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In Islam, the five daily prayers, also known as "Salah" or "Salat," are an essential part of a Muslim's worship and spiritual practice. The prayer is performed by Muslims as a means of establishing a direct connection with Allah (God). The prayers are considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which are the fundamental acts of worship and obedience for Muslims. The five daily prayers are performed at specific times throughout the day and night, and each prayer consists of a prescribed set of physical movements and recitations. There are slight differences depending on the sect or school of Islam.
This is an educational page for non-muslims who do not know Arabic.
We will include translations of the Arabic recitations in English below. Though in Islamic practice, there is a scholarly consensus that the prayers are supposed to be done in Arabic.
DISCLAIMER: This is not an official step by step guide to the Islamic prayer. We are not religious authorities. This is simply a multicultural, educational guide on what is generally said during the Islamic prayer in English for those who may not know Arabic. We acknowledge that we are not an Islamic organization. We acknowledge there can be some debate on this topic depending on the sect and school of Islam. Here we are simply describing what is generally said in the prayer according to mainstream Sunni Islamic sources that we trust. Check out IslamiCity for more information on this topic.
WHAT IS SAID IN THE ISLAMIC PRAYER:
(What is said in the prayer is in bold. The physical steps are not in bold).
God is greatest.
Praise and glory be to You O God.
Blessed be Your Name
Exalted be Your Majesty and Glory.
There is no God but You.
I seek refuge in God from the accursed Satan.
(Next the worshiper recites the opening chapter of the Quran)
In the name of God, the infinitely Compassionate and Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment.
You alone do we worship, and You alone do we ask for help.
Guide us on the straight path,
the path of those who You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked Your anger, or of those who are astray.
After reciting the first chapter of the Quran, the worshiper can recite another chapter from the Quran. However, at a minimum, they should recite the first chapter of the Quran in every cycle of prayer.
As the worshiper bows down, they say, "God is the greatest."
When they are in the bowing position, they will say this sentence three times:
"Glorified is my Lord, the Great."
As the worshiper is rising up from the bowing position to a standing position, they will bring their hands to their ears and will say:
"God hears those who praise Him."
Then they will lower their hands and say:
"Our Lord, praise be for You only."
Then the worshiper will go down to perform prostration. This is known as ‘sujud,’ As the worshiper is moving into this position, they say, "God is the greatest."
While in sujud (prostration), the worshiper will say this sentence three times:
"How perfect is my Lord, the Most High."
The worshiper will rise up from sujud and sit on their knees. As they are getting out of prostration into the sitting position, they will say, "God is the greatest." Then they will place their hands on their knees.
In this position it is recommended to ask Allah for forgiveness. A simple and easy prayer one can say is:
"O my Lord, forgive me."
The worshiper will return to the position of prostration. Once again, they will say, "How perfect is my Lord, the Most High," three times.
The worshiper will arise from the prostration to return to the standing position and say, "God is the greatest," completing one full rakah (cycle of prayer).
When the worshiper reaches the end of the second cycle of prayer, and they are sitting on their knees, they will perform the tashahud, or the following steps.
All the compliments, prayers and pure words are for God.
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of God and His blessings.
Peace be upon us, and on the righteous slaves of God.
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
If this is the final rakah (cycle) in the prayer then the worshiper will add this part:
O God, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family (or followers) of Muhammad, just as You sent prayers upon Ibrahim and the family (or followers) of Ibrahim.
Verily, You are full of Praise and Majesty.
O God, bless Muhammad and the family (or followers) of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family (or followers) of Ibraaheem.
Verily, You are full of Praise and Majesty.
After this, the worshiper will say any short prayer they wish to recite.
Then the worshiper will say the tasleem.
The tasleem is to look to the right and say:
"Peace be upon you and the mercy of God."
And then to look to the left and say it again.
"Peace be upon you and the mercy of God."
The prayer has ended.
THE FIVE DAILY PRAYER TIMES
Here is an explanation of the five daily prayer times in Islam. This explanation gets into the number of obligatory prayers required (the Fard prayers). There are also voluntary prayers and the Sunnah prayers (extra prayers that Muhammad did). However, we will mainly focus on the obligatory prayers.
Fajr (Dawn Prayer): Fajr prayer is performed before sunrise, typically in the early morning. It consists of two units of prayer (rak'ahs). The recitation during Fajr prayer is usually done out loud.
Dhuhr (Midday Prayer): Dhuhr prayer is performed after the sun has passed its zenith, around midday. It consists of four units of prayer. The recitation during Dhur prayer is usually done silently.
Asr (Afternoon Prayer): Asr prayer is performed in the afternoon, typically during the later part of the day but before sunset. It consists of four units of prayer. The recitation during Asr prayer is usually done silently.
Maghrib (Evening Prayer): Maghrib prayer is performed just after sunset, when the sky has turned dark. It consists of three units of prayer. Maghrib prayer marks the end of the day and the beginning of the evening. The recitation during Maghrib is usually done out loud.
Isha (Night Prayer): Isha prayer is typically performed after the twilight has disappeared, usually in the late evening or night. It consists of four units of prayer. The recitation during Isha is usually done out loud.
It is worth noting that the times for the daily prayers are determined based on the position of the sun, and they may vary depending on the geographical location, the season, school of thought and sect.
LINKS
Disclaimer: We cannot personally vouch for all these websites or apps. We are just providing them as an information service. Your nearby mosque will most likely have prayer times for your local area on their website.
Prayer in English
How to pray, step by step (Masjid Ar-rahmah)
Description of Prayer and Prayer in English (Islamicity)
Prayer in English (My Islam)
Pray in Islam (WikiHow)
What is said in the Muslim Prayer? (Islam Easy)
Prayer Times
Prayer Times (Date Hijri)
Islamic Finder Prayer Times (Islamic Finder)
Learn How To Pray
Namaz App: Learn Salah Prayer (Apple)