Islamic Guides
Clean, step-by-step reference guides. These are general overviews — schools of thought (madhabs) differ on some details, so check with your local mosque or scholar for anything specific to your situation.
Wudu (ablution) is required before Salah. Perform the steps in order, without long gaps between them.
Make the intention (niyyah)
An intention in the heart to perform wudu for the sake of Allah — no specific words are required.
Say Bismillah
Begin with "Bismillah" (in the name of Allah).
Wash the hands
Three times, up to and including the wrists, starting with the right hand.
Rinse the mouth
Three times.
Rinse the nose
Sniff water in and blow it out, three times.
Wash the face
Three times, from hairline to chin and ear to ear.
Wash the arms
Three times each, up to and including the elbows — right arm first, then left.
Wipe the head
Once, with wet hands, from the front of the head to the back and returning to the front.
Wipe the ears
Once, using wet fingers — index fingers inside the ears, thumbs behind them.
Wash the feet
Three times each, up to and including the ankles — right foot first, then left.
How to perform Salah, step by step. For the full rak'ah count of every prayer — daily, Friday, night, Ramadan, Eid and more — see the dedicated Daily Prayers reference.
Niyyah (intention)
Intend in your heart which prayer you're about to perform (e.g. 2 rak'ahs of Fajr, fard, facing the Qiblah) — intention doesn't require specific words. Some people also say it aloud as a matter of common practice, not obligation.
Takbir
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
"Allahu Akbar" — said to formally enter the prayer, hands raised then folded.
Istiftah (opening dua)
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
"Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaraka ismuka, wa ta'ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghayruk" — "Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. Blessed is Your name and exalted is Your majesty. There is no god but You." (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)
Qiyam (standing)
Recite Al-Fatihah, then another passage from the Qur'an (in the first two rakat).
Ruku (bowing)
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Bow with a straight back, hands on knees, saying "Subhana Rabbiyal 'Azim" — "Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent."
Standing back up
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ
"Sami' Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd" — "Allah hears whoever praises Him; our Lord, praise be to You."
Sujud (prostration), twice
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes touching the ground, saying "Subhana Rabbiyal A'la" — "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High" — with a brief sitting between the two prostrations.
Repeat for each rakat
Sitting for Tashahhud after the second rakat (and the last), then Taslim (turning the head right then left) to end the prayer.
Friday (Jumu'ah) prayer replaces Dhuhr for men attending, and is prayed in congregation.
Ghusl is recommended
A ritual bath before heading to the mosque is a strongly recommended sunnah.
Arrive early
Early attendance and sitting close to the front carries extra reward in the hadith literature.
Listen to the two khutbahs (sermons)
Sit quietly and attentively — speaking during the khutbah is discouraged.
Pray 2 rakat in congregation
Jumu'ah itself is 2 fard rakat, led by the imam — it replaces that day's Dhuhr.
Two separate concessions for travelers — Qasr (shortening) and Jam' (combining). Exact distance/duration thresholds vary between schools of thought, so this is a general outline.
Qasr — shortening
The 4-rakat prayers (Dhuhr, Asr, Isha) may be shortened to 2 rakat each while traveling a recognized distance. Fajr (2) and Maghrib (3) are not shortened.
Jam' — combining
Dhuhr and Asr may be combined, and Maghrib and Isha may be combined, prayed together at the time of either one — useful while actively traveling.
Intention
Intend the shortening and/or combining at the start of the prayer.
Fasting (Sawm) during Ramadan is obligatory on healthy adult Muslims.
Intention
A heart intention to fast for that day, any time before dawn — no specific words are required. A commonly used verbal formula (a matter of custom, not obligation) is below.
Suhoor
A pre-dawn meal before Fajr — recommended, and it's better to eat close to Fajr rather than earlier in the night.
The fast
From Fajr to Maghrib: no food, drink, or marital relations; also avoiding smoking, and striving to guard the tongue and behavior.
Iftar dua
ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
"Dhahabaz-zama'u wabtallatil-'uruqu, wa thabatal-ajru in sha Allah" — "The thirst is gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills." (Abu Dawud) Break the fast promptly at Maghrib — traditionally with dates and water, then Maghrib prayer, then the fuller meal.
A high-level overview only — Hajj and Umrah involve detailed rites best learned from an accredited guide, your Hajj group's scholar, or an official Hajj/Umrah preparation course before you travel.
Ihram
Entering a state of ritual consecration at designated boundary points (Miqat), with the intention for Hajj or Umrah, wearing the prescribed simple garments.
Tawaf
Circling the Kaaba seven times.
Sa'i
Walking between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times.
Umrah ends here
Umrah is completed after Tawaf, Sa'i, and cutting/shaving the hair — a shorter pilgrimage performable any time of year.
Hajj-specific rites (in Dhul-Hijjah)
Standing at Arafat, staying overnight at Muzdalifah, the symbolic stoning of the pillars at Mina, animal sacrifice, and a final Tawaf — each with its own day and sequence within the Hajj season.