Salah — what we say and what it means

Line-by-line meaning of the words of Namaz.

  1. 1. Niyyah (Intention)

    Silently, in your heart, before starting

    I intend to pray ___ rak'ahs of ___ salah for the sake of Allah, facing the Qiblah.

    Meaning: The intention is made in the heart. You are consciously choosing to stand before Allah for this specific prayer.

  2. 2. Takbir-e-Tahrima (Opening Takbir)

    Raising both hands to the ears/shoulders, then folding them

    اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

    Allāhu Akbar

    Meaning: Allah is the Greatest.

    You declare that Allah is greater than everything — greater than your worries, your work, and the world you just left behind.

  3. 3. Thana (Opening Praise)

    After folding hands, standing (Qiyam)

    سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَىٰ جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَٰهَ غَيْرُكَ

    Subḥānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdika, wa tabāraka smuka, wa taʿālā jadduka, wa lā ilāha ghayruk.

    Meaning: Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise is Yours. Blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god besides You.

  4. 4. Ta'awwuz & Tasmiyah

    Silently, before reciting Al-Fatiha

    أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ ۝ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

    Aʿūdhu billāhi mina ash-shayṭāni ar-rajīm. Bismillāhi ar-Raḥmāni ar-Raḥīm.

    Meaning: I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

  5. 5. Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening)

    In every rak'ah, while standing

    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

    Al-ḥamdu lillāhi Rabbi l-ʿālamīn. Ar-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm. Māliki yawmi d-dīn. Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn. Ihdinā ṣ-ṣirāṭa l-mustaqīm. Ṣirāṭa lladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim, ghayri l-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim wa lā ḍ-ḍāllīn.

    Meaning: All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds — the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful — Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path — the path of those You have blessed, not of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray.

    Say 'Ameen' silently after finishing.

  6. 6. A short Surah (e.g. Al-Ikhlas)

    After Al-Fatiha, in the first two rak'ahs

    قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ۝ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ ۝ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ۝ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

    Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad. Allāhu ṣ-ṣamad. Lam yalid wa lam yūlad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan aḥad.

    Meaning: Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, and none is comparable to Him.

  7. 7. Ruku (Bowing)

    Bowing so back is level, hands on knees. Say 3 times:

    سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

    Subḥāna Rabbiya l-ʿAẓīm

    Meaning: Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great.

    You are physically lowering yourself and verbally declaring that only Allah is truly great. This is where the phrase in your question — Subhana Rabbiyal Adheem — is said.

  8. 8. Rising from Ruku (Qawma)

    Standing back up from bowing

    سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ ۝ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ

    Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah. Rabbanā wa laka l-ḥamd.

    Meaning: Allah hears whoever praises Him. Our Lord, and to You belongs all praise.

  9. 9. Sujood (Prostration)

    Forehead, nose, palms, knees, and toes on the ground. Say 3 times:

    سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَىٰ

    Subḥāna Rabbiya l-Aʿlā

    Meaning: Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

    This is the closest a servant is to Allah. You place the highest part of your body (the head) on the ground to praise the Highest (Al-Aʿlā).

  10. 10. Sitting between the two Sujoods (Jalsa)

    Briefly sitting up between the two prostrations

    رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي

    Rabbi ghfir lī, Rabbi ghfir lī

    Meaning: My Lord, forgive me. My Lord, forgive me.

  11. 11. Second Sujood

    Same as step 9

    سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَىٰ

    Subḥāna Rabbiya l-Aʿlā (×3)

    Meaning: Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

  12. 12. Tashahhud (At-Tahiyyat)

    Sitting after 2 rak'ahs, and at the end of the prayer

    التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

    At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi wa ṣ-ṣalawātu wa ṭ-ṭayyibāt. As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuha n-Nabiyyu wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh. As-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādillāhi ṣ-ṣāliḥīn. Ashhadu an lā ilāha illa Allāh, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh.

    Meaning: All greetings, prayers and pure words are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon Allah's righteous servants. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.

    Raise the right index finger at 'lā ilāha' and lower it at 'illa Allāh' — pointing to the oneness of Allah.

  13. 13. Durood Ibrahim (Sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ)

    In the final sitting, after Tashahhud

    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 Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm, innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd. Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammad wa ʿalā āli Muḥammad kamā bārakta ʿalā Ibrāhīma wa ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm, innaka Ḥamīdun Majīd.

    Meaning: O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings on Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious.

  14. 14. Dua before Salam (Rabbana Duas)

    After Durood, before ending the prayer

    رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

    Rabbanā ātinā fī d-dunyā ḥasanah wa fī l-ākhirati ḥasanah, wa qinā ʿadhāba n-nār.

    Meaning: Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the Fire.

  15. 15. Salam (Ending the prayer)

    Turning face right, then left

    السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ

    As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh

    Meaning: Peace and Allah's mercy be upon you.

    You greet the angels on your right and left, and everyone around you. The prayer is now complete.