How to pray 2 rakkah prayer

HOW TO PRAY

Since you are now a Muslim as you have said the shahadah. After having done your ghusl (bathing). you should try to pray a two rakkah (unit) prayer.

The words recited should be in Arabic. Learning to pray when your language is not Arabic can seem to be a very difficult task. However it is not as difficult as it may appear to you.

Allah does not put a burden on anyone that they cannot bare. Therefore the Prophet peace be upon him instructed new Muslims to learn a short supplication (Subhaan-Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar wa laa hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah) which they can recite in their prayers.

Try to memorize the following

1 Allahu Akbar

2 Subhaan-Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar wa laa hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah

3 Sami Allaahu liman hamidah

4 Rabbana wa lakaal hamd

5 Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

If you are more confidant then you can also memorize the following

6 Subhana rab-bi yal atheem

7 Subhana rubbiyal a'ala

8 Rabbi eghfir lee

So memorize the above and incorporate into the prayers as shown in the diagrams below.

Now lets look at how to pray

The prayer consists of a number of Units called rakah's. Some have more units and some less. Lets look at the 2 rakah prayer.

START OF A 2 RAKAH VOLUNTARY PRAYER

1.1

Establish the Sutrah by placing anything (about the height of a saddle) just beyond the place were you will prostrate so that people walk outside that object. This could be anything from your bag to even a chair.

Then Stand facing the Kabah in Makka in Saudi Arabia (Qibla).

Your eyes should be looking at the place on the ground were you will prostrate your forehead later on in the prayer

1.2

Make intention by thinking about which prayer you are about to perform (e.g. Fajr (Morning) prayer).

1.3

Saying
"Allah-hoo Akbar"
(Allah is Great)

Raise both your hands to height that is level with your shoulders or level with top of your ears as shown in the picture

1.4

Place your left hand on your chest. Then place your right hand on the top of the back of your left hand as in the picture

Whilst in this position say the following Dua (supplication):

"Subhaan-Allaah wal-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaah-hoo akbar wa laa hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah "

(Glory be to Allaah, praise be to Allaah, there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most great and there is no power and no strength except with Allaah)

Note: when you reach intermediate level recite Surah Fathiha in this position (described at bottom of guide)

1.5

After completing the above recitation pause for a moment,
then saying
"Allah-hoo Akbar"
(Allah is Great)

raise both your hands as in picture and go down to raku (bowing Position).

1.6

Ruku

In the bowing position say the following three times

"Subhana rab-bi yal adheem" ( say 3 times)

("Glory be to my Lord who is the very greatest" )

1.7

Next, whilst start straightening up your and raising your hands and say:

Sami Allaah-hoo-liman hamidah,

( Allah hears the one who praises Him )

1.8

In the standing straight position say the following

"Rabbanaa wa lak al-hamd"

(Our Lord, [and] to you be all Praise)

1.9

Then go down to the prostation (sajuud) position whilst saying

"Allah-hoo Akbar" (Allah is Great)

1.10

Sajdah

In the prostration say the following 3 times

"Subhana rubbiyal a'ala" ( say 3 times)

( "How perfect is my Lord, the Most High" )

1.11

Next, raise your head from prostration whilst saying
"Allah-hoo Akbar"
("Allah is Great")

Then assume the sitting position.

Place your left foot along the ground and sit on it, and keep the right foot upright, with the point of the toes towards the qiblah or You can also practice iq’aa (resting on both heels, and the toes ). You should also be relaxed such that every bone is in its proper position. Whilst in this position one should say:

"'Rabb ighfir lee "

("O my Lord, forgive me " )

1.12

Next, saying

"Allah-hoo Akbar"
(Allah is Great)

Prostrate for the second time.

Whilst in the prostration say again the following

"Subhana rubbiyal a'ala" ( say 3 times)

( "How perfect is my Lord, the Most High"

1.13

Next, raise the head from prostration whilst saying
"Allah-hoo Akbar"
("Allah is Great")

Then assume the sitting position for a short time
This concludes the First Rakah
From this position stand up straight for the secound Rakah

Start of Second Rakah

2.1

Whilst in this position say the following Dua (supplication):

"Subhaan-Allaah wal-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar wa laa hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah "

(Glory be to Allaah, praise be to Allaah, there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most great and there is no power and no strength except with Allaah)

Note: when you reach intermediate level recite Surah Fathiha in this position (described at bottom of guide)

2.2

Then saying
"Allah-hoo Akbar"
(Allah is Great)

raise both your hands and go down to the bowing position (called raku). See below

2.3

Ruku

In the bowing position say the following three times

"Subhana rab-bi yal adheem" ( say 3 times)

("Glory be to my Lord who is the very greatest" )

2.4

Next, whilst start straightening up your and raising your hands and say:

Sami Allaah-hoo-liman hamidah,

( Allah hears the one who praises Him )

2.5

In this standing position

"Rabbanaa wa lak al-hamd"

(Our Lord, [and] to you be all Praise )

2.6

Then go down to the prostration position whilst saying

"Allah-hoo Akbar"

(Allah is Great)

2.7

In this prostration say the following 3 times

"Subhana rubbiyal a'ala" ( say 3 times)

( "How perfect is my Lord, the Most High" )

2.8

Next, raise your head from prostration whilst saying
"Allahu Akbar"
("Allah is Great")

Then assume the sitting position and say

"'Rabb ighfir lee "

("O my Lord, forgive me " )

2.9

Sajdah

Next, saying

"Allah-hoo Akbar"
(Allah is Great)

Prostrate for the second time.

Whilst in the prostration say again the following

"Subhana rubbiyal a'ala" ( say 3 times)

( "How perfect is my Lord, the Most High"

2.10

Next, raise the head from prostration while saying
"Allah-hoo Akbar"

("Allah is Great")

In the the sitting position say:

"Subhaan-Allaah wal-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaah-hoo akbar wa laa hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah "

(Glory be to Allaah, praise be to Allaah, there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most great and there is no power and no strength except with Allaah)

2.11

Then turning your face to the right. say the following:

"Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah "

(Peace and mercy of Allah be on you).

2.12

Then turning your face to the left. say the following:

"Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah "

(Peace and mercy of Allah be on you).

This completes the 2 rakah voluntary prayer.

Summary

For a New Muslim or any Muslim who does not know how to prayer you just need to memorize the following few words.

And this will enable you to pray all the 5 daily prayers.

A) Allah-hoo Akbar
B) "Subhaan-Allaah wal-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaah-hoo akbar wa laa hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah "
C) Sami Allaahu liman hamidah
D) Rabbana wa lakaal hamd
E Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
If you are up to it you can also memorize the following
F) Subhana rab-bi yal atheem
G) Subhana rubbiyal a'ala
H) Rabbi eghfir lee

Once you have memorized these words and you have gone through these prayer guides you will be surprised that the Prayer is not as difficult as it looks.

I suggest you print this out and practice holding the pages and recite what should be recited in each of the body positions.

Going through the motions repeatedly will help you learn quickly. Also look at the video and the flash movie as it will help you see the postures and movements. May Allah make it easy for you.

Once you have learnt the above and are praying confidently.. Try to Memorise Surah Fatiha.as quickly as possible (this is explained below)

Note:

Surah Fatiha should be recited one verse at a time
Video to teach Fatiha

1 Bismillah hir rahman nir raheem

2 Alhamdu lillahi rabbiL a lameen

3 Ar rahman nir raheem

4 Maliki yawmid deen

5 Iyyaka na'a budu wa-iyyaka nasta aeen

6 Ihdinas sirataal mustaqeem

7 Siratal latheena an a'amta alayhim ghayril maghdoobi alayhim walad daalleen

After reciting Surah Fatiha one says
Ameen

Listen to the whole of Surah Fatiha

1. In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
2. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
3. The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
4. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense ( i.e. the Day of Resurrection)
5. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).
6. Guide us to the Straight Way
7. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).