A Complete Prayer: Step by Step

1. Step 1: Intention and Opening Takbir

When beginning the prayer:
• A man wearing sleeves brings his hands out as an Adab, then raises them to the prescribed level.
• Make the intention in the heart for the prayer being performed.
• Say the opening Takbir while standing when standing is required and one is able.
• The source cautions against stretching the initial Hamzah in the opening Takbir.
• Then place the right hand over the left without an unnecessary pause.

The opening Takbir itself is essential; details such as hand-raising and hand placement belong to the Sunnah/Adab form already studied.

2. Step 2: Opening Recitation

The normal recitation sequence is:
1. Thana.
2. Ta'awwudh silently for the act of recitation.
3. Tasmiyah silently.
4. Surah al-Fatihah.
5. Amin silently.
6. A Surah or the required amount of verses.

Tasmiyah is repeated before al-Fatihah in each rak'ah. The second rak'ah is like the first except that the opening Thana and Ta'awwudh are not repeated in the ordinary case.

3. Step 3: Ruku

After recitation:
• Say Takbir while moving into Ruku.
• Settle into the bowing posture with tranquility.
• A man holds the knees with fingers spread, keeps the shins upright, the back level and the head aligned with the back as the Sunnah form.
• Recite سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ three times as the minimum Sunnah perfection stated by the commentary.

The level back and finger posture are Sunnahs of form; they should not be described as separate Fard conditions.

4. Step 4: Rise from Ruku and Go to Sujud

Rise from Ruku with composure. The source's commentary records combining Tasmi' and Tahmid for an Imam as one reported/preferred view and for a solitary worshipper; the follower says the Tahmid.

Then:
• say Takbir while descending;
• place the knees, then hands, then the face between the palms as the Sunnah sequence;
• prostrate on the forehead and nose with tranquility;
• recite سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى three times as the minimum Sunnah perfection.

The knees-hands-face order is a Sunnah method; a different limb order does not by itself invalidate Sujud.

5. Step 5: Jalsah and the Second Sajdah

Rise from the first Sajdah with Takbir and sit between the two Sajdahs with tranquility, placing the hands on the thighs. Then say Takbir and perform the second Sajdah in the same manner.

The matn lists the Jalsah and Qawmah among the Sunnahs of prayer, while the commentary also records the later Hanafi view that gives their required composure a Wajib status. The beginner lesson therefore preserves both levels of discussion rather than calling the entire sitting a Fard.

6. Step 6: The First Sitting and Later Rak'ahs

After the second Sajdah of the second rak'ah:
• a man sits in Iftirash: on the left foot with the right foot upright;
• a woman uses the Tawarruk posture described by the source;
• place the hands on the thighs;
• recite the Tashahhud and make the index-finger gesture at the testimony.

In a three- or four-rak'ah prayer, do not add Salawat and dua to the first sitting; after Tashahhud, rise for the next rak'ah without undue delay. In the later Fard rak'ahs, recite al-Fatihah as Sunnah.

7. Step 7: Final Sitting and Salaam

In the final sitting:
1. Recite Tashahhud.
2. Recite Salawat.
3. Make a permitted Quranic/transmitted-style dua.
4. Turn to the right and give Salaam.
5. Then turn to the left and give Salaam.

The intention of whom to include in the Salaams depends on whether one is Imam, follower or praying alone, as studied in L020. This completes the prayer in its normal form.