Recitations in Salah
What to Recite in Every Part of Salah
Complete texts · Arabic · Transliteration · Meaning · Audible vs quiet
Salah is worship established upon the remembrance of Allah and recitation of His Book.
The worshipper follows what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught: what is recited, where it is recited,
and the manner of reciting—calmly, with reverence, and with a present heart.
1. Audible vs quiet recitation
In the obligatory prayers, the Qur’anic recitation in standing is sometimes audible and sometimes quiet.
Quiet recitation still means the tongue and lips move; it is not mere thoughts.
- Audible: Fajr (both rakʿahs), Maghrib (1st–2nd), ‘Isha (1st–2nd).
- Quiet: Dhuhr (all), ‘Asr (all), Maghrib (3rd), ‘Isha (3rd–4th).
For beginners
If you are still learning the order of the prayer, review the previous page:
“Step-by-Step Salah”. Keep praying with what you know, and learn steadily.
2. Opening Takbīr (Takbīrat al-Iḥrām)
Standing
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allāhu Akbar
Allah is the Greatest.
Pillar
Once
Audible (soft)
This takbīr begins Salah. After it, the worshipper remains within the prayer until taslīm.
3. Opening Supplication (Duʿā’ al-Istiftāḥ)
Standing (after opening takbīr)
This supplication is recommended in the first rakʿah before reciting al-Fātiḥah.
There are several authentic forms. One well-known form is below:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subḥānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdik, wa tabārakasmuk, wa taʿālā jadduk, wa lā ilāha ghayruk
Glory is Yours, O Allah, and praise; blessed is Your Name, exalted is Your Majesty, and none has the right to be worshipped except You.
Sunnah
Once
Quiet/soft
If you are learning, it is permissible to leave this out and focus on al-Fātiḥah first.
4. Sūrat al-Fātiḥah (Complete)
Standing (every rakʿah)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Al-ḥamdu lillāhi Rabbil-ʿālamīn
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds.
الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Ar-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm
The Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
Māliki Yawmid-Dīn
Master of the Day of Judgment.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Ihdinaṣ-ṣirāṭal-mustaqīm
Guide us to the straight path.
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Ṣirāṭal-ladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim ghayril-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim wa laḍ-ḍāllīn
The path of those You have favoured, not of those who earned anger, nor of those who went astray.
Pillar
Every rakʿah
Audible or Quiet
This is the first recitation to memorise. Salah cannot be established without it.
5. A Short Surah (Example: Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ)
Standing (after al-Fātiḥah)
After al-Fātiḥah, it is recommended to recite another portion of the Qur’an
in the first two rakʿahs of the obligatory prayers.
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad
Say: He is Allah, the One.
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
Allāhuṣ-ṣamad
Allah, the Eternal Refuge.
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
Lam yalid wa lam yūlad
He neither begets nor is born.
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan aḥad
And there is nothing comparable to Him.
Recommended
First two rakʿahs
Audible or Quiet
If you do not know another surah yet, you may recite al-Fātiḥah only and continue learning.
6. Rukūʿ (Bowing)
Rukūʿ
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subḥāna Rabbiyal-ʿAẓīm
Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
Sunnah
At least once
Commonly 3 times
Quiet
7. Rising from Rukūʿ
Standing
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah
Allah hears the one who praises Him.
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Rabbana wa lakal-ḥamd
Our Lord, to You belongs all praise.
Sunnah
Quiet/soft
8. Sujūd (Prostration)
Sujūd
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Subḥāna Rabbiyal-Aʿlā
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Sunnah
At least once
Commonly 3 times
Quiet
In sujūd, personal duʿā’ is especially recommended. Keep it sincere and clear.
9. Sitting Between the Two Sujūd
Sitting
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbi-ghfir lī
My Lord, forgive me.
Sunnah
Quiet
10. First Tashahhud (in 3–4 rakʿahs)
Sitting (after 2nd rakʿah in 3–4 rakʿahs)
In prayers that have three or four rakʿahs, there is a sitting after the second rakʿah.
In that sitting, the tashahhud is recited.
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ،
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ،
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi waṣ-ṣalawātu waṭ-ṭayyibāt.
As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh.
As-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādillāhiṣ-ṣāliḥīn.
Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhū wa rasūluh.
All greetings, prayers, and good deeds belong to Allah.
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah.
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah,
and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
Obligatory in sitting
Quiet
After this first tashahhud, you stand for the next rakʿah (3rd).
11. Final Tashahhud + Ṣalawāt + Supplication
Final sitting (end of the prayer)
In the final sitting, you recite the tashahhud, then send ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ.
After that, it is recommended to make duʿā’ before ending with taslīm.
11.1 Tashahhud (same as above)
Recite the full tashahhud text as written in the previous section.
11.2 Ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ (Ṣalāt Ibrāhīmiyyah)
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad,
kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm,
innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd.
Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad,
kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm,
innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd.
O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad,
as You sent prayers upon Abraham and upon the family of Abraham.
Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad,
as You blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham.
Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
Strong Sunnah
Quiet
11.3 Supplication before taslīm (recommended)
Before ending the prayer, it is recommended to seek refuge with Allah from four matters:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ،
وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ،
وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min ʿadhābi Jahannam,
wa min ʿadhābil-qabr,
wa min fitnatil-maḥyā wal-mamāt,
wa min sharri fitnatil-Masīḥid-Dajjāl.
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell,
from the punishment of the grave,
from the trials of life and death,
and from the evil trial of the False Messiah.
Recommended
Quiet
After this, the worshipper may make personal duʿā’ with sincere requests.
12. Taslīm (Ending the Prayer)
Ending
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh
Peace and the mercy of Allah be upon you.
Ending the prayer
To the right, then left
Audible (soft)
The prayer ends with taslīm. After it, you may make dhikr and duʿā’ outside the prayer.
