I got a mail this week telling me to make a thread on the basics. Many muslims do not know how to make wudu or pray but are too embarassed to ask. So here goes:

1. Make niyyah(intention) to perform Wudu..(in your mind)

2. Say the following (silently, in your head, not out loud when in the bathroom):

Bismillah "In the name of Allah,".

3. Wash your hands. Use your left hand to wash your right hand (3 times). After that, using your right hand, wash your left hand. (3 times).

4. Wash your whole mouth & upper part of throat Do this thoroughly to get all the remaining food in your
out. (3 times).

5. Inhale (or "throw" water into your nose. After which you will blow the water out. (3 times).

6. Wash your face completely by spreading your hands from your right ear to the left, and from the edge of the hair to the chin. (3 times).

7. Wash your lower arms from wrists to elbows,leave no part dry Wash your right arm with your left hand (3 times) and then wash your left arm with your right hand (3 times)

8. Wipe your head. Using your wet hands, just gently wipe your head from front to back and back to front (once).

9. Wipe your ears inside and out by putting finger in all crevices of ear and thumb behind it, wiping down. (once).

10. Wash each of your feet. Do so up to the ankles (3 times)and be sure water goes between the toes.

11. Recite the following:

Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahuu laa shariikalah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhuu wa rasuuluh

"I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is his servant and messenger."

Edited from wikihow.com

How to pray

1- Takbir:

Takbir is entering into the state of prayer by glorifying God. We face towards Makkah and make the intention to pray. To begin the act of prayer, we say 'Allahu Akbar' meaning God is great, raising the hands to the ears or shoulder

2- Qiyaam:

Place your right hand over your left on your chest or right under the navel while in the standing position. Read this short duaa:

Arabic: Subhana Kal-lah hum-ma wabi hamdika wata-bara kasmuka wata'ala jad-duka wala ilaha ghyruka.

Translation: Glory be to you, O Allah, and all praises are due unto you, and blessed is your name and high is your majesty and none is worthy of worship but you.

Then recite Surah Al Fatiha, which is the first chapter in the Qur'an. Verses from any another chapter are then recited.

3- Ruku:

Ruku means bowing. During ruku, say 'glory be to God, the Most Great', (Subhanallahi Al Adheem),three times.

During prayer, do not fidget or look around. You must pray as though you are in the presence of God/Allah, and therefore must be in a state of concentration.

4- Brief qiyaam:

While moving into the upright position, recite:Sameea Allahu Liman Hamidah: ('God/Allah listens to the one who praises Him) , and while in the standing position, Rabana Wa Laka Al Hamd:To God belongs all praise' then is recited. 'Allah Akbar: God is Great' is recited again. Hands are loosely at the sides this time.

While you do each movement always recite: Allah Akbar 'God is Great'.

5- Sujud:

Sujud means to prostrate. While in the prostration position recite: Subhana Rabi Al Aala: 'Glory be to God, the Most High' three times. Palms, knees, toes, forehead and nose must be the only body parts touching the ground.

6- Brief sitting:

Allah Akbar:'God is Great' is recited while moving to the sitting position. Recite: Rabi Ighfer Li: My Lord forgive me) three times.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, recommended that each movement must last at least the time that it takes for the bones to settle. He compared some people's ruku' and sujud to the way that a crow pecks on the ground, because of the speed at which they perform it. (Ibn Khuzaymah)

7- Sujud again:

Recite the same.

8- To continue the prayer from the sujud position, say: Allah Akbar: 'God is Great' and stand up to repeat everything from Surah Al Fatiha, until you reach this sujud again.

9-Tashahhud:

After the second raka, after the second sujud, After saying: Allah Akbar: God is Great,return to the sitting position, then recite:

Tashahud: At-tahiy-yatu lil-lahi was sala-watu wat-tay yibatu As-salamu 'alayka ay-yuhan-nabiy-yu wa rahma tullahi wa bara-katuhu As-salamu 'alayna wa'ala 'ibadil-la his-sali-heen Ash hadu al-la ilaha il-lal lahu wa ash hadu an-na Muhammadan 'ab-duhu wa rasuluh.

Translation:

All compliments, all physical prayer, and all monitary worship are for Allah. Peace be upon you, Oh Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blesings. Peace be on us and on all righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that no one is worthy of worship except Allah And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger

Listen here: http://www.islamcan.com/salat/duas/tashahud.ram

If you are offering 3 Rakath of salah (as in Maghrib), then after Tashahud in second Rakath, you say Alla-hu Akbar and stand up. Then you recite Tasmiah, Fatiha and other supplications. Note that a surah after Fatiha is only recited in the first two rakaths. Carry on till second Sajdah in the normal manner and sit for second Tashahud in the third Rakath. After that, you are to recite the following three supplications and finish the prayer. If you are offering 4 Rakath of salah, then don't sit for Tashahud in the third Rakath. Simply stand up after second Sajdah in the third rakath by saying Alla-hu Akbar. Carry on till second sajdah and sit for Tashahud in the fourth Rakath. After Tashahud, recite Salat Alan-Nabi (Darud) - Salutation to the Prophet:

Allah humma sal-li 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin, Kama sal-layta 'ala Ibraheema Wa'ala ali Ibraheema innaka Hameedum Majeed

Allah humma barik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin, Kama barakta 'ala Ibraheema Wa 'ala ali Ibraheema innaka Hameedum Majeed.

Listen here: http://www.islamcan.com/salat/duas/salat-alan-nabi-darud.ram

Translation:

Oh Allah, send grace and honour on Muhammad and On the family and true followers of Muhammad just as you sent Grace and Honour on Ibrahim and on the family and true followers of Ibrahim Surely, you are praiseworthy, the Great.

Oh Allah, send your blessing on Muhammad and the true followers of Muhammad, just as you sent blessings on Ibrahim and his true followers Surely, you are praiseworthy, the Great.

10- Peace to the right:

To end the prayer, first turn their face to the right saying: As-salamu 'alaykum wa rah-matul lah

'Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.'

11- Peace to the left: As-salamu 'alaykum wa rah-matul lah

'Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah' is repeated turning to the left side now.