The following eight steps are the pillars
or essential elements of Salah, the ritual prayer. All observance
of salah includes these essential elements. We
have a single-page PDF you can download & print out.
The following format is valid for a sunnah prayer, a traveller's
prayer, and any voluntary prayer of two rak‘ah. As you become
with the basics, start to add the additional
sunnah elements and look in your heart for the great blessings
of keeping the five prayers in their
correct times.
1. After a ritual ablution with water (wudu),
make the intention to pray. Stand facing the House of God. (The
Qiblah, ritual facing, is usually considered north-east in North
America.)
2. Raise your hands to ear level, palms open, and say ALLÂHU
AKBAR, God is Supreme!
3. Lower your hands. Recite the Fatihah, the Opener, in
Arabic. Get pronunciation help here.
| al-hamdu
li-llâhi rabbi-l-‘âlamîn
ar-rahmâni-r-rahîm
mâliki yowmi-d-dîn
iyyâka na‘budu wa iyyâka nasta‘în
ihdina-s-sirâta-l-mustaqîm
sirâta-lladhîna an‘amta ‘alayhim
ghayri-l-maghdûbi ‘alayhim
wa la-d-dâââl-lîn âââmîn
|
All praise is to Allah, Lord
of the Worlds
The Universally Merciful, the Singularly Compassionate
Master of the Day of Judgment.
You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.
Guide us [to] the straight way
The way of those whom You have blessed
Not [the way] of those on whom is [Your] anger,
nor those
who are astray. Amin.
|
4. Bow from the waist, keeping your back straight. Put your weight
on your knees with your hands. Be still and glorify Allah in your
heart for a moment. Return to standing.
5. Prostrate onto the earth on your toes, knees, palms and face.
Be still and glorify Allah for a moment, then sit up. Ask for mercy
and forgiveness, then prostrate again as before.
6. One rak‘ah or cycle is done. Stand up. Repeat
steps 3 through 5 for a second
rak‘ah.
7. After the second prostration, remain kneeling. Say (minimum
is in italics):
| at-tahiyyâtu
li-llâh!
as-salâmu ‘alayka ayyuha-n-nabiyyu wa
rahmatu-llahi wa barakâtuh
as-salâmu ‘alaynâ wa ‘alâ
‘ibâdi-llâhi-s-sâlihin.
ash-hadu an lââ ilâha illa-llâ
wa ash-hadu anna muhammadan ‘abduhû
wa rasûluh
|
Greetings be to God!
Peace be upon you, oh prophet, and the mercy of Allah and
His blessing.
Peace be upon us all and upon all holy servants of God.
I witness there is no god but Allah, God
And I witness that Muhammad is His Slave and
His Messenger.
|
8. You have completed two rak‘at. Close the salah, turning
your head to the right and left, saying:
| as-salâmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatu-llâh |
Peace be upon you, and the Mercy of Allah! |
After the salah, sit in remembrance of Allah & supplicate
to Him.
| |
