1. **Qur’an Source:**
Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah 2, Ayah 43
**Arabic:**
وَأَقِيمُوا ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ
**Translation:**
And establish the prayer, give charity, and bow with those who bow.
**Simple Meaning:**
Allah is telling us to pray properly and to pray with humility, not just move our bodies. Prayer is something important we do together with other believers too.
2. **Qur’an Source:**
Surah An-Nisa, Surah 4, Ayah 103
**Arabic:**
فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ ۚ فَإِذَا ٱطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَٰبًا مَّوْقُوتًا
**Translation:**
When you finish the prayer, remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying down. When you are safe, then establish the prayer. Indeed, prayer is required at fixed times for the believers.
**Simple Meaning:**
Prayer has special times, so we should not delay it without a good reason. It teaches us to remember Allah all day.
3. **Hadith Source:**
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 631, Sahih
**Arabic:**
صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي
**Hadith Meaning:**
Pray as you have seen me pray.
**Simple Explanation:**
The Prophet ﷺ showed us how to pray step by step, so we should learn his way and follow it carefully.
4. **Hadith Source:**
Sahih Muslim, Hadith 397, Sahih
**Arabic:**
إِذَا قُمْتَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَأَسْبِغِ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبِلِ الْقِبْلَةَ فَكَبِّرْ
**Hadith Meaning:**
When you stand for prayer, do a complete wudu, then face the qiblah and say the takbir.
**Simple Explanation:**
Before prayer, we clean ourselves with wudu, face the Ka‘bah, and begin by saying “Allahu Akbar.”
5. **Scholar’s Explanation:**
Imam al-Nawawi explained in **Riyadh al-Salihin** and his writings on prayer that salah should be done with calmness, humility, and proper order. Ibn Kathir also explained that prayer is one of the greatest acts of obedience to Allah.
6. **How to Pray Properly — Simple Steps:**
1. **Make wudu (ablution)**
- Wash your hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, wipe your head, and wash your feet.
- This makes you clean for prayer.
2. **Face the qiblah**
- Stand facing the Ka‘bah in Makkah.
3. **Make intention in your heart**
- You do not need to say it out loud.
- Just know which prayer you are praying.
4. **Say “Allahu Akbar”**
- This starts the الصلاة (as-salah, prayer).
5. **Stand and read Surah Al-Fatihah**
- Then read another short surah if the prayer has that part.
6. **Bow in ruku‘**
- Put your hands on your knees and say:
- **Arabic:** سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
- **Translation:** Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
- **Simple meaning:** We praise Allah in humility.
7. **Stand up from ruku‘**
- Say words of praise to Allah, like:
- **Arabic:** سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
- **Translation:** Allah hears the one who praises Him.
8. **Go to sujood (prostration)**
- Put your forehead, nose, hands, knees, and toes on the ground.
- Say:
- **Arabic:** سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى
- **Translation:** Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
- **Simple meaning:** In sujood, we are very close to Allah and show great humility.
9. **Sit between the two sajdahs**
- Say:
- **Arabic:** رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
- **Translation:** My Lord, forgive me.
10. **Do the second sujood**
- Say again:
- **Arabic:** سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى
11. **Continue the rak‘ahs**
- Repeat these steps for each rak‘ah.
12. **Sit for tashahhud in the last sitting**
- **Arabic:** ٱلتَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَٱلصَّلَوَاتُ وَٱلطَّيِّبَاتُ ۚ ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ۚ ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلصَّالِحِينَ ۚ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
- **Translation:** All greetings, prayers, and good things are for Allah... I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
- **Simple meaning:** We remember Allah, send peace to the Prophet ﷺ, and say the شهادة (shahadah, testimony of faith).
13. **Send salawat on the Prophet ﷺ**
- **Arabic:** ٱللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ، ٱللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ
- **Translation:** O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad...
- **Simple meaning:** We ask Allah to honor and bless the Prophet ﷺ.
14. **Make dua before ending the prayer**
- You may ask Allah for forgiveness, guidance, and good things.
- Example:
- **Arabic:** رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي ٱلْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
- **Translation:** Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
15. **End with salām**
- Turn your head right and say:
- **Arabic:** ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ
- Then turn left and say it again.
- **Translation:** Peace and Allah’s mercy be upon you.
7. **Four Madhhab Note:**
The four Sunni madhhabs all agree that prayer is very important, must be done on time, and must include wudu, standing if able, recitation, ruku‘, and sujood. They may differ in some small details, like exactly where hands are placed or whether certain supplications are said out loud, but they all follow the Qur’an and Sunnah.
8. **Practical Tip:**
Try learning prayer step by step: first wudu, then Al-Fatihah, then ruku‘ and sujood, then tashahhud. Practice slowly with a parent, teacher, or imam if you can.
**Takeaway:**
Prayer is a beautiful way to speak to Allah, and the best prayer is the one done with sincerity, calmness, and following the Prophet ﷺ.
Allah knows best.