Prayer guide
The Duas Within the Prayer
Every position in salah has dhikr taught by the Prophet ﷺ. Knowing them and meaning them is the difference between performing a movement and standing before Allah.
Takbir al-Ihram
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu Akbar
Allah is the Greatest.
The opening takbir. Said with hands raised to the level of the shoulders or earlobes. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The key to prayer is purification, its opening (entering it from outside) is the takbir, and its concluding (exiting it) is the salam.' (Abu Dawud 61, Tirmidhi 3). Once this takbir is said, you have entered a sacred state — speech, food, drink, and worldly action become forbidden until the salam.
Du'a al-Istiftah (Opening Du'a)
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subhanaka-llahumma wa bi-hamdik, wa tabaraka-smuk, wa ta'ala jadduk, wa la ilaha ghayruk
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise. Blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god other than You.
One of several authentic openings. Another is: 'Allahumma ba'id bayni wa bayna khataya kama ba'adta bayna l-mashriqi wa-l-maghrib — O Allah, distance me from my sins as You distanced the East from the West…' (Bukhari 744). Either is Sunnah, said quietly between the opening takbir and the recitation.
Ta'awwudh and Bismillah
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ. بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytani-r-rajim. Bismillahi-r-Rahmani-r-Rahim
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Said before reciting al-Fatihah, in the first rak'ah (and according to some scholars, in every rak'ah). Allah commanded it: 'So when you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled.' (Qur'an 16:98).
Surah al-Fatihah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 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
Bismillahi-r-Rahmani-r-Rahim. Al-hamdu lillahi rabbi-l-'alamin. Ar-Rahmani-r-Rahim. Maliki yawmi-d-din. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in. Ihdina-s-sirata-l-mustaqim. Sirata-lladhina an'amta 'alayhim, ghayri-l-maghdubi 'alayhim, wa la-d-dallin
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is for Allah, Lord of the worlds. The Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful. Sovereign of the Day of Judgement. You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor — not of those who have earned wrath, nor of those who go astray.
Al-Fatihah is recited in every rak'ah of every prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'There is no prayer for one who does not recite al-Fatihah.' (Bukhari 756, Muslim 394). Allah Himself called it 'the Seven Oft-Repeated' (Qur'an 15:87).
Tasbih of Ruku'
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhana rabbiya-l-'azim
Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
Said in ruku' (bowing) three or more times. The Prophet ﷺ taught it after the verse 'So glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent' was revealed: 'Place this in your ruku'.' (Abu Dawud 869). The minimum to fulfill the Sunnah is one; three is the established practice; more is excellent.
Rising from Ruku'
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ. رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ
Sami'a-llahu liman hamidah. Rabbana wa laka-l-hamd, hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fih
Allah hears whoever praises Him. Our Lord, and to You is all praise — much, good, and blessed praise.
The imam (or the one praying alone) says the first phrase while rising; the follower says the second once standing. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'When the imam says Sami'a-llahu liman hamidah, you say Rabbana wa laka-l-hamd. For whoever says this in concord with the angels, his previous sins are forgiven.' (Bukhari 796).
Tasbih of Sujud
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Subhana rabbiya-l-a'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Said in sujud three or more times. Taught by the Prophet ﷺ after Surah al-A'la was revealed (Abu Dawud 869). Sujud is the position in which the believer is closest to Allah — 'The closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in sujud, so multiply your du'a in it.' (Muslim 482). After the obligatory tasbih, any du'a may be made silently.
Between the Two Sujuds
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbi-ghfir li, Rabbi-ghfir li
My Lord, forgive me. My Lord, forgive me.
Said in the brief sitting between the two prostrations. A fuller form: 'Rabbi-ghfir li, wa-rhamni, wa-jburni, wa-rfa'ni, wa-rzuqni, wa-hdini, wa-'afini — My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, mend me, raise me, provide for me, guide me, and grant me well-being.' (Abu Dawud 850, Tirmidhi 284).
Tashahhud
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
At-tahiyyatu lillahi wa-s-salawatu wa-t-tayyibat. As-salamu 'alayka ayyuha-n-nabiyyu wa rahmatu-llahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadi-llahi-s-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illa-llah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh
All greetings, prayers, and pure things are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon 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.
Recited in the sitting after every two rak'ahs and in the final sitting. The Prophet ﷺ taught this exact form to Ibn Mas'ud, who said: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me the tashahhud with my hand between his hands as he taught me a surah from the Qur'an.' (Bukhari 6265, Muslim 402).
Durood Ibrahim
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
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
O Allah, send Your salah upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You sent Your salah upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim — indeed You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You sent Your blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim — indeed You are Praiseworthy and Glorious.
Recited in the final tashahhud, after the basic tashahhud. The Prophet ﷺ taught this when the Companions asked him how to send blessings upon him (Bukhari 3370, Muslim 405). It is the only Durood the Prophet ﷺ himself dictated word-for-word.
Du'a Before the Final Salam
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'adhabi jahannam, wa min 'adhabi-l-qabr, wa min fitnati-l-mahya wa-l-mamat, wa min sharri fitnati-l-Masihi-d-Dajjal
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah.
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'When one of you has finished the final tashahhud, let him seek refuge in Allah from four things: the punishment of Hell, the punishment of the grave, the trials of life and death, and the trial of the False Messiah.' (Muslim 588). After this, any other du'a may be added before the salam.
The Two Salams
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatu-llah
Peace and the mercy of Allah be upon you.
The prayer ends with two salams — turning the face first to the right, then to the left. (Muslim 582, Abu Dawud 996.) Some Companions added 'wa barakatuh' to the right-side salam, and that is also reported. With the salam, the prayer's sacred state is exited.