Fard rak’ahs
BEGIN WITH CONFIDENCE
Learn to pray.
One step at a time.
A calm, visual introduction to salah, with Arabic recitations, pronunciation help, and an English meaning.
A two-rak’ah learning example.
This guide illustrates a common Sunni sequence. Hand positions, some wording, and other details differ between schools of practice. Learn with your local imam; this is educational material, not an ISGH religious ruling. A two-rak’ah example does not complete a three- or four-rak’ah prayer.
Rak’ah 1ILLUSTRATED MOVEMENT
Stand facing the Qibla. Raise your hands for the opening takbir.
A simplified posture illustration. Use a teacher to learn the details.
Begin with the takbir.
With your intention in your heart, stand facing the Qibla and say Allahu Akbar to begin the prayer. Raise your hands as taught by your imam.
The intention is in the heart. This lesson does not prescribe a spoken intention formula.
Playback speed is for studying the illustrations. It is not a prescribed prayer pace. Pause and read at your own speed.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Prepare with care.
Start with the essentials, and ask an imam about purification, clothing, accessibility, and your own circumstances.
Purification in the Qur’an · 5:6 ↗My preparation checklist
What does wudu include?
Qur’an 5:6 names washing the face and arms to the elbows, wiping the head, and washing the feet to the ankles. A teacher can demonstrate the full practice, including the hands, mouth, and nose, and explain sequence, what invalidates wudu, and when ghusl or tayammum applies. Do not treat this short checklist as a complete ruling for every situation.
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THE FIVE DAILY PRAYERS
Build a daily rhythm.
Fard rak’ahs
Fard rak’ahs
Fard rak’ahs
Fard rak’ahs
These are the usual daily obligatory counts, separate from sunnah and other prayers. For three- and four-rak’ah prayers, there is an intermediate sitting after the second rak’ah and further standing cycles before the final sitting. Jumu’ah, travel, illness, and other circumstances require additional guidance from your imam.
ASK & UNDERSTAND
Your prayer learning assistant.
Ask a short question about the basics of prayer or the steps in this lesson. Learn the foundations, then practice with someone who can guide you.
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Learning guidance
QUICK ANSWERS FROM THIS LESSON
New to prayer? Start here.
What is a rak’ah?
A rak’ah is one cycle that includes standing recitation, bowing, and two prostrations with a sitting between them. The lesson shows two cycles and the closing sitting and salams.
What if I do not know the Arabic yet?
Take it one part at a time. Use the Arabic and pronunciation help here, read Al-Fatihah with a teacher, and ask your imam how to pray while you are still learning. Transliteration is an aid; it cannot capture every Arabic sound.
Can I learn if I cannot stand or kneel?
Yes. Ask your imam to show an accessible way to pray that fits your ability. This standing and floor-based illustration does not show every adaptation. Bukhari 1117 describes prayer according to ability ↗. Seek appropriate medical advice before movements that cause pain.
What if I forget something or join a congregation late?
The response depends on the prayer, the missed action, and your school of practice. Ask your imam rather than guessing from an animation. Congregational prayer also has guidance about following the imam.