Noor-e-Hidayahنورِ ہدایہ
A simple guide to daily rak‘ahs, prayer steps, audio practice, and how to follow the imam—written for complete beginners, with differences between traditions explained respectfully.
Prayer is learned gradually. This guide introduces common steps and explains where recognised Islamic traditions differ. For a personal ruling or detailed practice, consult a trusted, qualified teacher from your tradition.
Choose a learning lens. Shared foundations are taught once; differences are highlighted respectfully.
These lessons cover common prayer steps. Detailed rulings and tradition-specific differences should be checked against reliable sources and reviewed by qualified scholars before publication.
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☾✦بِسْمِ اللَّهِPrepare calmly before starting your prayer.
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Learn the names of the five daily obligatory prayers. The number of obligatory rak'ahs is shown below; Sunnah and other additional prayers are separate.
First learn the obligatory (farz) rak‘ahs. Below is an overview as commonly taught in the Hanafi tradition; the classification and number of Sunnah, Nafl and Witr rak‘ahs differ between schools and teaching guides.
| Prayer | Sunnah / Nafl (common Hanafi guide) | Farz | Witr |
|---|---|---|---|
| الفجرFajr | 2 Sunnah Mu’akkadah | 2 | — |
| الظهرZuhr | 4 Sunnah Mu’akkadah before; 2 Sunnah Mu’akkadah after; additional Nafl optional | 4 | — |
| العصرAsr | 4 Sunnah Ghair Mu’akkadah before (commonly taught; optional) | 4 | — |
| المغربMaghrib | 2 Sunnah Mu’akkadah after; additional Nafl optional | 3 | — |
| العشاءIsha | 4 Sunnah Ghair Mu’akkadah before (commonly taught); 2 Sunnah Mu’akkadah after; additional Nafl optional | 4 | 3 (Wajib in Hanafi fiqh) |
The obligatory part of the prayer. The farz rak‘ahs of the five daily prayers: Fajr 2, Zuhr 4, Asr 4, Maghrib 3, Isha 4.
The Sunnah that the Prophet ﷺ regularly and consistently practised; it carries real importance. Learn the legal details from a teacher of your own school.
Additional voluntary prayer. The table keeps optional Nafl separate from the farz.
In Hanafi fiqh Witr is called wajib; other schools differ on its ruling and on how it is prayed.
Besides the five daily prayers, these are the prayers that come into our lives, and how to pray them. Details are generally given as in the Hanafi tradition, and where another school differs it is stated. Please confirm with your imam or teacher.
| Prayer | Rak‘ahs | When | Ruling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumu‘ah | 2 farz (after the khutbah) | Friday, at Zuhr time | Farz (on men, in congregation) |
| Eid-ul-Fitr / Eid-ul-Adha | 2, with extra takbeers | After sunrise, before midday | Wajib (Hanafi); in other schools Sunnah Mu’akkadah or Fard Kifayah |
| Janazah | 4 takbeers, no bowing or prostration | After a death, before burial | Fard Kifayah |
| Tarawih | 20 (commonly) or 8 | In Ramadan, after Isha | Sunnah Mu’akkadah |
| Witr | 3 (Hanafi) or 1, 3, 5… | After Isha, before sleeping (or in the last part of the night) | Wajib (Hanafi); Sunnah Mu’akkadah (other schools) |
| Tahajjud | 2 to 12 (in pairs) | After sleep, in the last part of the night | Nafl |
| Ishraq / Chasht | 2 to 12 (in pairs) | About 15–20 minutes after sunrise / as the day rises | Nafl |
Who prays it: It is obligatory on sane, adult, resident, healthy Muslim men. Women, travellers, the sick and those with a valid excuse pray the 4 rak‘ahs of Zuhr instead.
Method: Take a ghusl, wear clean clothes and perfume, and go early to the mosque. Pray the Sunnah after the adhan; then the imam gives two sermons — listen to the khutbah in silence. Then pray the 2 rak‘ahs of farz behind the imam in congregation (the imam recites aloud). Pray the Sunnah afterwards.
Number of Sunnah rak‘ahs: The Hanafi teaching is commonly 4 before the farz and 4 + 2 after it; other schools teach fewer Sunnah rak‘ahs after it (2 or 4).
Qur’an: When the call to prayer is made on the day of Jumu‘ah, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trade. (Surah al-Jumu‘ah 62:9)
Etiquette: It is recommended (mustahab) to recite Surah al-Kahf and to send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ on Fridays.
Preparation: Ghusl, your best clothes and perfume. On Eid al-Fitr eat something sweet (dates) before the prayer and pay Sadaqatul Fitr. On Eid al-Adha eat after the prayer. Taking a different route back on Eid is a Sunnah (Bukhari).
Prayer: 2 rak‘ahs in congregation, with no adhan and no iqamah. After the intention: the opening takbeer, then Sana. Then Hanafi: 3 extra takbeers (raise the hands to the ears each time and lower them), then Fatihah and a surah, then ruku. In the second rak‘ah, after Fatihah and a surah, 3 extra takbeers, then bow with the fourth takbeer. Other schools: 7 extra takbeers in the first rak‘ah and 5 in the second.
Khutbah: On Eid the khutbah comes after the prayer (the opposite of Jumu‘ah).
Takbeer al-Tashriq (Eid al-Adha: 9 to 13 Dhul Hijjah, after the farz prayers; scholars differ slightly in how they count the days):
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ
Eid greeting: “Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum” تَقَبَّلَ اللَّهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ: the Companions greeted one another in this way (“May Allah accept it from us and from you”).
Ruling: Fard Kifayah: if some people pray it, the obligation is lifted from the rest. It is prayed standing: no ruku, no sajdah, no adhan. The imam stands level with the chest of the deceased; the worshippers form rows behind him.
Method (Hanafi):
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا وَصَغِيرِنَا وَكَبِيرِنَا وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا. اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ
Allahummaghfir li-hayyina wa mayyitina wa shahidina wa gha’ibina wa saghirina wa kabirina wa dhakarina wa unthana. Allahumma man ahyaytahu minna fa-ahyihi ‘alal Islam, wa man tawaffaytahu minna fa-tawaffahu ‘alal Iman.Funeral of a child who has not reached puberty: After the third takbeer, Hanafi books give this supplication: اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا فَرَطًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا أَجْرًا وَذُخْرًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعًا وَمُشَفَّعًا (for a girl, say “اجْعَلْهَا”).
Reward: Whoever joins the funeral prayer earns one qirat of reward, and whoever stays until the burial earns two; each qirat is like a great mountain (Bukhari, Muslim). For ghusl, kafan and burial, see Preparing for the Hereafter.
In Ramadan it is prayed after Isha (before Witr), in pairs of rak‘ahs. The majority of Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Hanbali and Maliki scholars say 20 rak‘ahs (the congregational practice since the time of ‘Umar ؓ). Some scholars pray 8 rak‘ahs, relying on a report from ‘A’ishah ؓ. Both practices are well known among scholars; follow the custom of your mosque.
Hadith: “Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
Hanafi: 3 rak‘ahs with one salam. Sit after the first two rak‘ahs (Tashahhud only). In the third, after Fatihah and a surah, raise the hands to the ears and say “Allahu Akbar”, fold the hands, recite Dua al-Qunoot, then bow. Other schools: 1, 3, 5 or more rak‘ahs; the place and manner of the qunoot can differ too.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِي عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَفْجُرُكَ. اللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّي وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَنَحْفِدُ وَنَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشَى عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحِقٌ
If you do not know Dua al-Qunoot, Hanafi books mention reciting “Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ‘azaban-nar”, or saying “Allahummaghfir li” three times. Ask your imam until you have memorised it.
Sleep for a while after Isha, then wake in the last part of the night and pray in pairs of rak‘ahs (at least 2, at most 12; the Prophet ﷺ usually prayed 8 rak‘ahs plus Witr, Bukhari/Muslim). Then make a long dua and istighfar.
“Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night and says: Who asks Me, so that I may give him?” (Bukhari, Muslim). In the Qur’an: Surah al-Isra 17:79.
Ishraq: After Fajr stay where you prayed, busy with dhikr, and after sunrise (once the disliked time has ended) pray 2 rak‘ahs. A hadith promises the reward of a complete Hajj and Umrah (Tirmidhi 586: al-Tirmidhi calls it hasan gharib and al-Albani grades it hasan, but Darussalam and Zubair Ali Zai grade its chain weak because of the narrator Abu Zilal; scholars differ, so treat it as a virtue reported with a disputed chain).
Chasht / Duha: 2 to 12 rak‘ahs once the day has risen, before midday. Hadith: every morning charity is due on each joint of a person’s body, and two rak‘ahs of Duha are enough in its place (Muslim).
If you cannot decide on a permissible matter, pray 2 rak‘ahs of nafl (besides the farz), then recite this dua. When the dua reaches هَذَا الْأَمْرَ name your matter, or keep it in mind (Bukhari):
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
Important: You do not need to see a dream in istikhara. Guidance is an inclination of the heart and the matter becoming easy or being blocked. Also take advice from a sensible person.
A traveller prays 2 rak‘ahs instead of the 4 of Zuhr, Asr and Isha (Qasr). Fajr (2), Maghrib (3) and Witr (3) stay as they are. Qasr applies once the main condition for travel is met (roughly a journey of 77–80 km) and as long as you intend to stay in a place for fewer than 15 days (Hanafi). Other schools differ somewhat on the distance and the duration. A traveller who prays behind a resident imam prays the full 4.
The ruling on Qasr is in Surah an-Nisa 4:101.
If you miss a wajib part of the prayer or are unsure of the count of rak‘ahs (Hanafi): after the final Tashahhud, give the salam to the right side only, make 2 prostrations, then recite Tashahhud, Durood and dua again and give the salam on both sides. If in doubt, act on the side your heart inclines to; if you truly cannot decide, take the smaller number of rak‘ahs, complete the prayer and make sajdah sahw.
The schools have recognised, permissible differences in the Eid takbeers, the first takbeer of Janazah, Witr and the number of Tarawih rak‘ahs. Learn the way of the school or mosque you pray with.
If Arabic is difficult, listen first and learn with a teacher, including tajweed. It is fine to start by memorising a short part of a hard dua.
This is a basic learning map. Learn the Arabic recitations with correct pronunciation from a teacher or audio; verify the fiqh details against the tradition you follow.
The prayer time has begun, you have wudu, your clothes and place are clean, your ‘awrah is covered, and you face the Qiblah.
Decide in your heart which prayer you are praying. The intention is the heart’s resolve; no fixed spoken sentence is required of everyone.
Begin by saying “Allahu Akbar”. Standing, recite Sana, Al-Fatihah and further recitation according to your tradition.
Bow calmly in ruku and recite the tasbih: Subhana Rabbiyal Azeem.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Rise from ruku and stand fully upright. Do not rush this position.
Go into sajdah, sit between the two prostrations, then make the second sajdah. Stay calm and unhurried in every movement.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
Stand for the second rak‘ah and recite, bow, and make two prostrations. For prayers of 3 or 4 rak‘ahs, learn the rest of the sequence according to your school.
Depending on the number of rak‘ahs, Tashahhud is recited in the middle sitting (Qa‘dah), and Durood and dua in the final sitting, followed by the salam. Learn the exact sequence for each farz or Sunnah prayer according to your school.
Basic etiquette for following the imam in congregation, and a beginner checklist.
Stand in a straight row behind the imam. Follow the guidance of the mosque’s imam or volunteers on spacing and arranging the rows.
Make the intention in your heart. Learn how to join the congregation and when to say the takbeer according to your mosque; do not go ahead of the imam.
Do not bow, prostrate or give the salam before the imam. When the imam changes position, follow after him; do not rush the movements.
Whether and how Al-Fatihah or other recitation is read behind the imam differs between schools. Do not treat the Hanafi, Shafi‘i, Maliki, Hanbali, Ja‘fari and Ibadi practices as one rule; learn from a trusted teacher of your own tradition.
If the congregation is already praying, join calmly and match the imam’s current position. Which rak‘ah counts, and how to complete the missed part afterwards, is learned according to your school.
Stand to complete your missed rak‘ah only after the imam’s salam, if you have any rak‘ah left. If you are unsure, ask the imam after the prayer.
Farz is obligatory. Sunnah is a practice established from the Prophet ﷺ; its categories and legal details are understood according to each school. Do not treat the two as the same thing.
The true place of the intention is the heart. Teaching practices on spoken wording differ; before calling it required for everyone, consult reliable guidance from your school.
Learn Arabic step by step, compare the audio with a qualified reciter, and have a teacher correct your pronunciation. Roman text helps, but it cannot fully represent Arabic sounds.
The rules for mistakes depend on the situation and the school. Do not guess a ruling; describe the exact situation to your imam or a qualified teacher.
The basic act of worship is shared, but there are recognised differences in some postures, recitations and legal details. This website explains those differences respectfully and with sources.
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This is a beginner learning interface, not a complete fatwa reference. Details can vary between Islamic legal traditions and scholars. Before adding detailed rulings, Arabic recitations, audio and comparison claims, have the content reviewed by qualified representatives of the traditions presented.