Know Your Prayer: A Guide to Its Pillars, Obligatory Parts, and Sunnah Practices

In the name of Allah, praise be to Allah, and the prayer and peace upon the Messenger of Allah.

The prayer (salah) is a major requirement of Islam, second only to the declaration of faith (the shahadah). The infographic below is prepared with the hope of refreshing and deeping the understanding of the various elements of salah.

You will find a link to download a PDF at the bottom of the article.

Pray as you have seen me praying. ¹

The Pillars of Prayer

The essential parts of prayer (its pillars) are the actions and statements that must be performed correctly for the prayer to be valid. These are:

1. Standing (if one is able).
2. Takbeerat al-Ihram: Saying Allahu Akbar to initiate the prayer.
3. Reciting Al-Fatihah in every unit of prayer.
4. Ruku’ (bowing).
5. Rising from bowing, and standing upright.
6. Sujud (prostration), placing the forehead & nose, both palms, both knees, and toes of both feet on the ground.
7. Rising from sujud and sitting between the two prostrations.
8. Pausing briefly in each position.
9. The final tashahhud and sitting for it.
10. Sending salutations and blessings upon the Prophet
11. Tasleem: Concluding the prayer saying As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah.
12. Performing these actions in the correct order.

The Obligatory Parts of Prayer

In addition to the pillars, there are obligatory actions that constitute the prayer. Missing these inadvertently (by mistake or due to ignorance) requires a sujood al-sahw (prostration of forgetfulness). Omitting them deliberately invalidates the prayer. These include:

1. Takbeers of movement: Saying Allahu Akbar when transitioning between positions.
2. Tasbeeh in bowing and prostration: Saying Subhana Rabbiyal-Adheem in ruku’ and Subhana Rabbiyal-Ala in sujud.
3. Tasmee and Tahmeed: Saying Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah (when rising from ruku’) and Rabbana lakal hamd (once upright).
4. Rabb ighfir li: Supplicating “Lord forgive me” between the two prostrations.
5. The first tashahhud and sitting for it.

The Sunnah of Prayer

The Sunnah (recommended) acts complete the prayer and help one emulate the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon him) perfect example:

1. Raising the hands in four places: when saying the opening takbeer, when going into bowing (ruku’), when rising from ruku’, and when standing up from the first tashahhud.
2. Placing the right hand over the left hand while standing.
3. Reciting Dua al-Istiftah (opening supplication) after the initial takbeer, and alternating its versions.
4. Seeking refuge in Allah before reciting Qur’an.
5. Saying the basmalah (Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem) quietly before Al-Fatihah and any other recitation.
6. Saying Ameen after Al-Fatihah.
7. Reciting additional verses of the Qur’an after Al-Fatihah and alternating between loud and quiet recitation, as appropriate for each prayer.
8. Keeping the back straight in ruku’, with the head in line, and hands on knees wth the fingers spread.
9. Holding the arms away from the sides in sujud.
10. Reciting extra tasbeeh in ruku’ and sujud.
11. Pointing with the forefinger during the tashahhud.
12. Looking at the forefinger in tashahhud.
13. Making supplications after the tashahhud and before the tasleem.
14. Sitting with buttocks on the heels of one’s feet, with the toes pointing towards qiblah.
15. Sitting in the manner called tawarruk during the final tashahhud.
16. Sitting in the manner called iftirash during the first tashahhud, and between the prostrations.
17. Turning the head right and left while saying the tasleem.

Things that invalidate the prayer

1. Wudu becoming invalidated because being in a state of purity is a condition of the prayer being valid.
2. Some impure substance (najasah) coming into contact with the worishipper, and him being aware of it, and unable to remove it immediately.
3. Uncovering the awrah deliberately.
4. Turning one’s back towards qiblah deliberately.
5. Speaking deliberately.
6. Laughing out loud.
7. An adult woman, or a donkey, or a black dog crossing directly in front of the worshipper, between him and the place of his prostration.
8. Omitting an essential part, condition or obligatory part of the prayer deliberately, with no excuse.
9. Eating and drinking deliberately.
10. Deliberately adding an essential part or doing some essential parts before others.
11. Cancelling the intention.

Actions that are disliked (makrooh)

1. Turning slightly, unnecessarily.
2. Resting one’s forearms on the ground in prostration.
3. Tucking (or tying up) one’s hair and garment, preventing them from prostrating.
4. Putting the hands on the hips.
5. Covering the mouth whilst praying.
6. Interlacing the fingers.
7. Moving a great deal and fidgeting during the prayer.
8. Praying when food is ready, and one is longing and able to eat, or when resisting the urge to relieve oneself.

May Allah increase us in knowledge and accept our prayers. Ameen.

Download PDF: Know Your Prayer – A Guide to Its Pillars, Obligatory Parts, and Sunnah Practices, as well as things that invalidate the prayer, and those that are disliked