Salah (Prayer) – Before You Start
Step-by-Step Salah: Section 3.1
Intention (Niyyah)
Before beginning salah, the intention must be present in the heart. There is no need to say it out loud. It is the conscious awareness that you are about to perform a specific prayer (e.g., Dhuhr, Maghrib) for the sake of Allah.
Standing Calmly (Qiyam)
Stand upright, calmly, and with dignity. Your body should be still and facing directly toward the Qiblah. Focus your heart and mind on Allah. Remove distractions and avoid unnecessary movements.
Facing the Qiblah
Ensure you are still facing the correct direction. A slight unintentional deviation does not invalidate the prayer, but effort must be made to face accurately, especially in fixed places like home or the mosque.
Raising the Hands (Takbir al-Ihram)
To begin salah, raise both hands to the level of your shoulders (or ears) and say:
Allahu akbar
Allah is the Greatest
This is called Takbir al-Ihram and marks the official entry into prayer. Once this is done, normal speech or movement is no longer allowed.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ consistently began his prayer in this way. It is narrated:
“When the Prophet ﷺ stood for prayer, he would raise his hands up to his shoulders and say: ‘Allahu akbar’.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Placing the Hands
After the takbir, place your right hand over your left on the chest or upper abdomen. This posture should be calm and humble.