How to Pray In Islam: Perform Namaaz/Salaat

To pray Namaaz you must first learn 12 Surahs of the Quran, these are the most common paragraphs used and they are very short and it is all you require to pray. The first surah that you must learn is surah fateha – below is the phonetical version of the surah.

(Note: when reciting a paragraph/verse of the Quran you would recite – aoothubillahi minash shaitanir rajeem, bismillahir rahmanir raheem - before it)

Surah Fatiha

Al hamdu lilla hi rabbil alameen, ar rahmanir raheem, maliky yow mi’deen, iya ka na’budu wa iya ka nastaeeen, Ih dinas siraatal mustakeem, siraatal lathee na wa-anta alayhim, ghayril maghdu bi alayhim walad dua’leen. Ameen.

Alamtara

Alamtara kaifafa ala rabbu ka bias ha bil feel, alam yaj’al qaydahum fi tad leel, wa ar sala alayhim tayran aba beel, tar mi him bih jar a tim min sij’jeel, faja alahum qa as fi im maqkool.

Lilafi

Lilafi Qureish ilafi him, rih la tash shi sta wa’saif, fali ya’budu rabba ha thal ba’it, allah thi ath amahum min jue, wa amanahum min khowth.

Araythalathi 

Ara ay tal la zi u kazzibu biddeeen, faza li kalla thee ya du’ uli ya teem, wala ya huddu ala tu a mil misqeem, fawai lulill musalleen. Allah thee na hum ansa la thi him saahuun, Allah thee na hum uraa una wa yamnaunal ma uuun.

In’na ‘a’ thaina

In’na ‘a’ thaina kal kauthar, fasal lily rabbu ka wanhar, inna shaa ni aqa huwal abthar

Al Falaq

Cul aoothu bi rabbil falaq, min sharri ma khalaq, wa min sharri ghasikin iza waqab, wa min sharri naffa saati fil uqad.

Izaja

Izaja anassurul la hi wal fath, wa araythan nasa yad khulu na fi di nil la hi af waja, fasabih bihamdi rabbi ka was staghfirhu, innahu kaana tawaba.

Surah Al Kafiruun

Cul ya ayu hal kafiruun, la a’ bu du ma ta’ bu duun. Wala wantum a’ bidu ma abud, wala ana a bidum ma abattum, wala antum a’bidu ma abud. Lakum deenukum wali ya deen.

Tabaththiada

Tabathiada ha bila habew wathab, ma aghna anhum maaluhu wama kasab, sayas la na rangzatha la habew wa am ra athu hamma lathal hathab, fiji di ha hablum mim masad.

Surah An Nas

Cul aoothu bi rabbin naaas, malikin naaas, ilahin naaas, min sharril was waas sil khan naaas, allah thee u was wisu feesadu rin naaas, wa minal jinnathi wan naaas.

Culhuallah hu ahad

Cul hu allah hu ahad, allah hus samad, lam ya lid wa lam ulad, walam ya kullahu kufu wan ahad.

Atta – Hiyyathu

Atta hiyya thu, wa lilla hi wassala wa thu, wa thayi bathu, assalamualika ayyuhan nabiyu warahmathullahi wa barakathu, assalamualina wa alla ibaadil lahis suaaliheen. Ashadu allah ilaha illal la hu wa ash hadu anna muhammdadan abduhu warasuluh. 

Durood Shareef

Allah humma salli alla Muhammad, wala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta ala ibrahima, wala ali ibrahima, innaka hameedun majeed.

Allah humma barikala Muhammad, wala ali Muhammad, kama barakta ala ibrahima, wala ali ibrahima, innaka hameedun majeed.

Allah Humma inni Zalamthu

Allah humma inni zalam thu, nafsi zulman kaseera, fala yagfiruz zunuba, illa anta, fagh firili magh firatan, min indika, war hamni. Inaka anthal ghafoorur raheem.

To read the Quran or pray, Muslims first purify using water themselves, this is called Wudhu (Ablution). It is said in a few Hadeeths (sayings of the prophet) that when a person performs Wudhu, it is as if they are washing away their sins with the water.

Ablution/Wudhu

A brief step-by-step procedure for performing Wudhu (Ablution) is as follows:

Before making Wudhu, you should make the intention that the Wudhu is for the purpose of purifying yourself.

This intention (Niyah) can be made in the heart silently to oneself.

Begin by saying: Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

1.  Wash the hands up to the wrists preferably three times or more making sure it is wet

2.  Get a handful of water and rinse the mouth out three times

3.  Use handful of water and carefully put water into the nose and using your left finger clear out both nostrils three times or blow out the water with left hand three times.

4.  Wash the face from the forehead to chin and from ear to ear three times making sure that your eyelids are also wet. You can do this by closing your eyes and by rubbing clean water over them.

5.  Starting with the right side, wash the arm up to the elbow (preferably slightly above) three times, then do the same for the left arm making sure that both sides of your arm is wet. When washing right arm use your left hand to massage the water on your arm using the tap. And vice versa.

6.  Using wet hands, rub them over the head starting with the forehead, wiping it backwards slowly sliding your hands over your hair. Then with your wet fingers, wipe the inside and outside of your ears.

7.  Finally, wash your feet up to the ankle three times starting from the right foot. Making sure that the parts in between your toes are wet. This is done by making your left hand wet and then with your small finger clean the in between of your toes starting from right and finishing on the left foot.

When you have done this, you have successfully purified yourself and you may pray or read the Holy Quran. (please note: if you let out gas then you would have to repeat the steps again.) the process of purifying yourself above is the FULL and longest method. There is a shorter method of doing it which are the compulsory parts that need to be done. The above method is the method used by our prophet. But the short method can be done if you want to save time. Contact me if you would like to know the short method, but for the time being I suggest you use the long method so that you can get used to it.

If for some reason you do not have access to water, there is another method of purifying yourself. This method can be used if there is no water available to you or you are so ill that water would make your illness worse. This method is called Taymoom. This method would require you to use dust to cleanse your self (not mud). You can use dust from the wall which is not so thick and the only part you would need to rub the dust onto are your arms (up to elbow), hands (up to wrist) and face (Not inside nostrils). Only a bit of dust is required and not a handful. So in affect it would only be a very, very thin layer and it may not be visible to the naked eye.

Next you must work out the direction of the Qiblah/Kaabah

Muslims, wherever they may be in the world are required to face towards the Kaabah in Makkah to pray.