. Do not say Sana, recite Surah Fatiha and a surah or a passage from Qur’an, complete 3rd rakah with 2 sujood and then sit on your knees.

Since this is the last (3rd) rakah of this salah, you would continue to recite Durood e Ibrahim after reciting At-Tahiyyat and then recite the rabbij alni dua (as described in 2 rakah salah) and then say Salam on both shoulders (as described above in 2 rakah salah).

This is the way to complete 3 rakah salah.

4 Rakat Salat Prayer:

4 Sunnah Zuhr
4 Farz Zuhr
4 Farz Asr
4 Farz Isha

If it is 4 rakah salah, you would continue to start fourth rakah. You have to stand up after the two sujood of third rakah and complete the 4th rakah with its two sujood, then sitting on knees and complete the procedure of last rakah by reciting At-Tahiyyat, Durood e Ibrahimi and then rabbij alni dua.

Then say salam on both sides while looking at right and left shoulder each time (as explained above).

This was how to perform 4 rakah salah.

Dua:

It’s the time for Dua where you are going to talk to your Allah in private. It is the last thing of your salah and after that your prayer will be complete.

Ask ALLAH SWT for any legitimate thing you need or you want.

(Dua is an important part of salat prayer and without it, salah is considered incomplete.)

Must read: Ramadan Fasting Guide

Note: In 3rd rakah of witr in Isha, you have to recite dua e qunoot after reciting the Quranic passage.

Once you say surah fatiha and Quranic passage, say Takbeer e Tehreema i.e. “ALLAH o AKBAR”,

then recite dua e qunoot as given below and then continue to ruku. Rest of the process is similar to other salat.

Islam is the 2nd largest religion in the world. Salah, Fasting, Hajj, Zakat and Tauheed are the five pillars upon which Islam stands. Each and every pillar of Islam is equally important. Thus it is significant to make sure that each and every Muslim knows how to offer salah.

This was the step by step salat prayer by RamadanTips.com; hope it has helped you.