Salah (prayer) is the second pillar of Islam and the most important act of worship a Muslim performs daily. It is a direct connection between the worshipper and Allah, performed five times each day at specific times: Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (midday), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), and Isha (night).
Preparation: Performing Wudu
Before praying, you must perform wudu (ablution) — a ritual washing that purifies the body. Wash your hands three times, rinse your mouth and nose three times, wash your face three times, wash your arms up to the elbows three times, wipe your head once, and wash your feet up to the ankles three times. This sequence follows the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Facing the Qibla
Every prayer is performed facing the Kaaba in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This direction is called the Qibla. If you are unsure which direction to face, you can use Siraat's Qibla finder to get the precise direction from your current location.
The Prayer Itself
Each prayer consists of a set number of rak'ahs (units): Fajr has 2, Dhuhr has 4, Asr has 4, Maghrib has 3, and Isha has 4. A single rak'ah includes standing and reciting Surah Al-Fatihah (and another short surah in the first two rak'ahs), bowing (ruku) while saying "Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem," standing back up, then prostrating (sujud) twice while saying "Subhana Rabbiyal A'la."
The Tashahhud and Salam
After every two rak'ahs, you sit and recite the Tashahhud. In the final sitting, you also send blessings upon the Prophet (Salawat) before ending the prayer by turning your head to the right and saying "Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah," then repeating to the left.
Knowing Your Prayer Times
Praying at the correct time is essential. Each prayer has a window that opens and closes based on the position of the sun. Siraat calculates accurate prayer times for your exact location using established methods like ISNA, MWL, and Umm al-Qura, so you always know when to pray.