How to Pray Nafl

Make the intention in your heart. It is not necessary to say it aloud.

I intend to pray 2 Nafl rakats, for the sake of Allah, facing the Qiblah.

Raise both hands up to your earlobes, palms facing the Qiblah, then place right hand over left hand below the navel.

اللهُ أَكْبَر

Allahu Akbar

Allah is the Greatest

Recite Thana silently:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ

Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika wa tabarakasmuka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuk

Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise. Blessed is Your name and exalted is Your majesty. There is no god but You.

Recite Ta'awwudh silently:

أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

A'udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajeem

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan.

Recite Tasmiyah silently:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bismillahir-rahmanir-raheem

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Recite Surah Al-Fatihah silently (in Farz) or aloud (in Sunnah/Nafl - optional):

Bismillah (Tasmiyah) was already recited in the previous step — begin from Al-Hamdulillah.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

Alhamdu lillahi rabbil-'aalameen
Ar-rahmanir-raheem
Maliki yawmid-deen
Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een
Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqeem
Siratal-ladhina an'amta 'alayhim ghayril-maghdubi 'alayhim wa lad-daalleen

All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds.
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgement.
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 have incurred anger, nor of those who are astray.

آمِين

Ameen (O Allah, accept our prayer).

Recite any Surah or at least 3 short verses. Choose from the options below:

Recite Bismillah (Tasmiyah) silently before beginning the Surah — it appears as the first line below.

Choose a Surah to recite:

Say Allahu Akbar while bending into Ruku.

اللهُ أَكْبَر

Allahu Akbar

Bow with hands on knees, back straight, and recite at least 3 times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

Subhana Rabbiyal 'Azeem

Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great.

Stand up straight from Ruku and recite:

سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ

Sami Allahu liman hamidah

Allah hears those who praise Him.

رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ

Rabbana lakal-hamd

Our Lord, all praise is for You.

Say Allahu Akbar while going into Sajdah.

اللهُ أَكْبَر

Allahu Akbar

Place forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, and toes on the ground. Recite at least 3 times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subhana Rabbiyal A'la

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

Sit upright briefly between the two Sajdahs. In Hanafi madhab, no specific dua is required here.

Place forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, and toes on the ground. Recite at least 3 times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subhana Rabbiyal A'la

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

Say Allahu Akbar and rise to stand for the next rakat.

اللهُ أَكْبَر

Allahu Akbar

Recite Tasmiyah silently:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bismillahir-rahmanir-raheem

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Recite Surah Al-Fatihah silently (in Farz) or aloud (in Sunnah/Nafl - optional):

Bismillah (Tasmiyah) was already recited in the previous step — begin from Al-Hamdulillah.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

Alhamdu lillahi rabbil-'aalameen
Ar-rahmanir-raheem
Maliki yawmid-deen
Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een
Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqeem
Siratal-ladhina an'amta 'alayhim ghayril-maghdubi 'alayhim wa lad-daalleen

All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds.
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgement.
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 have incurred anger, nor of those who are astray.

آمِين

Ameen (O Allah, accept our prayer).

Recite any Surah or at least 3 short verses. Choose from the options below:

Recite Bismillah (Tasmiyah) silently before beginning the Surah — it appears as the first line below.

Choose a Surah to recite:

Say Allahu Akbar while bending into Ruku.

اللهُ أَكْبَر

Allahu Akbar

Bow with hands on knees, back straight, and recite at least 3 times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

Subhana Rabbiyal 'Azeem

Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great.

Stand up straight from Ruku and recite:

سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ

Sami Allahu liman hamidah

Allah hears those who praise Him.

رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ

Rabbana lakal-hamd

Our Lord, all praise is for You.

Say Allahu Akbar while going into Sajdah.

اللهُ أَكْبَر

Allahu Akbar

Place forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, and toes on the ground. Recite at least 3 times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subhana Rabbiyal A'la

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

Sit upright briefly between the two Sajdahs. In Hanafi madhab, no specific dua is required here.

Place forehead, nose, both palms, both knees, and toes on the ground. Recite at least 3 times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subhana Rabbiyal A'la

Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.

After the second Sajdah of the final rakat, sit for the final Qa'dah.

التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibatu, as-salamu 'alayka ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, as-salamu 'alayna wa 'ala 'ibadillahis-salihin. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh

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. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

When reciting "Ash-hadu an la ilaha" raise the index finger of the right hand and lower it at "illallah".

After At-Tahiyyat, recite Darood Ibrahim:

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰى اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلٰٓى اِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلٰٓى اٰلِ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ
aَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰى اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلٰٓى اِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلٰٓى اٰلِ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin kama sallayta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahima innaka hamidun majid.
Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin kama barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahima innaka hamidun majid.

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

After Darood Ibrahim, recite a Dua. Choose from:

Turn head to the right and say Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah, then turn to the left and repeat.

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.

Say this turning your head to the right first, then repeat turning to the left.