A Rak'ah ( ar, ركعة ', ; plural: ') is a single iteration of prescribed movements and
supplications performed by
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
as part of the prescribed obligatory prayer known as
salah
(, plural , romanized: or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːh, ( or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːtʰin construct state) ), also known as ( fa, نماز) and also spelled , are prayers performed by Muslims. Facing the , the direction of the Kaaba wit ...
.
Each of the five daily
prayers
Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified ...
observed by Muslims consists of a number of raka'at.
[
]
Procedure
After washing for prayer by performing the ritual ablution, a believer must renew their innermost intention
Intentions are mental states in which the agent commits themselves to a course of action. Having the plan to visit the zoo tomorrow is an example of an intention. The action plan is the ''content'' of the intention while the commitment is the ''a ...
, thus purifying their prayer for the sake of Allah
Allah (; ar, الله, translit=Allāh, ) is the common Arabic word for God. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam. The word is thought to be derived by contraction from '' al- ilāh'', which means "the god", an ...
. An intention Niyyah
Niyyah (Arabic: نِيَّةٌ, variously transliterated niyyah, niyya , "intention") is an Islamic concept: the intention in one's heart to do an act for the sake of God ( Allah).
According to Ibn Rajab's ''Commentary on Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadi ...
is not to be said verbally but rather it is made in the heart; but can also be said verbally alongside the intention in the heart. Example: you intended in your heart to pray 4 Units (Rakahs) for you start your prayer.[
The raka'ah begins when the worshipper initiates the ]salah
(, plural , romanized: or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːh, ( or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːtʰin construct state) ), also known as ( fa, نماز) and also spelled , are prayers performed by Muslims. Facing the , the direction of the Kaaba wit ...
with the words "Allah is The Greatest", (Allah-hu-Akbar) this is known in Arabic as the Takbir
The Takbir ( ar, تَكْبِير, , "magnification f God) is the name for the Arabic phrase ' (, ), meaning "God is the greatest".
It is a common Arabic expression, used in various contexts by Muslims and Arabs around the world: in formal Salah ...
().[ ]Takbir
The Takbir ( ar, تَكْبِير, , "magnification f God) is the name for the Arabic phrase ' (, ), meaning "God is the greatest".
It is a common Arabic expression, used in various contexts by Muslims and Arabs around the world: in formal Salah ...
must be said at the start of the Salah
(, plural , romanized: or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːh, ( or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːtʰin construct state) ), also known as ( fa, نماز) and also spelled , are prayers performed by Muslims. Facing the , the direction of the Kaaba wit ...
or the prayer is invalidated.[ The individual will observe the ]standing
Standing, also referred to as orthostasis, is a position in which the body is held in an ''erect'' ("orthostatic") position and supported only by the feet. Although seemingly static, the body rocks slightly back and forth from the ankle in the s ...
position while reciting the "Dua al istiftah" followed by the opening chapter of the Qur'an
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing. ...
(Al-Fatiha
Al-Fatiha (alternatively transliterated Al-Fātiḥa or Al-Fātiḥah; ar, ألْفَاتِحَة, ; ), is the first ''surah'' (chapter) of the Quran. It consists of 7 '' ayah'' (verses) which are a prayer for guidance and mercy. Al-Fatiha i ...
) (Note: reciting the Al-Fatiha is a pillar of prayer.[ If one forgets to say the Al-Fatiha or makes a major mistake in its ]Tajweed
In the context of the recitation of the Quran, ''tajwīd'' ( ar, تجويد ', , 'elocution') is a set of rules for the correct pronunciation of the letters with all their qualities and applying the various traditional methods of recitation (''Q ...
, then they must redo the prayer from the start) followed by a personal selection of chosen verses or chapters which the worshipper is free to choose to recite for themselves.
The second part of the raka'ah involves the worshipper making another Takbir
The Takbir ( ar, تَكْبِير, , "magnification f God) is the name for the Arabic phrase ' (, ), meaning "God is the greatest".
It is a common Arabic expression, used in various contexts by Muslims and Arabs around the world: in formal Salah ...
then bowing
Bowing (also called stooping) is the act of lowering the torso and head as a social gesture in direction to another person or symbol. It is most prominent in Asian cultures but it is also typical of nobility and aristocracy in many European c ...
to a 90 degree angle, placing their hands on their knees with their feet kept shoulder-width apart, eyes are meant to be focused in between you feet or around the area and bowing
Bowing (also called stooping) is the act of lowering the torso and head as a social gesture in direction to another person or symbol. It is most prominent in Asian cultures but it is also typical of nobility and aristocracy in many European c ...
in humble submission as if awaiting God's command. During this position the words, "Glory be to Allah the most magnificent" are uttered silently as a form of ritual praise.[
The third movement of the raka'ah is to return from bowing to the standing position before, with the praise of Allah on your tongue, descending into full ]prostration
Prostration is the gesture of placing one's body in a reverentially or submissively prone position. Typically prostration is distinguished from the lesser acts of bowing or kneeling by involving a part of the body above the knee, especially t ...
on the ground.[
In prostration, the worshipper's forehead and nose is flatly placed on the floor with the palm of their hands placed shoulder-width apart to the right and left of their ears. While going in the "sujood" or the prostration position, one must remember that first, the knees should touch the ground, then his hands, then his nose and at last his forehead. The worshipper's elbows, forearms and chest are then raised off the floor.][
During this position the words, "Glory be to Allah the Almighty" are repeated with contemplation as a form of ritual praise. The Islamic prophet ]Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
taught his disciples that "the closest a subject gets to their God is when in prostration".[
The fourth movement is for the worshipper to return from prostration into a sitting position with their legs folded flatly under their body. While getting up from the prostration, one must follow the order opposite to the order followed while going into the prostration i.e. he should first raise his forehead, then his nose, then his hands and at last his knees. In this position they would invoke Allah for forgiveness of your sins and the sins of their parents and the wider believers before descending into a second prostration.][
This concludes one unit of prayer known in Arabic as a raka'ah and would be followed by either standing up for a second raka'ah if the prayer requires it or by proceeding to end the salah with ]taslim
''Taslim'' () is the concluding portion of the Muslim prayer (''salat''), where one recites ''As-salāmu ʿalaikum wa-raḥmatu-llah'' ("Peace and blessings of God be unto you") once while facing the right, and once while facing the left.
See ...
.[
Although not part of a single raka'ah, the conclusion of the salah takes place in the sitting position, the worshipper turns their head to the right saying, "Peace be unto you, and Allah's mercy and blessing" before subsequently turning the head to the left and repeating the salutation. This action helps to reminds Muslims of the presence of the recording angels on their right and left who record their deeds.]Taslim
''Taslim'' () is the concluding portion of the Muslim prayer (''salat''), where one recites ''As-salāmu ʿalaikum wa-raḥmatu-llah'' ("Peace and blessings of God be unto you") once while facing the right, and once while facing the left.
See ...
[
]
Components
* ''Takbir
The Takbir ( ar, تَكْبِير, , "magnification f God) is the name for the Arabic phrase ' (, ), meaning "God is the greatest".
It is a common Arabic expression, used in various contexts by Muslims and Arabs around the world: in formal Salah ...
''
* Standing in salah
Qiyām ( ar, قيام, "orthostasis/standing") is an integral part of the Islamic salah. The prayer begins in the standing position and some prayers only require the ''qiyām'', such as Salat al-Janazah.
In the Quran
To "stand before God" is ...
* Supplications or ''iftitah'' [Only performed in the first rakat of the prayer and only performed by some ]schools
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsor ...
.
* Recitation of ''Sura
A ''surah'' (; ar, سورة, sūrah, , ), is the equivalent of "chapter" in the Qur'an. There are 114 ''surahs'' in the Quran, each divided into '' ayats'' (verses). The chapters or ''surahs'' are of unequal length; the shortest surah ('' Al-K ...
Al-Fatiha
Al-Fatiha (alternatively transliterated Al-Fātiḥa or Al-Fātiḥah; ar, ألْفَاتِحَة, ; ), is the first ''surah'' (chapter) of the Quran. It consists of 7 '' ayah'' (verses) which are a prayer for guidance and mercy. Al-Fatiha i ...
''
* Recitation of another sura
* ''Ruku
Rukūʿ ( ar, رُكوع, ) can refer to either of two things in Islam:
* The act of belt-low bowing in standardized prayers, where the backbone should be in rest, before straightening up to go for sujud (full earth-low bowing).
* A paragr ...
'' (bowing)
* Straightening up from ''ruku''
* ''Sujud
Sujūd ( ar, سُجود, ), or sajdah (, ), is the act of low bowing or prostration to God facing the ''qiblah'' (direction of the Kaaba at Mecca). It is usually done in standardized prayers (salah). The position involves kneeling and bowing t ...
'' (prostration)
* Rising from ''sujud''
* The second ''sujud''
* Sitting in prayers
Sitting or kneeling ( ar, جِلسة and , also and ) is an integral part of salah, or Islamic prayer, along with bowing (ruku' and sujud).
Manners of sitting or kneeling
Three styles of sitting/kneeling have been reported in the hadiths (ac ...
[Only first half of the ]Tashahhud
The ''Tashahhud'' ( ar, تَشَهُّد, meaning "testimony faith]"), also known as at-Tahiyyat ( ar, ٱلتَّحِيَّات, lit=greetings, link=no), is the portion of the Salah, Muslim prayer where the person Sitting in salah, kneels or sits ...
is recited in the second rakat in a 4- or 3-rakat prayer, e.g. the afternoon prayer or the evening prayer, but all of it is recited in the last rakat of any prayer.
* '' Taslim, Salam'' (salutation)[Only performed in the last rakat of a prayer.]
Daily prayers
Islamic daily prayers are performed in the following numbers of Rak'at :
*''Fajr'' — The Dawn prayer: 2 Rak'at Sunnah (Muakkadah) + 2 Rakat Fard, total 4
* ''ðuhr'' — The Midday or Afternoon Prayer: 4 Rakat Sunnat (Muakkadah) + 4 Rakat Fard + 2 Rakat Sunnah (Muakkadah) followed by 2 Rakat Nafl, total 12
* ''As'r'' — The Evening Prayer: 4 Rakat Sunnah (Ghair Muakkadah) + 4 Rakat Fard, total 8
* ''Maghrib'' — The Dusk Prayer: 3 Rakat Fard + 2 Rakat Sunnah (Muakkadah) + 2 Nafl Rakat, total 7
* ''Isha'' — The Night Prayer: 4 Rakat Sunnah (Ghair Muakkadah) + 4 Rakat Fard + 2 Rakat Sunnah (Muakkadah) + 2 Rakat Nafl + 3 Rakat Witr Waajib + 2 Rakat Nafl, total 17
Regarding Jumu'ah (Friday) Prayer. obligatory only upon healthy men, optional for the women and they can choose to pray Zuhr at home instead. It consists of 2 Rakat after the Arabic Khutbah and followed by 4 or 2 Rakat Sunnah(Muakkadah) after the 2 Fard Rakat. So it's either 2 Rakat or four Rakat.
There are two Eid prayers in a year, Eid-ul-fitr and Eid-ul-adha.
See also
*Dhikr
''Dhikr'' ( ar, ذِكْر}, , also spelled ''Zikr'', ''Thikr'', ''Zekr'', or ''Zikar'', literally meaning "remembrance, reminder" or "mention") is a form of Islamic meditation in which phrases or prayers are repeatedly chanted in order to reme ...
*Tasbih
''Tasbih'' ( ar, تَسْبِيح, ) is a form of ''dhikr'' that involves the glorification of God in Islam, Allah in Islam by saying: ''"Subhan Allah"'' (; lit. "Glory be to God").
It is often repeated a certain number of times, using either ...
*Sign prayer
The signs prayer ( ar, صلاة الآيات, Ṣalāt al-ʾĀyāt) is one of the Muslim prayers that may be optional or mandatory depending on the specif conditions and the school of jurisprudence. When solar or lunar eclipses, earthquakes, thu ...
Notes
Endnotes
References
{{Authority control
Salah
Arabic words and phrases
Salah terminology