Step 1. Stand up straight on the prayer mat spreading the feet equal to the distance of four fingers.

Hadith: Abdullah Ibn Masu’d (R.A) saw a person standing in salah with his feet together. He judged this action against sunnah. Thereafter he advised the person that he must leave a small gap between the feet (An-Nasai 1/142,)
In Fiqhul Imam it is stated that do not keep the toes far apart while standing for salah. (Nur al-Idah 153)

Step 2. Make intention.

Hadith: Narrated by 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: “I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The reward of deeds depend upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for." (Bukhari, hadith no 1)


Step 3. Raise the hands for the opening Allahu Akbar to the level of the ears.

Hadith: Narrated by Wail Ibn Hujar (RA) that he saw at the beginning of salah prophet (SAW) used to start his salah by saying Allahu Akbar and raise his hands up to the ears. (According to Hammam) (SahihMuslim1/401)

MEN: Stretch the fingers of both hands. Face the palms towards the direction of
The Qibla

WOMEN: Should raise her hands till shoulders.

Hadith: Wail Ibn Hujr (R.A) states that Rasulullah (S.A.W) said to him, “O Ibn Hujr, when you perform salah raise your hands till your ears while a woman should raise her hands up to the chest.” (Majmauz Zawaid 1/103, another hadith in this topic reported by Alqama Ibn Wail, see Ibn Abi Shaibah 1/343)


Step 4. Place the right hand over the left hand below the navel.

Hadith: Ali (R.A) said, “Verily, it is from the sunnah to place the right hand over the left hand under the navel”. (Dar E Qutni 1/286)

WOMEN: Should place her one palm over the other on her breast. (As-Siayah 2/156)


Step 5. Read thana.

Hadith: Prophet (S.A.W) said, “Salah will not be completed until the glorification of Allah and his praise has been uttered. Thereafter read from the Quran whichever place he likes to”. (Abu Dawud and Hakim. Hakim said this hadith is authentic)
Thana is: Subhanaka Allahumma wa Bihamdika watabarakasmuka wa ta’la Jadduka wa la Ilaha Gairuk)



Step 6. Read “Auzu Billahi minash shaitaanir rajeem”

Quran: Allah says, “When you read the Quran, seek Allah’s protection from Satan the rejected one”. (16:98)


Step 7. Read “Bismillahir rahmanir raheem” at the beginning of every rakat, before sura fatiha.

Hadith: The prophet (S.A.W) would begin his prayer with Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. (Maraky al Falah 147)


Step 8. Read sura Fatiha.

Hadith: Prophet (S.A.W) said, “Whoever does not recite sura al-Fatiha in his prayer, his salah is invalid”. (Bukhari 756)

Step 9. Say Ameen silently.
Hadith: Reported by Alqama ibn Waeel from his father that Rasullulah (S.A.W) after reading GHAIRIL MAGDUBI ALAIHIM WA LAD DALLIN, read AMEEN with silent voice. (Tirmizi vol 1 page 35)

Step 10. Add one sura or one long verse or three short verses from the Quran.

Hadith: Once prophet (S.A.W) read two shortest suras of the Quran in fajr salah. At the end of the salah companions (R.A) asked, O prophet of Allah, why did you shorten the salah today? He replied, “I heard a child is crying, I guessed that the mother is reading salah with us. Therefore I shortened the salah in order to relieve the mother.” (Musnad E Ahmad; Ibn Abi Dawud; Sifati saltin-nabi, Al-Bani 103)


Note: Followers must not read “Alhamdu... And Sura”, rather they must listen.

Hadith; Abu Musa narrated that prophet (SAW) taught us how to read salah. He said to us whenever you read salah one of you may become imam and when imam starts to read Qirat followers may keep silent.( Muslim 404)


Allah says, “When Quran is being recited you should listen to it attentively.” (A’raf :23)
Step 11. Say Allahu Akbar and go to ruku.

Hadith: The prophet (S.A.W) would make takbir every time he declined for ruku. (Muslim 392)

Step 12. Place the hands on the knees and keep the fingers spread out. Keep the legs vertical while the back is straight with the head and buttocks.

Hadith: If the prophet (S.A.W) was in ruku he would straighten his back that if water was poured on his back it would remain. (Ibn Majah 872)


Step 13. Read “Subhana Rabbial A’zeem” at least three times.
Hadith: prophet (S.A.W) said, “If one performs ruku, he should say three times Subhana Rabbial A’zeem, and this the minimum.” (Abu Dawud 885)


Step 14. While standing up from ruku say SamiAllahu liman hamidah and thereafter make your body upright and say Rabbana wa lakal hamd.

Hadith: Rasululllah (S.A.W) used to say SamiAllahu liman Hamidah While standing up from ruku and after straightening his body he would say Rabbana wa Lakal Hamd. (Bukhari, Muslim, Albani page 141)

Step 15. Say Allahu Akbar when declining for sajdah (prostration) and when rising from it.

Hadith: Prophet (S.A.W) would recite Allahu Akbar for every incline and decline. (Muslim 392)


Step 16. Make your sajdah between two palms.

Hadith: The prophet (S.A.W) would place his face between his hands when prostrating. (Muslim 392)


Step 17. Say the Tasbih three times. (Subhana rabbial a’la)

Hadith: Abdullah ibn Masud (R.A) reported that prophet (S.A.W) said, “When one of you bow, he should say three times Subhana rabbial a’zeem and when he prostrates, he should say Subhana rabbial a’la. This is the minimum number. (Abu Dawud 885)

Step 18. Keep distances the abdomen from the thighs, elbows from the sides and arms off the ground.

Hadith: Ibn Abbas (R.A) said, I came to the prophet (S.A.W) from behind, I saw the whiteness of his armpits and he kept them far away from his sides and raised his stomach [from the ground]. (Abu Dawud 898)


Women: Must place their arms flat on the ground in sajdah.

Hadith: Yazid Ibn Abi Habib states that Rasulullah (S.A.W) passed by two women who were performing their salah. He said to them, “When you prostrate, make part of your body touch the ground because a woman is unlike a man in these aspects.” (Abu Dawud 118; Sunanul Kubra 2/223)

Step 19. During the brief sitting between two sajdahs and during the sitting of tashahhud it is sunnah for a man to lay down his left foot on its left side and sit on it while the right foot is allowed to stand upright with the heel in the air so that the toes are facing the direction of prayer.
Hadith: this hadith is related from Ibn Umar (R.A) in the hadith book An-Nasai. (1/248)


Women: should sit on her left buttock and take out both her legs towards the right side. She should place both her hands on the thighs and keep her fingers close together.

Hadith: Abdullah Ibn Umar (R.A) was asked how the women performed their salah during the era of Rasulullah (S.A.W). He replied that initially they used to sit cross-legged . Then they were ordered to draw themselves close together and lean onto one side by resting on their left buttocks and completely contracting themselves.
(Jamiul Masanid 1/400)


Step 20. During tashahhud place the hands on the thighs. Do not hold the knees.(Reference: Nur al Idah 156)


Step 21. Raise the index finger when say La ilaha and lower it when affirming Illal Allah.

Hadith: It is narrated that when Rasulullah (S.A.W) used to sit down to supplicate, (to recite tashahhud) he used to place his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh. He would indicate at the time of reciting the shahadah by raising his index finger. He would also join the ends of his thumb and middle finger (thereby forming a circle). [Sahih Muslim, chapter on the description of sitting-Hadith no.579]


Step 22. Read Allahumma salli ala... and Allahumma barik ala...

Quran: Allah says: O you those who believe! Do pray to Allah to bless him and send your salam (prayer for his being in peace) to him in abundance. (Al-Ahzab 56)

Step 23. Supplicate with the words that resemble the quran and sunnah.

Hadith: Abu Bakar (R.A) reported that he said to the prophet (S.A.W) “Teach me O messenger of Allah, the supplication that I may ask in my prayer. Upon which the prophet (S.A.W) said, say “Allahumma inni zalamtu ..... gafurur rahim.” (Bukhari 834)


Step 24.Say Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah together with a salam of Imam.

Hadith: Itban bin Malik (R.A) narrated, “We offered prayer with the prophet and used to finish our prayer with the taslim along with his. (Bukhari 838)


It is recommended to look at the area of prostration when standing; at the top part of the feet when bowing; at the tip of the nose when in prostration; at the lap when sitting and at the shoulders when giving the final salam. This is recommended for both male and female, the intended aim being to protect oneself from destruction.
The prophet (S.A.W) said, worship Allah as if you see him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you. (Bukhari, 47)