How to pray salah: the five daily prayers, step by step
The rak‘ahs of each prayer, what is recited and the four schools
Five prayers are obligatory every day: Fajr (2 rak‘ahs), Dhuhr (4), Asr (4), Maghrib (3) and Isha (4), 17 rak‘ahs in all. The imam recites aloud at Fajr and in the first two rak‘ahs of Maghrib and Isha; Dhuhr and Asr are recited silently.
What the four schools agree on
The four schools count the same five prayers and the same 17 rak‘ahs. Each rak‘ah follows the same order: standing with the recitation, one bowing, then two prostrations.
Depending on the prayer, the recitation is aloud or silent; you sit for the tashahhud and end with the salam. The table gives the details of each prayer.
| Prayer | Rak‘ahs | Aloud (imam) | Sittings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr | 2 | all 2 rak‘ahs | 1 |
| Dhuhr | 4 | none: all silent | 2 |
| Asr | 4 | none: all silent | 2 |
| Maghrib | 3 | rak‘ahs 1 and 2 | 2 |
| Isha | 4 | rak‘ahs 1 and 2 | 2 |
| Per day | 17 |
| Prayer | Rak‘ahs | Time | Voice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Witr | 3 most often; from 1 to 11, always an odd number | between Isha and Fajr | aloud or silent, as you choose |
| Jumu‘ah | 2, after two sermons | Friday at midday, in place of Dhuhr | aloud (the imam) |
| Tahajjud | 2 at a time, no imposed number | at night, preferably the last third | aloud or silent, as you choose |
| Duha | at least 2; 8 at Umm Hani’s house | in the morning, once the sun is up, before its zenith | silent |
| The two Eids | 2, with extra takbirs | the morning of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha | aloud (the imam) |
| Janazah | none: 4 takbirs, standing | after a death, before the burial | silent |
The Prophet ﷺ asked his companions to pray as they had seen him pray.
A prayer, step by step
Here is how a prayer of two rak‘ahs unfolds. For 3 or 4 rak‘ahs, you stand up after the first tashahhud and continue with Al-Fatiha alone.
- The opening takbir: you raise your hands and enter the prayer.
- Standing: Al-Fatiha, then a surah in the first two rak‘ahs.
- Bowing (ruku‘), back straight, glorifying Allah.
- Rising upright, praising Allah.
- Two prostrations (sujud), with a short sitting in between.
- The second rak‘ah follows the same order.
- After the second rak‘ah, you sit for the tashahhud.
- At the end: last tashahhud, prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ and the final salam.
- Wudu, step by step
- What to recite in each position, from takbir to salam
- The adhkar after prayer, with a counter
To a man who prayed too quickly, the Prophet ﷺ taught him to take the time to be at rest in each position: bowing, upright again, prostrating and sitting.
The four schools, all valid
Which surahs to recite in salah?
After Al-Fatiha, any surah is fine. Practice often follows the length of the surahs of the Mufassal, the last part of the Quran: long at Fajr, short at Maghrib, medium at Asr and Isha.
Abu Hurayra described a prayer very close to the Prophet’s ﷺ: the first two rak‘ahs of Dhuhr long, Asr lighter, short surahs at Maghrib, surahs like Ash-Shams at Isha and two long surahs at Fajr.
Frequently asked questions
How many rak‘ahs are prayed each day?
17 obligatory rak‘ahs: 2 at Fajr, 4 at Dhuhr, 4 at Asr, 3 at Maghrib and 4 at Isha. The sunnah rak‘ahs come in addition.
What is recited in each rak‘ah?
Al-Fatiha in every rak‘ah, then a surah or a few verses in the first two. The positions page details what is said from the takbir to the salam.
How do I know if I recite Al-Fatiha correctly?
Recite it to someone who recites well, or to your imam. The app can also listen to you recite it, word by word.
How can I check my Fatiha and the surahs I recite in prayer?
Recite them out loud in the Tilawa app: it follows your recitation word by word and shows you the words and tajweed rules to work on. During prayer, it can also follow the verses you recite.
Tilawa editorial team · Updated 2026-10-24 · Report an error