1. Adult Male or Female
2. Minor: Boy
3. Minor: Girl

Before Salaah:

Ensure the clothes are Paak (pure) and make Wudhu. Stand respectfully on a Paak place facing the Qiblah. Keep feet parallel about four fingers apart with toes pointing towards the Qiblah and submit totally to Allah.

Important:

For males:

• No garment, jubba or trousers should be allowed to overlap the ankles.
• It is Makrooh-e-Tahreeme to perform Namaaz whilst any garment is overlapping the ankles.
• This means that the Fardh (obligation) of Namaaz will be considered as fulfilled but there is very little Sawaab (reward) and benefit in such a Namaaz.

For females:

Women also perform their Salaat in the same way, except for a few differences.

Whilst these differences are mentioned in this How to,  the following link “List of Differences for Female in Namaaz” highlights the specific differences.

Step 1: Niyyah

• Make Niyyah (intention) of the Namaaz one wishes to perform, e.g. “I am performing 2 Rakaat Fardh Namaaz of Fajr (to please Allah) facing towards the Qiblah”.
• When performing Namaaz led by an Imaam (leader), one should also make intention: “I am following this Imaam”.
• It is not necessary to make a verbal intention but it is better if one makes a verbal intention. Niyyat can be made in any language: Arabic, Urdu, English, Gujrati, etc.

Step 2: Takbeer-e-Tahreemah (To say “Allahu-Akbar at the beginning)

• After making Niyyah, lift both hands upto the ear lobes in such a manner that both palms face towards the Qiblah.
• Then say Allaahu Akbar and fold them below the navel.
• Place the hands in such a way that the palm of the right hand is placed over the back of the left hand, with the right thumb and little finger gripping the wrist of the left hand and the three middle fingers of the right hand kept straight and together (on the back of the left hand).

• While in Qiyaam (standing posture) the eyes should be fixed to the spot where the forehead will be placed in Sajdah.

Step 3: Read Thana:

Step 4: Then read TA’Awwuz

Step 5: Read Tasmiyyah

Step 6: Read Surah Fatihah

• Here is a link to Surah Fatihah
• And after the end [Wa Lad-dhaaleen] say Aameen softly.

Step 7: Recite “Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim again and any Surah thereafter

• It is necessary to that a minimum of 3 short Ayahs or one long Ayah be read in proper sequence as in the Quraan.
• Click Here for some short Surahs from the Quraan.

Step 8: go into Rukoo (bend position):

Say ‘Allahu- Akbar’ and go into the Rukoo position

For men:

• In Ruku hold both the knees with the fingers apart.
• Ensure that the arms do not touch the body.
• Keep the back straight, while the head should neither be lowered nor raised.

For Women:

• When making Rukoo a Woman should only bend over sufficiently so that her hands reach her knees.
• The hands should be placed on the knees, with the fingers kept together.
• In Rukoo the elbows should touch the sides of the body and the feet kept together.

Once the body (man or woman) is in the Rukoo position:

• In Ruku recite softly at least 3 to 5 times.

Step 9: Return to a standing position, whilst reciting:

Step 10: In the standing position with hands on the side, now recite:

Please note: If one does NOT stand erect after Ruku and merely lifts ones head and goes into Sajdah the Namaaz will not be valid and it will be necessary to repeat the Namaaz.

Step 11: Now go into the first Sajdah (prostration) in the following manner:

• Now saying ALLAHU AKBAR and placing both hands on the knees go into Sajdah. (On completing the Takbeer one should have reached the position of Sajdah).
• When going into Sajdah first place the
  • KNEES on the ground,
  • then the HANDS,
  • then the NOSE and
  • then the FOREHEAD

For men:

• The FACE should rest between the two HANDS with FINGERS pointing towards the Qibla.
• When in Sajdah the FEET should be upright with the TOES pointing towards the Qibla.
• The ARMS should not touch the sides of the BODY nor the ground.
• The STOMACH should be away from the THIGHS.

For women:

• In Sajdah the upper part of the leg (the thigh) should not be upright but in as flat as a position as possible, with the feet spread towards the right.
• While in Sajdah the stomach and thighs must be kept together.
• The forearms should be put flat on the ground in Sajdah.
• Women must not raise their voice when reciting Tasbeeh (in the next step).

Step 12: In Sajdah recite:

In Sajdah recite softly at least 3 to 5 times the following:

Note: If there is no valid reason for the forehead to be kept off the ground, the Sajdah will not be valid. When in Sajdah the feet should not be lifted from the ground. If they are lifted for duration more than three “SUBHANALLAH” the Namaaz will be void.

Step 13: Jalsah (sitting between Sajdahs)

Say Allahu-Akbar and move into the Jalsah position from Sajdah

Sit up straight, do not sit with the back crooked or stooped. It is important to sit up and pause after the first Sajdah.

Note: Merely lifting the head from the ground without sitting up before the second Sajdah will nullify the Namaaz.

Step 14: Make the Second Sajdah:

The second Sajdah is performed as the first one, i.e. going into Sajdah saying ALLAHU-AKBAR and reading SUBHANA RABBIYAL AA’LAA softly at least three times.

One Rak’ah is now complete.

Step 15: Stand up and complete the second Rakaat

• Whilst saying ALLAHU AKBAR stand up for the second Qiyaam.
• When getting up from the Sajdah, first lift:
  • the FOREHEAD
  • then the NOSE and
  • then the KNEES.

Note: Ensure that the HANDS are on the KNEES and not on the ground for support, except for a valid reason. Saying

Now as per the first Rakaat recite:

• Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
• Then recite Surah Fatihah
• Then Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem (again)
• then recite another Surah
• and go down for Rukoo (remember to recite what is required)
• then back to standing (remember to recite what is required)
• then down for the 2 Sajdah’s (remember to recite what is required).

Step 16: after the Second Sajdah sit up into the Qaidah position:

The method of sitting is placing the LEFT FOOT flat on the ground and sitting on it, with the RIGHT FOOT upright and its TOES facing towards the Qibla. The HANDS must be placed on the THIGHS with the tips of the FINGERS near the KNEES. It is important that the fingers are kept close together and that they face the Qibla and not towards the ground. The EYES should be fixed on the LAP.

Step 17: then read the TASHAHHUD:

At-tahiy-yatu lil-lahi was’salawatu wat-tay’yibatu As-Sallamu ‘alayka ay-yuhan-nabiy-yu warahma tullahi wa barakatuhu. As-Sallamu ‘alayna wa’ala ‘ibadil-la his-saliheen. “Ash hadu anla ilâha Illal lahu wa ash hadu an-na Muhammadan’ab-duhu wa rasuluh.
(All reverence, all worship, all sanctity are due to Allah, Peace be upon you O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and all the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that none is worthy of worship besides Allah and Muhammad (S.A.W.) is His servant and Messenger.)

On reaching the Tashhahud form a circle with the thumb and middle finger and lift the index finger of the right hand and at ILLALLAHU drop it onto the thigh.The circle should be maintained to the end.

Step 18: THIRD AND FOURTH RAK’AHS

If one wishes to perform four Rak’aats one should not read anything more than the TASHAHHUD, but saying ALLAHU AKBAR stand up and perform the remaining two Rak’aats. No other Surah should be read after SURATUL FATIHA in the THIRD and FOURTH Rak’aats of any FARZ Salaah, but it is
WAAJIB to do so in any SUNNAT or NAFL Salaah.

Step 19: SECOND QAIDAH

In the second Qaida after the Tashahhud read DUROODE IBRAHIM:

Allah humma sal-li ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, Kama sal-layta ‘ala Ibraheema Wa ‘ala aali Ibraheema innaka hameedum majeed.
Allah humma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, Kama barakta ‘ala Ibraheema Wa ‘ala aali IbraheemaInnaka hameedum majeed.

O Allah! Shower Your mercy upon Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the followers of Muhammad (S.A.W.) as You showered Your mercy upon Ebrahim (A.S.) and the followers of Ebrahim (a.s.). Behold You are praiseworthy, glorious. O Allah! Shower Your blessings upon Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the followers Muhammad (S.A.W.), as You showered Your blessing. upon Ebrahim (a.s.) and the followers of Ebrahim (a.s.) Behold, You are praiseworthy, glorious.

Step 20: THE DU’AS AFTER DUROOD

After the Durood recite this Du’aa:

Allah humma innee zalamtu nafsee Zulman Katheeran, wala yaghfi ruz zunuba
illa anta faghfirlee maghfiratam min ‘indika, war hamnee innaka antal ghafurur raheem.
O! Allah. I have been extremely unjust to myself, and none grants forgiveness against sins but You; therefore, forgive me, will forgiveness that comes from You, and have Mercy upon me. Verily You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Step 21: SALAAM(Completion of Salaah)

As-Sallamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
(Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.)

Then turn the face to the left, and repeat the Salaam.

As-Sallamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
(Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.)

When making Salaam one should make intention of greeting the Angels.

When making Salaam the eyes should be fixed onto the respective shoulders.

You have now completed SALAAH.