How To Perform Daily Prayers in Islam

Before beginning prayers, perform ritual ablutions, or wudu, to cleanse the hands, mouth, face, arms, hair, and feet, and to purify the spirit.

Face Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, which is located in present-day Saudi Arabia. Most mosques have a niche indicating the direction. You can also determine the direction using a qibla compass.

Set aside cares and thoughts in order to concentrate on God. Make your intention, or niyah, to pray.

To begin, stand upright with hands raised to the ears or shoulders and say “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is great.”

Place your right hand over your left and rest them on your chest or navel. Other Muslims let their arms hang at their sides. Recite the first sura of the Quran in Arabic.

Recite a second selection from the Quran of your own choosing.

Bow down so that the upper half of your body is parallel to the floor, with your hands on your knees or sometimes your shins. Say “Subhana Rabbi al-Atheem,” meaning “Glory be to God, the most great,” at least once, though most people recite it three times.

As you draw yourself upright, say “Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah,” or “God listens to those who praise him.” Then say “Rabbana wa lak al-hamd,” which means, “Our Lord we do praise you.”

Sink to your knees and touch the floor with your forehead. As you move into this position say “Allahu Akbar.”

Say “Subhana Rabbi al-Alaa,” meaning “Glory be to God the most high” at least once, though most recite it three times.

Say “Allahu Akbar” as you sit up on your knees.

Move back into the prostrate position, saying “Allahu Akbar” again.

Say “Subhana Rabbi al-Alaa.” This completes one full unit.

Stand for the second unit, saying “Allahu Akbar.”

At the dawn prayer, repeat steps 6 through 13 and assume the sitting position.

Pronounce the first pillar of Islam, or the shahada.

Most Muslims wish prayers upon the Prophet at this juncture.

Depending on which sect of Islam you belong to, either look to the right and say “As-salaamu aleikum,” meaning “Peace be with you,” and repeat on the left, or say “Allahu Akbar” three times, raising your hands to your ears each time.

At the noon prayer, follow the first two units as at dawn, through the pronouncement of the shahada. Omit the salaams or thrice-repeated “Allahu Akbar.”

Stand for the third unit, saying “Allahu Akbar.”

Perform the third and fourth units as you did the first two, but omit the second Quranic recitation.

At the end of the fourth, say “Allahu Akbar” and assume the sitting position.

Pronounce the shahada and either say the salaams to your right and left or “Allahu Akbar” three times with your hands to your ears.

At the mid-afternoon prayer, follow the steps for the noontime one.

At the sunset prayer, follow the first two units as at dawn.

After the second prostration of the third unit, assume the sitting position and recite the shahada.

Say the salaams to your right and left or “Allahu Akbar” three times with your hands to your ears.

At night, follow the four-unit model as at noon and mid-afternoon.