The required dhikr (minimum) is shown first in each step. Authentic additional dhikr that the Prophet ﷺ recited is shown in the gold box — these are extra, not obligatory, but greatly increase the reward.
1
استقبال القبلة
Facing the Qibla
Stand facing the Qibla — the direction of the Ka'bah in Makkah. This is obligatory; deliberately facing the wrong direction invalidates the prayer. Stand upright, feet roughly shoulder-width apart, with full presence of heart (khushu'). Remove all distractions from your mind. You are about to stand before Allah, just as the Prophet ﷺ stood before Him during the Night Journey.
Make the intention in your heart for the specific prayer you are about to perform. The intention does not need to be spoken aloud, though some scholars permit it. For example: 'I intend to pray two units of Fajr prayer for Allah.' The intention is a condition of every act of worship in Islam — it distinguishes worship from habit.
3
تكبيرة الإحرام
Opening Takbir (Takbirat al-Ihram)
Raise both hands to the earlobes (men) or shoulders (women), palms forward, and say the opening takbir. This marks the formal beginning. Once said, all speech and movement outside of prayer is forbidden — hence 'Ihram' (entering the state of sanctity). Lower the hands and place the right hand over the left on the chest.
Transliteration
Allahu Akbar
Meaning
Allah is greater (than everything in this world and in one's mind).
4
دعاء الاستفتاح
Opening Supplication (Du'a al-Istiftah)
Recite the opening supplication silently. Two versions are reported from the Prophet ﷺ. The Subhanaka version is most widely practised. The Allahumma ba'id version is from Muslim 598 and the Prophet ﷺ used it in the night prayer. Both are valid:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Transliteration
Subhanakal-lahumma wa bihamdika wa tabarakas-muka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuk
Meaning
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. Blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god but You.
Alternative opening supplication — Muslim 598:
اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْمَاءِ وَالْبَرَدِ
Transliteration
Allahumma ba'id bayni wa bayna khatayaya kama ba'adta baynal-mashriqi wal-maghrib. Allahumma naqqini min khatayaya kama yunaqqath-thawbul-abyadu minad-danas. Allahummaghsilni min khatayaya bith-thalji wal-ma'i wal-barad.
Meaning
O Allah, put distance between me and my sins as You have put distance between East and West. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of filth. O Allah, wash away my sins with snow, water, and hail.
5
قراءة الفاتحة وما تيسر من القرآن
Al-Fatiha and Additional Surah
Recite A'udhu billahi mina-sh-shaytanir-rajim and Bismillah (both silently), then recite Surah al-Fatiha. This is a pillar of every unit — the prayer of one who does not recite it is invalid (Bukhari, Muslim). Say 'Amin' aloud in congregation or quietly alone. Then recite any surah from the Quran — the Prophet ﷺ always recited an additional surah in the first two units. Longer surahs in Fajr, shorter in other prayers. This additional surah is Sunnah Mu'akkadah.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Transliteration
Al-hamdu lillahi rabb il-'alamin. Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim. Maliki yawmid-din. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in. Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqim. Siratal-ladhina an'amta 'alayhim, ghayril-maghdubi 'alayhim wa lad-dallin.
Meaning
All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds. The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgement. You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help. Guide us along the straight path — the path of those You have blessed, not those You are displeased with, or those who are astray.
Raise the hands and say Allahu Akbar while bending. Place both hands firmly on the knees, fingers spread, back flat and level with the ground — the head neither drooping nor raised above the back. Hold this with complete stillness (tuma'ninah). The verse that initiated this dhikr: when 'Fasabbih bismi Rabbik al-Azim' (Quran 56:96) was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Make it your ruku' dhikr.' Minimum: three times. Then the additional dhikr:
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Transliteration
Subhana Rabbiy al-'Azim
Meaning
Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great.
Additional dhikr the Prophet ﷺ recited in ruku' — Muslim 771, Abu Dawud 872:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ خَشَعَ لَكَ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَمُخِّي وَعَظْمِي وَعَصَبِي
Transliteration
Subhanakal-lahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika Allahummaghfir li. | Subbuhun Quddusun Rabbul-mala'ikati war-ruh. | Allahumma laka raka'tu wa bika amantu wa laka aslamtu, khasha'a laka sam'i wa basari wa mukhkhi wa 'azmi wa 'asabi.
Meaning
Glory be to You, O Allah our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me. | Most Glorified, Most Holy, Lord of the angels and the Spirit (Jibril). | O Allah, for You I have bowed, in You I believe, and to You I have submitted. My hearing, my sight, my mind, my bones, and my sinews are all humbled before You.
7
الرفع من الركوع
Rising from Ruku'
Rise from bowing, raising the hands to the earlobes while saying Sami'allahu liman hamidah. Stand fully upright — this i'tidal position is a pillar of prayer and must be held with complete stillness before descending. A companion once added words to the tahmid; the Prophet ﷺ said afterwards: 'I saw thirty-odd angels racing to be the first to record it.' This is why these words are especially blessed:
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ
Transliteration
Sami'allahu liman hamidah. Rabbana wa lakal-hamd, hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fih.
Meaning
Allah hears whoever praises Him. Our Lord, all praise is Yours — abundant, pure and blessed praise.
Longer completion — Bukhari 799 (the companion's addition that the Prophet approved):
مِلْءَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَمِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ
Transliteration
Mil'as-samawati wa mil'al-ard wa mil'a ma shi'ta min shay'in ba'd.
Meaning
Filling the heavens and the earth, and whatever You will beyond that.
8
السجود
First Prostration (Sujud)
Descend to the ground with Allahu Akbar. Seven parts must touch the ground: the forehead including the nose, both palms, both knees, and the bottoms of both feet. The forehead must be unobstructed. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The nearest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration — so make much supplication.' (Muslim 482). The verse that initiated this dhikr: when 'Sabbih isma Rabbika al-A'la' (Quran 87:1) was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Make it your sujud dhikr.' Minimum: three times. Then the additional dhikr:
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Transliteration
Subhana Rabbiy al-A'la
Meaning
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Additional dhikr the Prophet ﷺ recited in sujud — Muslim 771, Muslim 486, Abu Dawud:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ لَا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ
Transliteration
Subhanakal-lahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika Allahummaghfir li. | Allahumma laka sajadtu wa bika amantu wa laka aslamtu, sajada wajhi lillathi khalaqahu wa sawwarahu wa shaqqa sam'ahu wa basarahu, tabarakallahu ahsanul-khaliqin. | Allahummaghfir li dhanbi kullahu diqqahu wa jillahu wa awwalahu wa akhirahu wa 'alaniyatahu wa sirrahu. | Allahumma inni a'udhu biridaka min sakhatika wa bimu'afatika min 'uqubatika wa a'udhu bika minka la uhsi thana'an 'alayka anta kama athnayta 'ala nafsik.
Meaning
Glory be to You, O Allah our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me. | O Allah, for You I have prostrated, in You I believe, and to You I have submitted. My face has prostrated to the One who created it and shaped it and split open its hearing and sight — blessed is Allah, the best of creators. | O Allah, forgive me all of my sins — the small and the great, the first and the last, the public and the secret. | O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your anger, in Your pardon from Your punishment. I seek refuge in You from You — I cannot enumerate Your praise; You are as You have praised Yourself. (The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Make much of this in your prostrations.' — Muslim 486)
9
الجلسة بين السجدتين
Sitting Between the Two Prostrations
Rise with Allahu Akbar and sit briefly between the two prostrations. This sitting is a pillar of prayer and must be still. Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated the full du'a the Prophet ﷺ said here — it covers seven comprehensive blessings that every human needs:
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاجْبُرْنِي وَارْفَعْنِي وَارْزُقْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَعَافِنِي وَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Transliteration
Rabbighfir li, warhamni, wajburni, warfa'ni, warzuqni, wahdini, wa'afini, wa'fu 'anni.
Meaning
My Lord, forgive me; have mercy on me; strengthen me (repair my affairs); raise me in rank; provide for me; guide me; grant me wellbeing; and pardon me.
10
السجود الثاني
Second Prostration
Perform the second prostration exactly as the first with all the same dhikr. After this, rise for the next unit (in units one and three) with Allahu Akbar, or remain seated for Tashahhud (after the second and fourth units).
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Transliteration
Subhana Rabbiy al-A'la
Meaning
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
11
التشهد
Tashahhud — The Testimony of Faith in Prayer
Recite the Tashahhud in the sitting after the second unit and in the final sitting. Point the right index finger toward the Qibla from the beginning of the Tashahhud until the end. When you reach the testimony (Ashhadu...), move the finger slightly. The story of the Tashahhud: Ibn Mas'ud (ra) said the companions used to say various greetings in prayer until the Prophet ﷺ taught them this fixed wording, saying: 'Say instead...' It contains the essence of the meeting between the servant and his Lord.
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Transliteration
At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu 'alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahis-salihin. Ashhadu alla ilaha illallahu wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.
Meaning
All verbal greetings, all prayers, and all pure words belong to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allah. Peace be upon us and upon all the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
12
الصلاة الإبراهيمية
Salawat on the Prophet ﷺ (Al-Salat al-Ibrahimiyyah)
After the Tashahhud in the final sitting, recite the Ibrahimiyyah. When the companions asked the Prophet ﷺ how to send blessings upon him, he taught them this exact wording — it links his name with Ibrahim (as), the patriarch of monotheism, because Ibrahim was already known to Allah's mercy. It is called Ibrahimiyyah because it uses Ibrahim as a benchmark of accepted blessings:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Transliteration
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidun Majid.
Meaning
O Allah, send Your mercy upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your mercy upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim — You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim — You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
13
الدعاء قبل التسليم
Final Du'a Before Taslim — Seeking Refuge from Four Things
Before ending the prayer, the Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to seek refuge from four things. He said: 'When one of you completes the Tashahhud, let him seek refuge with Allah from four things.' (Bukhari, Muslim). After this, you may make any personal du'a you wish — the final sitting is one of the best moments for supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
Transliteration
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabr, wa min 'adhabi-nar, wa min fitnati mahya wal-mamat, wa min sharri fitnatil-masihid-dajjal.
Meaning
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave, from the punishment of the Fire, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah (al-Dajjal).
14
التسليم
The Closing Salutation (Taslim)
Turn the head to the right and say the salutation, then to the left and repeat it. This formally concludes the prayer. The prayer has ended — you have stood before Allah, bowed to Him, and prostrated to Him.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
Transliteration
As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah
Meaning
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.