Complete Step-by-Step Namaz — Arabic, Roman Urdu, English
1) Niyyah — Intention
نَوَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى رَكْعَتَيْنِ سُنَّةً/فَرْضًا — نِيَّةٌ فِي الْقَلْبِ
Nawaytu an usalliya lillāhi ta'ālā rak'atayni sunnatan / farḍan — niyyah fil-qalb.
Intent in the heart: "I intend to pray two rakʿahs of Sunnah / Fard for the sake of Allah." Niyyah is primarily internal; verbalising helps beginners.
Keep the niyyah sincere and specific to the prayer (e.g., Fajr Fard, Dhuhr Fard, 2-rakʿah Sunnah, etc.).
2) Takbīrah al-Ihrām — Opening Takbīr
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allāhu Akbar
Raise both hands (palms facing) to ear/shoulder level and say "Allāhu Akbar". Then place right hand over left on the chest or abdomen (varies by school).
If praying silently: say quietly in heart. For audible prayers, recite aloud in the standing (qiyām) portions.
3) Qiyām — Standing & Recitation
After takbīr, place hands and recite the opening praise (Sana) optionally, then recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah in every rakʿah; after Fātiḥah recite a short surah or several verses.
Sana (opening praise) — Arabic / Roman / English
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subḥānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdika, wa tabāraka smuka, wa taʿālā jadduka, wa lā ilāha ghayruka.
Glory is to You O Allah and praise; blessed be Your Name; exalted is Your Majesty; there is no god but You.
4) Sūrah al-Fātiḥah (Full text — recite in every rakʿah)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Bismillah hir rahman nir raheem.
Alhamdu lillaahi Rabbil 'aalameen.
Ar-Rahmaanir-Raheem. Maaliki Yawmid-Deen.
Iyyaaka na'budu wa lyyaaka nasta'een.
Ihdinas-Siraatal-Mustaqeem.
Siraatal-lazeena an'amta 'alaihim ghayril-maghdoobi 'alaihim wa lad-daaalleen.
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds... (full meaning above).
Fātiḥah is essential in every rakʿah — required for the validity of the rakʿah.
5) Short Surahs you may recite after al-Fātiḥah (full text included)
Surah al-Ikhlāṣ — Full
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad. Allāhu ṣ-ṣamad. Lam yalid wa lam yūlad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan aḥad.
Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.
Surah al-Falaq — Full
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ...
Qul aʿūdhu birabbi al-falaq. Min sharri mā khalaq... (full verses)
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, From the evil of what He created ...
Surah an-Naas — Full
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ
مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ
إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ
مِن شَرِّ ٱلۡوَسۡوَاسِ ٱلۡخَنَّاسِ
ٱلَّذِي يُوَسۡوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ
مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ
Bismillah hir rahman nir raheem
Qul a’oozu birabbin naas
Malikin naas
Ilaahin naas
Min sharril waswaasil khannaas
Allazee yuwaswisu fee sudoorin naas
Minal jinnati wannaas
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind ...
Surah al-Kawthar — Full
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ...
Innā aʿṭaynāka al-kawthar. Faṣalli li rabbika wanḥar...
Indeed, We have given you al-Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice...
You may recite any full Sūrah; these are common short choices taught for rakʿah recitation.
6) Rukū' (Bowing)
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subḥāna rabbiyal-ʿaẓīm
Say "Glory is to my Lord, the Most Great" at least three times while bowing, keeping the back horizontal and hands on the knees.
7) Sujūd (Prostration)
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى
Subḥāna rabbiyal-aʿlā
Say "Glory is to my Lord, the Most High" at least three times in prostration (forehead, nose, both palms, knees, and toes touching the ground).
Sit briefly between two prostrations (jalsah) and then perform the second sujūd similarly.
8) At-Tahiyyāt (Tashahhud) & Durood — Full texts
التَحِيَّاتُ للهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِينَ...
At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi waṣ-ṣalawātu waṭ-ṭayyibātu. As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuhā an-nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh. As-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādillāhi ṣ-ṣāliḥīn...
All greetings, prayers and pure words are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah...
Durood Ibrāhīm (Full)
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammad wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad kamā ṣallayta ʿalā Ibrāhīm wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm, innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammad wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīm wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm, innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd.
O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim...
After tashahhud and durood, make personal supplications (duʿā') and then end with the salam (turn head right → "As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh", then left → repeat).
9) Final Duʿā' — Examples (Arabic, Roman, English)
Short Repentance & Seeking Forgiveness
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي
Rabbi ighfir lī warḥamnī
O my Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me.
For guidance & steadfastness
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي
Yā muqallibal-qulūbi thabbit qalbī
O Turner of hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.
For family & the Ummah
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ أُمَّتِي، وَسَدِّدْنَا
Allāhumma ihdi ummatī, wa saddidnā
O Allah guide my nation and make us steadfast.
Make duʿā' from the heart: the Prophet ﷺ encouraged asking for beneficial things, for forgiveness, for the Hereafter and for steadfastness.
10) Post-Prayer Adhkar & Tasbīh
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ (33) ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ (33) ٱللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ (34)
Subḥānallāh (33), Al-ḥamdu lillāh (33), Allāhu akbar (34)
After each prayer, recite the above tasbīh — it is a practice of the Prophet ﷺ. Then say Ayat al-Kursī, and the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah at night if able.
Many scholars teach specific supplications for morning and evening adhkar — good to memorise short sets.
11) Practical Prayer Flows — Rakʿah Layouts
2-Rakʿah (e.g., Sunnah of Fajr, Witr optional)
1) Niyyah → 2) Takbīr → 3) Qiyam: Fātiḥah + short surah → 4) Rukū' (Subḥāna rabbiyal-ʿaẓīm x3) → 5) Sujūd (Subḥāna rabbiyal-aʿlā x3) → Jalsah → Second sujūd → Sit → Tashahhud → Durood → Duʿā' → Salam.
4-Rakʿah (e.g., Dhuhr, Asr)
First two rakʿahs: Normal (Fātiḥah + surah), sit after second for tashahhud (short), third & fourth: similar, after final tashahhud do Durood & Duʿā' and end with Salam.
3-Rakʿah (e.g., Maghrib)
First two rakʿahs complete; sit after second for brief tashahhud; stand for third rakʿah (Fātiḥah + short surah), then Rukū'/Sujūd and final tashahhud & Durood & Duʿā'.
For Witr (1 or 3 rakʿahs depending on practice) and Nawafil, follow local school guidance. The essential elements remain the same.
12) Janāzah & Jummah — Summaries
Janāzah Prayer (Funeral)
A collective prayer with no ruku or sujud. It contains takbīr (four takbīrs), standing supplications, durood, and duʿā' for the deceased. Follow local imam for organized rows and etiquettes.
Jumuʿah (Friday Prayer)
Two khutbahs (sermons) delivered while congregation sits; then two-rakʿah congregational prayer. Attending Jumuʿah is obligatory for adult males in many schools if conditions are met. Be punctual, maintain etiquette, and listen attentively to the khutbah.
13) Quick Practical Checklist Before Starting
- ✔ Ensure wudu (ablution) is done correctly.
- ✔ Face the Qiblah (use compass or app).
- ✔ Maintain proper covering for men & women.
- ✔ Remove distractions; choose modest, clean place.
- ✔ For local rulings and differences, consult a trusted scholar or local Imam.