Special Prayer Types
Complete step-by-step guides with full Arabic recitations. Wudu and tayammum prerequisites included.
Nafl
Voluntary (Nafl)Voluntary prayers performed to earn extra reward. No fixed time or rakah count beyond 2. Among the most rewarding acts in Islam.
Nawaytu an usalliya rak'atayn naflan lillahi ta'ala
I intend to pray two rakahs of Nafl for Allah, the Exalted.
The niyyah is in the heart. Saying it aloud before the takbeer is a permissible but not obligatory act in the Hanafi and Shafi'i schools.
Allahu Akbar
Allah is the Greatest. Raise both hands to earlobes (Hanafi / Maliki: men) or to shoulders (Shafi'i / Hanbali), palms facing forward. Women raise to shoulders in all schools.
Lower hands and fold them. Hanafi men: right hand over left, below the navel. Shafi'i / Hanbali: on the chest. Maliki: arms at sides (sadl). Women in all schools: fold on the chest.
Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika wa tabarakasmuka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghayruk
Glory be to You O Allah, and all praise. Blessed is Your name and exalted is Your majesty. There is no god but You.
Sunan Ibn Majah 806Recited silently. Only in the first rakah.
A'udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajeem
I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan.
Recited silently before Al-Fatiha. Only in the first rakah (some schools: before every rakah).
Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Hanafi: recited silently before Fatiha in every rakah. Shafi'i / Hanbali: recited aloud in loud prayers, silently in silent prayers.
Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim. Alhamdulillahi rabbil-'alamin. Ar-rahmanir-rahim. Maliki yawmid-din. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in. Ihdinassiratal-mustaqim. Sirat alladhina an'amta 'alayhim. Ghayril-maghdubi 'alayhim wa lad-dallin.
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is for Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Recompense. It is You we worship and You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked anger or of those who are astray.
Quran 1:1-7Say Ameen silently after (Hanafi / Maliki) or aloud (Shafi'i / Hanbali).
Recite any surah or at least 3 verses of the Quran after Al-Fatiha in the first two rakahs. Common short surahs: Al-Ikhlas (112), Al-Kafirun (109), Al-Falaq (113), An-Nas (114), Al-Asr (103). For Nafl, the Prophet (saw) would recite longer surahs in Tahajjud.
Allahu Akbar
Say Allahu Akbar while bowing forward. Raise hands to ears/shoulders (Hanafi / Shafi'i / Hanbali) or do not raise (Maliki). Back flat, hands on knees, fingers spread.
Subhana Rabbiyal 'Adheem
Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great.
Sahih Muslim 772Repeat minimum 3 times. Stay still (tuma'ninah) before rising.
Sami'allahu liman hamidah. Rabbana wa lakal-hamd, hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fih.
Allah hears those who praise Him. Our Lord, all praise is Yours, abundant, pure, and blessed praise.
Imam says "Sami'allahu liman hamidah" aloud. Followers say it silently or not at all (Hanafi: silent) and respond with "Rabbana wa lakal-hamd." Stand fully upright before going down.
Allahu Akbar
Say Allahu Akbar while lowering to the ground. Place knees first, then palms, then forehead and nose on the ground. Seven points of prostration: forehead+nose, both palms, both knees, both feet toes.
Subhana Rabbiyal A'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Sahih Muslim 772Repeat minimum 3 times. Stay still before rising.
Allahu Akbar
Rise briefly to sitting position (iftirash position: left foot flat, sitting on it; right foot upright with toes pointing toward qibla).
Rabbighfir li warhamni wajburni warfa'ni warzuqni wahdinee wa'afini wa'fu 'anni
My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, restore me, raise me up, provide for me, guide me, grant me well-being, and pardon me.
Sunan Abu Dawud 850Allahu Akbar
Lower to second sajdah.
Subhana Rabbiyal A'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Repeat minimum 3 times.
Allahu Akbar
Rise to standing for the second rakah.
Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim. Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim. Alhamdulillahi rabbil-'alamin. Ar-rahmanir-rahim. Maliki yawmid-din. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in. Ihdinassiratal-mustaqim. Sirat alladhina an'amta 'alayhim. Ghayril-maghdubi 'alayhim wa lad-dallin.
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is for Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Recompense. It is You we worship and You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked anger or of those who are astray.
No Thana or Ta'awwudh in the second rakah (Hanafi). Add another surah after Al-Fatiha as in Rakah 1.
Subhana Rabbiyal 'Adheem
Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great.
Same as Rakah 1. Steps 9 through 17 are repeated in full.
Sami'allahu liman hamidah. Rabbana wa lakal-hamd, hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fih.
Allah hears those who praise Him. Our Lord, all praise is Yours, abundant, pure, and blessed praise.
Subhana Rabbiyal A'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Minimum 3×
Rabbighfir li warhamni wajburni warfa'ni warzuqni wahdinee wa'afini wa'fu 'anni
My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, restore me, raise me up, provide for me, guide me, grant me well-being, and pardon me.
Subhana Rabbiyal A'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Minimum 3×. After this, sit for the final qa'dah.
At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu 'alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahis-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah. Wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.
All greetings, prayers, and good things 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. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
Sahih Bukhari 831Sit in iftirash position. Raise the right index finger when saying "la ilaha illallah." Hanafi / Hanbali: raise once and hold. Shafi'i: raise and lower gently. Maliki: raise and keep moving slightly.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad. Kama sallayta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim. Innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad. Kama barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim. Innaka Hamidun Majid.
O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. Verily You are Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Verily You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
Sahih Bukhari 3370Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'adhabi jahannam. Wa min 'adhabil-qabr. Wa min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat. Wa min sharri fitnatil-masihid-dajjal.
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the Dajjal.
Sahih Bukhari 1377You may also make any personal dua here in Arabic or your own language according to many scholars.
As-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah. Turn head right, then left.
Turn head to the right first, then to the left. Both salams are wajib in Hanafi; both are Sunnah in Shafi'i / Hanbali. Maliki: one salam to the right.
Last third of the night. 2-12 rakahs prayed in pairs. Recommended to recite longer surahs. The Prophet (saw) rarely skipped Tahajjud. "The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer." Begin with 2 rakahs as an opener (Sahih Bukhari 1147), then continue.
Sahih Muslim 116315-20 minutes after sunrise until the sun is a quarter up. 2-4 rakahs. Pray after remaining seated in dhikr from Fajr until sunrise. "Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, sits in dhikr until sunrise, then prays 2 rakahs, receives the reward of a complete Hajj and Umrah."
Tirmidhi 586When the sun is a quarter up until just before midday. Minimum 2 rakahs, maximum 12. Recommended: recite Surah Ad-Duha (93) in the first rakah and Ash-Sharh (94) in the second. "Whoever prays 12 rakahs of Duha, Allah will build for him a golden palace in Paradise."
Ibn Majah 1380Between Maghrib and Isha. 6 rakahs (3 pairs). Recommended: Al-Kafirun and Al-Ikhlas in each pair. "Whoever prays 6 rakahs after Maghrib without speaking anything bad in between, it equals 12 years of nafl worship."
Tirmidhi 4352 rakahs prayed when you wish to repent from a sin. "There is no man who commits a sin then performs wudu and prays two rakahs, then asks Allah's forgiveness, except that Allah will forgive him."
Sunan Abu Dawud 1521Recitations reflect widely accepted positions. Where madhabs differ, the main differences are noted. For personal rulings, consult a qualified scholar.