Salah is not just movements. Every position has words, and those words mean something. This module takes them in the order you say them. Each Arabic phrase is copied from the Arabic text of the hadith that reports it, with the collection and number beside it, so a parent or teacher can check every line.
Lesson 1 · The takbir that starts salah · ages 5-7
Allahu akbar — and nothing else matters now
You start salah by raising your hands and saying Allahu akbar: Allah is greater. Greater than the game, the phone, the argument, the hurry.
1It opens the prayer
The words Allahu akbar are how salah begins, and after them you are in prayer.
2It means Allah is greater
Greater than anything you were just thinking about.
3Hudhayfah watched him say it
He heard the Prophet ﷺ begin his night prayer with the takbir and then start reciting.
4Then there is a short pause
Abu Hurayrah noticed a short silence between the takbir and the recitation, and asked what the Prophet ﷺ said in it.
5You say it at every change
Going into ruku, going into sujud, getting up — the same two words carry you.
“Hudhayfah saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying at night. He said: Allah is most great, three times.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 874
“Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to keep silent between the Takbir and the recitation of Qur'an and that interval of silence used to be a short one.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 744
Memorise this
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu akbar
Allah is greater.
Said to begin salah — Sunan Abi Dawud 874
Do this before next time
Next salah, say Allahu akbar slowly and think of one thing you are putting down for these few minutes.
Lesson 2 · Washing the heart before you read · ages 8-11
The quiet dua after the takbir
In that short silence after Allahu akbar, the Prophet ﷺ asked Allah to take his mistakes far away and to clean him like a white cloth is cleaned.
1Abu Hurayrah asked him directly
He wanted to know what the Prophet ﷺ said in the pause, so he asked.
2Far apart, like east and west
The dua asks Allah to set him apart from his sins the way the east is apart from the west.
3Clean, like a white garment
The second line asks to be cleaned of mistakes the way a white cloth is washed clean of dirt.
4Water, snow and hail
The third line asks Allah to wash the mistakes away with water, snow and hail.
5Salah starts with being forgiven
Before you recite a single ayah, you are already asking to be cleaned.
“O Allah! Set me apart from my sins as the East and West are set apart from each other, and clean me from sins as a white garment is cleaned of dirt, O Allah! Wash away my sins with water, snow and hail.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 744
Do this before next time
Learn the meaning of this dua in your own words and tell it to whoever teaches you salah.
Lesson 3 · The surah you must read · ages 5-7
There is no salah without Al-Fatihah
Every rak'ah has Al-Fatihah in it. The Prophet ﷺ said a prayer without it is not valid.
1It is not optional
The Prophet ﷺ said whoever does not recite Al-Fatihah in his prayer, his prayer is invalid.
2It is the same in every prayer
The hadith chapter says it applies at home and on a journey, silent or aloud.
3It is a conversation
You praise Allah, then ask Him for guidance — the whole surah is that shape.
4Allah calls it a great gift
In Surah Al-Hijr, Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ that He gave him the seven oft-repeated verses.
5Then you may add more
After Al-Fatihah you can recite another surah, which is why short surahs are worth learning.
Wa laqad aatainaaka sab'am mnal masaanee wal Qur-aanal 'azeem
“And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the often repeated [verses] and the great Qur'an.”
“Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 756
Do this before next time
Recite Al-Fatihah out loud once and say what one line of it means before you pray.
Lesson 4 · Words for bowing · ages 5-7
In ruku: Glory to my mighty Lord
When your back is flat in ruku, you say Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem — glory to my Lord, the Most Great.
1Hudhayfah reported the words
He heard the Prophet ﷺ say Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem while bowing, and repeat it.
2Repeat it, do not rush
In that narration his ruku was about as long as his standing.
3Aishah heard another dua too
She reported that he said Subhanaka Allahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika, Allahumma ighfir li in bowing and prostrating.
4Two things at once
You are saying Allah is far above every fault, and asking to be forgiven.
5Your body agrees with your mouth
A bowed back and words of glory belong together.
“He said while bowing: Glory be to my mighty Lord, Glory be to my mighty Lord.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 874
“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say in his bowing and prostrations: Exalted are You O Allah our Lord, and by Your praise; O Allah! Forgive me.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 794
Memorise this
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem
Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great.
Said in ruku — Sunan Abi Dawud 874
Do this before next time
Say the ruku words three times slowly in your next prayer instead of once quickly.
Lesson 5 · The words between ruku and sujud · ages 8-11
Standing up: Allah hears the one who praises Him
As you come up from ruku the imam says Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah, and you answer Allahumma Rabbana lakal hamd.
1It is a call and an answer
The Prophet ﷺ told the people: when the imam says Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah, say Allahumma Rabbana lakal hamd.
2The angels say it too
He said if your words match the words of the angels, your past sins are forgiven.
3Allah hears praise
Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah means Allah has heard the one who praised Him.
4Stand still for a moment
This standing was reported to be about as long as the ruku before it.
5Praying alone
Praying by yourself you say both parts, because you are saying what the imam says and what the people say.
“When the Imam says, Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah, you should say, Allahumma Rabbana laka l-hamd. And if the saying of any one of you coincides with that of the angels, all his past sins will be forgiven.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 796
Memorise this
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Allahumma Rabbana laka l-hamd
O Allah, our Lord, all praise is for You.
Said on rising from ruku — Sahih al-Bukhari 796
Do this before next time
Listen for Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah at the masjid and answer it clearly.
Lesson 6 · Words for prostration · ages 5-7
In sujud: the closest you get
In sujud you say Subhana Rabbiyal A'la — glory to my Lord, the Most High — and this is the closest a servant comes to Allah.
1The words of sujud
Hudhayfah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said Subhana Rabbiyal A'la while prostrating.
2The nearest place
The Prophet ﷺ said a servant is nearest to his Lord in sujud, so make dua then.
3So ask
After the tasbih you can quietly ask Allah for what you need.
4The lowest position, the highest name
Your head is on the floor and you are calling Allah the Most High.
5Stay a moment
In the same narration his sujud was about as long as his standing.
“He said while prostrating: Glory be to my most high Lord.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 874
“The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication in this state.”
Sahih Muslim 482
Memorise this
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى
Subhana Rabbiyal A'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Said in sujud — Sunan Abi Dawud 874
Do this before next time
In your next sujud, say the tasbih three times and then ask Allah for one thing in your own language.
Lesson 7 · My Lord, forgive me · ages 5-7
Sitting between the two sujud
Between the two prostrations you sit up and say Rabbighfir li — my Lord, forgive me.
1Sit properly first
You come up from sujud and sit, you do not bounce straight back down.
2The words are short
Hudhayfah reported that he said, while sitting, Rabbighfir li, Rabbighfir li.
3Repeated
In the narration it is said twice, not once.
4A pause with a purpose
It is a small gap in salah that exists only to ask for forgiveness.
5Every rak'ah has one
So in a four-rak'ah prayer you ask for forgiveness in this sitting four times.
“He said while sitting: O my Lord forgive me, O my Lord forgive me.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 874
Memorise this
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbighfir li
My Lord, forgive me.
Said between the two prostrations — Sunan Abi Dawud 874
Do this before next time
Count how many times you say Rabbighfir li in Maghrib tonight.
Lesson 8 · How salah finishes · ages 8-11
Tashahhud, salawat, and the salam
At the end you sit and say the tashahhud, then send salawat on the Prophet ﷺ, then ask Allah for forgiveness, then turn with the salam.
1The Prophet ﷺ taught the exact words
The companions used to say their own greetings until he taught them the tashahhud: at-tahiyyatu lillah, and the rest.
2Allah Himself is As-Salam
He corrected them: do not say peace be upon Allah, because Allah Himself is Peace.
3Then the two testimonies
The tashahhud ends with bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and messenger.
4Then salawat
Ka'b ibn Ujrah asked how to send blessings, and the Prophet ﷺ taught the words that mention Ibrahim and his family.
5Then a dua before the salam
Abu Bakr asked for a dua to say in prayer and was taught: O Allah, I have greatly wronged myself, and none forgives sins except You.
6Then you turn
Salah ends with the salam — the peace you have just asked for, given to the people beside you.
“Allah Himself is As-Salam. If anyone of you prays then he should say: at-Tahiyyatu lillahi wa s-salawatu wa t-tayyibat, as-salamu alayka ayyuha n-Nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, as-salamu alayna wa ala ibadillahi s-salihin. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 831
“Say: O Allah! Send Your Mercy on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Mercy on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3370
“O Allah! I have done great injustice to myself and no one grants pardon against sins but You, so forgive me with forgiveness from You, and have mercy on me, for You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger.
Part of the tashahhud — Sahih al-Bukhari 831
Do this before next time
Learn the last line of the tashahhud by heart and say what it means to a parent.
Every ayah on this page comes from the Tanzil Uthmani text of the Qur'an with the Sahih International translation, and every hadith carries its collection and number so you can check it yourself. Back to the learning path
