A Step-by-Step Guide to Performing Salah

A Step-by-Step Guide to Performing Salah

Salah, or prayer, is the second pillar of Islam, and it plays an integral role in every Muslim’s life. The performance of Salah is a fundamental act of worship that connects a believer with Allah five times a day. Salah is not just a physical act; it is an act of deep spiritual significance, meant to purify the soul, bring peace to the heart, and serve as a constant reminder of Allah’s greatness and mercy.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire process of performing Salah, explaining its components, the proper etiquette, and the various actions involved. We will also highlight the Quranic verses and Hadith references in both Arabic and English to deepen the understanding of Salah’s importance and significance.

Preparation for Salah

Before you begin your Salah, it is essential to ensure that you are properly prepared both physically and spiritually.

Cleanliness and Wudu (Ablution)

Purity is a requirement for Salah, and Wudu is the ritual washing done before prayer. A person must be in a state of physical cleanliness to stand before Allah. Wudu is a purification process that includes washing the face, hands, arms, feet, and wiping the head.

Quranic Reference (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:6)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَىٰ الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَىٰ الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَىٰ الْكَعْبَيْنِ
(Translation)
“O you who have believed, when you rise to perform prayer, wash your faces and your hands to the elbows, and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.”

Wudu ensures that a Muslim enters Salah in a state of physical purity, which is required for the prayer to be valid.

Appropriate Dress

It is important to wear clean and modest clothing when performing Salah. For men, the private parts (from the navel to the knees) must be covered, and for women, the entire body except the face and hands should be covered during prayer.

Quranic Reference (Surah Al-A’raf, 7:26)
يَا بَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًۭا يُوَارِىٰ سَوْآتِكُمْ وَرِيشًۭا ۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّـٰرُونَ
(Translation)
“O children of Adam, We have provided you with clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment; but the clothing of righteousness—that is best.”

Setting the Intention (Niyyah)

Before starting the prayer, one must make the intention (niyyah) to pray. The niyyah is a declaration of your intent to offer Salah for the sake of Allah. This intention does not need to be uttered verbally but must be present in the heart.

Hadith (Sahih Muslim, 1022)
عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إِنَّما الأعمال بالنيات، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امرِئٍ مَا نَوَىٰ”
(Translation)
“Actions are judged by intentions, and each person will be rewarded according to what they intended.”

The intention is key to making the prayer valid and sincere.

Facing the Qiblah

A Muslim must face the Qiblah, which is the direction towards the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is obligatory to ensure that you are facing this direction when performing Salah.

Quranic Reference (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:144)
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۖ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا۟ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٰسِعٌۭ عَلِيمٌۭ
(Translation)
“To Allah belongs the east and the west. Wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah. Indeed, Allah is vast and knowing.”

Steps in Performing Salah

After ensuring you are prepared and ready, you can now begin performing the Salah. Here is the step-by-step process.

Takbir al-Ihram (The Opening Takbir)

The Salah begins with the Takbir al-Ihram, which is the declaration of “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest). Raising both hands while saying “Allahu Akbar” marks the start of the prayer.

Hadith (Sahih Bukhari, 738)
عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إِذَا كَبَّرْتَ فَأَحْرِمْ”
(Translation)
“When you say Takbir, enter the prayer.”

Qiyam (Standing)

While standing in prayer, recite the opening supplication known as Du’a al-Istiftah, followed by Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening) and another Surah or verses from the Quran.

Hadith (Sahih Muslim, 394)
عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: “أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي صَلاَتِهِ: اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدتَ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ”
(Translation)
“Allahumma ba’id bayni wa bayna khatayaya kama ba’adta baynal mashriqi wal-maghrib” (O Allah, keep me distant from my sins as You have distanced the East and the West).

After this, recite Surah Al-Fatiha followed by another Surah or a few verses of the Quran.

Quranic Reference (Surah Al-Fatiha, 1:1-7)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
(Translation)
“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
Master of the Day of Judgment,
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.
Guide us on the Straight Path,
the path of those who have received Your grace, not the path of those who have brought down wrath upon themselves, nor of those who have gone astray.”

Ruku (Bowing)

After completing the recitation in Qiyam, you perform Ruku, the act of bowing. You bend your back and place your hands on your knees while keeping your back and head level. In this position, you praise Allah by saying “Subhana Rabbiyal Azim” (Glory is to my Lord, the Almighty).

Hadith (Sahih Muslim, 397)
عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: “إِذَا رَكَعَ العَبْدُ فَصَارَ رَكْعَتَهُ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً.”
(Translation)
“When a servant bows, his bowing counts as seventy (acts of worship) in the eyes of Allah.”

I’tidal (Standing Again)

From Ruku, you return to the standing position (I’tidal) and say, “Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana lakal hamd” (Allah hears the one who praises Him, our Lord, to You is due all praise).

Hadith (Sahih Muslim, 397)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إِذَا قُمتَ فِي صَلاَتِكَ فَقُلْ: سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ.”
(Translation)
“When you stand up in your prayer, say: ‘Allah hears the one who praises Him, O our Lord, to You belongs all praise.’”

Sujood (Prostration)

After I’tidal, you perform Sujood (prostration), which is the act of lowering your forehead, nose, both hands, both knees, and toes to the ground in submission to Allah. While in Sujood, you praise Allah by saying, “Subhana Rabbiyal A’la” (Glory is to my Lord, the Most High).

Hadith (Sahih Muslim, 479)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: “أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ.”
(Translation)
“The closest that a servant comes to his Lord is when he is in prostration.”

Jalsa (Sitting)

After performing the first prostration, you sit for a brief moment and then perform a second Sujood. This is known as Jalsa (the sitting position between two prostrations).

Final Steps

Tashahhud (Testification)

After completing the second prostration of the final Rak’ah, you sit and recite the Tashahhud:

Quranic Reference (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:56)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا
(Translation)
“Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.”

Tasleem (Salam)

To conclude the prayer, you turn your head to the right and say, “As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah” (Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you). Then, you repeat the same on the left side.

Hadith (Sahih Muslim, 835)
عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: “رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي تَسْلِيمِهِ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ.”
(Translation)
“The Prophet (PBUH) said during his salam: ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.'”

Conclusion

In conclusion, Salah is one of the most profound acts of worship in Islam, and its proper performance is a means of connecting with Allah, seeking His mercy, and maintaining spiritual purity. By following the detailed step-by-step process outlined in this guide, a Muslim can perform Salah correctly, with mindfulness and sincerity. From the initial purification through Wudu to the final Tasleem, each action of Salah holds deep spiritual significance, teaching humility, discipline, and devotion to Allah.

Salah is not just a physical ritual but an opportunity for believers to cleanse their hearts, seek guidance, and express gratitude. Every gesture, from the Takbir al-Ihram to the final Salaam, serves as a reminder of the importance of submission and worship in the life of a Muslim. The Quran and Hadith provide essential guidance on the proper conduct and etiquette of prayer, making Salah an essential practice that shapes a Muslim’s relationship with their Creator.

By performing Salah regularly and with full attention, a Muslim strengthens their Iman and fulfills one of the fundamental pillars of Islam. Ultimately, Salah serves as a spiritual refuge, guiding believers towards righteousness and reminding them of Allah’s mercy, power, and grace.