How to Pray in Islam: A Complete Beginner's Guide

If you are new to Islam or returning to prayer after time away, learning how to pray can feel overwhelming. There are specific steps, Arabic recitations, and physical positions to learn. But the good news is that salah (Islamic prayer) follows a clear, repeatable structure. Once you learn it, you can pray anywhere in the world, and it takes only 5 to 10 minutes per prayer.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know to start praying, step by step.

The Five Daily Prayers

Muslims pray five times a day, each at a specific time window based on the position of the sun:

1. Fajr — Before sunrise (typically 2 rakah)
2. Dhuhr — After the sun passes its zenith, early afternoon (4 rakah)
3. Asr — Late afternoon (4 rakah)
4. Maghrib — Just after sunset (3 rakah)
5. Isha — Night, after twilight disappears (4 rakah)

A "rakah" is one cycle of prayer that includes standing, bowing, and prostrating. Each prayer consists of a set number of rakah.

Step 1: Make Wudu (Ablution)

Before praying, you must be in a state of ritual purity. This is achieved through wudu (ablution), a simple washing procedure:

1. Intention: Silently intend to perform wudu for prayer.
2. Say Bismillah (In the name of Allah).
3. Wash your hands three times, starting with the right.
4. Rinse your mouth three times, swishing water around.
5. Rinse your nose three times, gently sniffing water in and blowing it out.
6. Wash your face three times, from hairline to chin and ear to ear.
7. Wash your forearms three times, from wrist to elbow, right arm first.
8. Wipe your head once, with wet hands from front to back.
9. Wipe your ears once, using your index fingers inside and thumbs outside.
10. Wash your feet three times, up to the ankles, right foot first, making sure water reaches between the toes.

Your wudu remains valid until it is broken by using the bathroom, passing gas, sleeping deeply, or bleeding significantly (depending on the school of thought you follow).

Step 2: Find the Qibla Direction

Muslims face the Kaaba in Makkah (Mecca) during prayer. This direction is called the Qibla. You can find it using a Qibla compass app on your phone. Just Pray includes a built-in Qibla finder, as do most Muslim prayer apps.

If you are praying at a mosque, the Qibla direction is already set by the building's orientation.

Step 3: How to Perform One Rakah

Here is the sequence of one complete rakah (prayer cycle). Every prayer is built from this pattern:

Standing (Qiyam)

Stand facing the Qibla with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your hands to your ears and say "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is the Greatest). This is called Takbirat al-Ihram and marks the beginning of your prayer.

Place your right hand over your left hand on your chest (the exact positioning varies by school of thought). Lower your gaze to the spot where you will prostrate.

Recite Surah Al-Fatiha, the opening chapter of the Quran. This is required in every rakah:

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen. Ar-Rahmanir Raheem. Maliki Yawmid Deen. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een. Ihdinas Siratal Mustaqeem. Siratal lazeena an'amta alaihim, ghairil maghdoobi alaihim wa lad daalleen. Ameen.

After Al-Fatiha, in the first two rakah of every prayer, you recite an additional short surah or portion of the Quran. A good starting surah for beginners is Surah Al-Ikhlas:

Qul huwa Allahu ahad. Allahus samad. Lam yalid wa lam yoolad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.

Bowing (Ruku)

Say "Allahu Akbar" and bow at the waist, placing your hands on your knees. Your back should be straight and parallel to the ground. In this position, say "Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great) three times.

Rise from bowing while saying "Sami Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears those who praise Him), then say "Rabbana wa lakal hamd" (Our Lord, to You is all praise) while standing straight.

Prostration (Sujud)

Say "Allahu Akbar" and go down into prostration. Seven parts of your body should touch the ground: your forehead (with nose), both palms, both knees, and the toes of both feet.

In sujud, say "Subhana Rabbiyal A'la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) three times. This is the closest a servant is to Allah, so it is an excellent time for personal supplication (dua).

Sitting Between Prostrations

Rise from sujud saying "Allahu Akbar", sit briefly on your knees, and say "Rabbi ighfir lee" (My Lord, forgive me). Then perform the second sujud exactly as the first.

That completes one rakah.

Step 4: Completing the Full Prayer

After the second rakah (and the fourth, if applicable), you sit for the Tashahhud:

At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu alaika ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu alaina wa ala ibadillahis-saliheen. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh.

In the final sitting of the prayer, you also add the Salawat (blessings upon the Prophet):

Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad, kama sallaita ala Ibrahim wa ala ali Ibrahim, innaka hameedun majeed. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim wa ala ali Ibrahim, innaka hameedun majeed.

To finish the prayer, turn your head to the right and say "As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah" (Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you), then turn to the left and repeat the same greeting. This is called the Taslim and marks the end of your prayer.

Tips for Beginners

• Start with what you can memorize. If you cannot recite everything in Arabic yet, start with Al-Fatiha and one short surah. Add more as you learn. Allah rewards the effort.
• Pray even if it is imperfect. A sincere prayer with mistakes is infinitely better than no prayer at all. Do not wait until you have everything memorized perfectly.
• Use a prayer app to track your progress. Apps like Just Pray help you track which prayers you have completed each day, build streaks, and see your consistency improve over time. The visual feedback of watching your Garden of Deeds grow as you pray is especially helpful for beginners building a new habit.
• Set prayer reminders. Use your phone's prayer notifications so you never accidentally miss a prayer time. Just Pray sends three reminders per prayer: when the time enters, a follow-up, and a final nudge.
• Find a prayer buddy. If possible, find a friend or family member to learn alongside. Accountability makes habit-building significantly easier.
• Do not compare yourself to lifelong Muslims. Everyone started somewhere. Focus on your own progress, not on how far ahead others seem.

Common Beginner Questions

What if I make a mistake during prayer?

If you make a small mistake, you can correct it and continue. For larger mistakes (like forgetting a full rakah), there is a special prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud as-Sahw) that you can perform at the end. But as a beginner, focus on doing your best. Allah values sincerity above perfection.

Can I read from a phone or paper during prayer?

Yes. Many scholars permit beginners to read the Quran or prayer recitations from a phone or printed card during prayer until they memorize them. The important thing is that you pray.

What if I do not know which direction is Qibla?

Use a Qibla compass app. Just Pray includes one built in. If you genuinely cannot determine the direction and have no tools available, face the direction you believe is closest and pray. Allah does not burden anyone beyond their capacity.

How long does each prayer take?

A typical prayer takes 5 to 10 minutes. Fajr (2 rakah) is the shortest, while Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha (4 rakah each) take a bit longer. Across all five prayers, you are looking at about 30 to 45 minutes total spread throughout the entire day.

Your Next Step

The best time to start praying is now. You do not need to be perfect. You do not need to have everything memorized. Pick one prayer — many scholars suggest starting with Fajr — and commit to it daily. Then add another. Then another.

Download Just Pray to help you track your progress, get accurate prayer times, and build your salah habit one prayer at a time. It is free and available on both the App Store and Google Play.