Learn How to Pray
Play Animation of Prayers in Flash
Step One: Takbiirah
The prayers begin with a 'takbiirah' to announce that the prayers has started.
The person says: "Allahu Akbar" and raises his hands behind his ears to announce the prayers has started.

Step Two: Doing a rak3ah
A rak3ah is a unit of prayers. Depending on the prayer of the day, you will perform a different number of rak3ah.

What is a rak3ah?
A rak3ah is a unit in prayers that is composed of the following:
1. Reading al-fati7ah
2. Reading a surah after the fati7ah (only in the first 2 rak3ah of all prayers)
3. Kneeling and saying: 'sub7aana rabiyya-al-3a6'iim' 3 times
4. Standing upright again and saying: 'sami3a Allahu liman 7amida'
5. Bending down to prostrate and saying: 'Allahu akbar'
5. Prostrating and saying: 'sub7aana rabiyya-al-a3laa' 3 times
6. Raising the head and saying: 'Allahu akbar'
7. Prostrating and saying: 'sub7aana rabiyya-al-a3laa' 3 times

Expressions used in each rak3ah
Translation
Arabic
God is Great.
Çááåõ ÃóßúÈóÑõ
Praise my Great Lord.
ÓõÈúÍóÇäó ÑóÈøöíó ÇáúÚóÙöíãõ
God listens to those who praise Him.
ÓóãöÚó Çááåõ áöãóäú ÍóãöÏóåõ
Praise my Loftiest Lord.
ÓõÈúÍóÇäó ÑóÈøöíó ÇáÃÚúáóì
Peace be on you and God's Mercy and Blessings.
ÇáÓøóáÇãõ Úóáóíúßõãú æóÑóÍúãóÉõ Çááåö æóÈóÑóßóÇÊõåõ


How many rak3ah is done for each prayer?

 
Number of rak3ah for each prayer
  Basic obligatory prayer sunnah prayers (optional but highly recommended) taraawii7 extra prayers done during Ramadan
al-fajr
2
 2 before  
ad'-duhr
4
 4 before and 2 after  
al-3aSr
4
 2 before  
al-ma3'rib
3
 2 after  
al-3ishaa2
4
 2 after followed by 2 for shaf3 and 1 or 3 for watr
from 8 to 32


Step Three: Doing the tashahhud
At the end of all prayers (and a short version of it after every 2 rak3ah), the person sits on his knees to says the tashahhud. For prayers that are composed of 3 or more rak3ah, the tashahhud is said twice. The first time is after the first 2 rak3ah and the second time is at the end of the prayers. In that case, the whole tashahhud is not said the first time, but just half of it. The person stops immediately after the shihaadah.

The whole tashahhud is said in prayers that are composed of rak3ah only.

Step Four: Terminating the prayers with as-salaam
After the tashahud, a person can pray to Allah before terminating the prayers. The termination takes place as follows:
- The head is turned to the right and the person says: as-salaamu 3alayka wa ra7matu-Allahi WA barakaatuh
- Then the head is turned to the left and the person says: as-salaamu 3alayka WA ra7matu-Allahi WA barakaatuh
The prayers have ended!


 

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