Now, Ruku is complete and one has to go to Sajda/ prostrations, which is allowed only on permissible stuffs like mud etc. Before going to prostration once again one does Rafa-Yadain/ raise hands and utter ‘Allahu Akbar/ God is Great’, then one puts palms first on the ground and later knees, then one proceeds to put forehead on ground. So in total seven parts i.e. both larger toes of legs, both knees, both palms and forehead is placed on ground, women should place their hands up to elbows on ground. During this step one recite ‘Subhaan Rabbi al A’ala wa bi Hamd/ Glory be to my Lord the Supreme and I praise Him’ once or one can simply recite ‘Subhaan Allah/ Glory be to God’thrice.


One gets up to sitting position and does Rafa-Yadain/ raise hands and Recites‘Allahu Akbar/ God is Great’, one sits with palms on thighs, sitting such that right upper foot should rest on sole of left foot. After momentarily sitting, one does raise hands and recite'Allahu Akbar’ once again and proceeds of second prostration, same as first sajda and again get up saying‘Allahu Akbar’ and raising hands. This action completes one’s first rakaa/ cycle.


After sitting momentarily one places both palms on ground and gets up first lifting knees and then palms, while trying to stand one recites ‘Bi haw lillaahi wa quwwatihi aqumu wa aq’ud/ I sit and stand with the help of the strength of God’.

One begins second rakaah/ cycle by recitation of Surah Faatiha and repeats the same procedure but after Surah Faatiha any other chapter other than recited in first rakaah/ cycle is recited. One has to follow the same procedure except a slight change that in Second rakah/ cycle before going to Ruku/ bowing one does Qunut/ supplication in Shia Islam.


For performing Qunut/ supplication once again one does raise hands and recite‘Allahu Akbar’ momentarily let hands to hang loose and then once again raise them such that palms face sky/ roof and are at face level and begin to supplicate. This is the only action when one is free to seek what one desires that too in one’s own language. Preferably, any Qur’anic (Qunut) supplications are used. After it one proceeds for ruku/ bowing with yet another raising hands and ‘Allahu Akbar’, and then Sajda/ prostrations after Ruku/ Bowing.

Procedure remains same as in first rakaah/ cycle, but after second sajda/prostration of second rakaah/cycle when one sits one begins Tashahud/ Declaration of Faith. Shia Muslims do not raise or rotate index finger while Tashahud which is done by Non-Shia.

Many Shia Muslims consider to recite additional Third Tashahud followed by aforesaid Tashahud as required, while other Shia Muslims consider it not allowed during salaah, it depends on which teaching one follows.

After Tashahud one proceeds to recite Taslim/ Salaam/ Salutations. After this one instantly does Rafa-Yadain/ Raise hands three times each time uttering‘Allahu Akbar/ God is Great’ with this final action and recitation one’s 2 cycle salaah is complete and one exits from it.


If one intends to perform three rakaah/ cycle prayers, one should not recite Taslim/Salaam/ Salutations after Tashahud, and should get up as one got up for second Rakaah/cycle. Now, either one stands momentarily without reciting anything or one recites just Surah Fatiha without an additional chapter, or yet as a third option one recitesTasbihaat Al Arba/ The four praises thrice. Any of the three options will suffice; other later procedure is same as first rakaah/ cycle’s, after sajda/prostrations recite Tashahud and Taslim/ Salam/ Salutations to end the prayer.

If one intends to perform four rakaah/ cycle prayers, one should neither recite Tashahud nor Taslim/Salaam/ Salutations after third rakaah/ cycle’s Sajda/ prostrations, and should get up as one got up for second Rakaah/ cycle. Here too, either one stands momentarily without reciting anything or one recites just Surah Fatiha without an additional chapter, or yet as a third option one recitesTasbihaat Al Arba/ The four praises thrice Here too any of the three options will suffice, other later procedure is same as first rakaah/ cycle’s, after sajda/prostrations recite Tashahud and Taslim/ Salam/ Salutations to end the prayer.