How to Pray (The Standing, Bowing and Prostrate Postures)
Assume a standing position and recite the takbeer while raising your hands up to the level of the shoulders or a little above them, with the palms of your hands facing the qiblah.
Place your right hand on the left hand, having both of them on your chest, recite Soorat Al-Faatihah and as much of the Qur’an as may be easy for you. Do this in the first or second units of prayer.
Recite the takbeer while raising your hands up to the level of the shoulders or a little above them, with the palms of your hands facing the qiblah, then bow down, lowering your head and back and keeping them straight at a right angle, placing the palms of your hands on the knees. Say three times, while in this position: Subhaana rabbiy-al-‛adheem (Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty).
Resume the standing position, raising your hands up to the level of the shoulders or a little above them, with the palms of your hands facing the qiblah, saying Sami‛allaahu li man hamidah (Allah listens to him who praises Him). Say this whether you are praying alone or you are the prayer leader (imaam). Then say: Rabbanaa wa lakal-hamd (Our Lord, to You is due all praise).
Recite the takbeer and prostrate yourself, with the toes of both feet, the knees, the hands and the forehead touching the floor. It is recommended that you do not bring the arms close to the sides, nor the abdomen close to the thighs, making sure that your forearms are not in contact with the floor. Say three times, while in this position: Subhaana rabbiyal-a‛laa (Glory be to my Lord, Most High).
Say between the two prostrations: Rabbighfir lee, warhamnee, (O Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me).
Rise, while reciting the takbeer, from the prostrate position to the standing position again to perform the second unit, and do exactly as you have done in the first rak‛ah (standing, reciting, bowing, rising from the bowing position and assuming the standing position, prostration and the relevant recitations and utterances).
After the second prostration in the second unit, take a sitting posture similar to the one taken between the two prostrations, and recite the first tashahhud: Attahiyyaatu lillaah, wassalawaatu wattayyibaat, assalaamu ‛alayka ayyuhannabiyyu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, assalaamu ‛alaynaa wa ‛alaa ‛ibaad-illaah-issaaliheen, ash hadu an laa ilaaha illallaah, wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan ‛abduhu wa rasooluh (All reverence, all worship, all sanctity are due to Allah. Peace be on you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be on us and all the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger).
If the prayer consists of three units (Maghrib) or four units (Dhuhr, ‛Asr and ‛Ishaa’), rise, reciting the takbeer, to assume a standing position for the third unit and do exactly as you have done in the previous two units. In the third and fourth units, however, recite only Soorat Al-Faatihah. If the prayer consists of two units (Fajr), recite the final tashahhud after completing the first tashahhud.
After the second prostration of the final unit, take a sitting posture and recite the first tashahhud and follow it up with the final tashahhud: Allaahumma salli ‛alaa Muhammad, wa ‛alaa aali Muhammad, kamaa sallayta ‛alaa Ibraaheema wa ‛alaa aali Ibraaheema, innaka hameedun majeed. Wa baarik ‛alaa Muhammad, wa ‛alaa aali Muhammad, kamaa baarakta ‛alaa Ibraaheema wa ‛alaa aali Ibraaheema, innaka hameedun majeed (O Allah, exalt Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You exalted Abraham and the family of Abraham. Verily, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham. Verily, You are Praiseworthy, and Glorious).
Finally, turn your face to the right side, saying: Assalaamu ‛alaykum wa rahmatullaah (Peace, and mercy of Allah be on you). Then turn your face to the left side and say the same thing.
