The Prophet ﷺ said: pray as you have seen me praying. The prayer begins with the opening takbir and ends with the taslim. Its pillars are standing when able, the takbir, reciting Al-Fatihah, bowing, rising, prostrating, sitting between the prostrations, the last tashahhud and the taslim, each done with calm. The Prophet ﷺ taught a man who prayed hastily to repeat his prayer and stay calm in every posture.
1The steps in order
Face the Qibla with the intention in the heart and say Allahu Akbar.
Recite the opening dua (optional), then seek refuge, say Bismillah and recite Al-Fatihah and another surah in the first two rak'ahs.
Bow (ruku'), saying Subhana Rabbiyal Adhim, and stay calm until at ease.
Rise saying Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah, and Rabbana wa lakal hamd, and stand straight.
Prostrate (sujud) on seven parts: forehead with the nose, both palms, both knees and the toes. Say Subhana Rabbiyal A'la, and stay calm.
Sit between the two prostrations, then prostrate again.
In the second and the last rak'ah sit for the tashahhud. In the last, add the salawat on the Prophet ﷺ, then end with the taslim to the right and left.
2The pillars of the prayer (most scholars)
The intention, the opening takbir and standing when able.
Reciting Al-Fatihah in every rak'ah (Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali; the Hanafis require reciting any part of the Quran, and Al-Fatihah is wajib).
Bowing, rising, prostrating twice and sitting between the prostrations, each with calm.
The last tashahhud, and the taslim.
Where the schools differ
The four Sunni schools agree on the main ruling above and differ in these points. No school is preferred here.
Reciting Al-Fatihah behind the imam. the Hanafi school says do not recite; the Maliki and Hanbali schools say recite in the silent prayers only; the Shafi'i school says recite in every prayer.
Raising the hands. the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools raise them at the takbir, at bowing and when rising from it. The Hanafi school raises them only at the opening takbir, and the Maliki school's well-known view is the same.
Placing the hands. below the chest and above the navel in the Shafi'i school, below the navel in the Hanafi and Hanbali schools. In the Maliki school the well-known view is to let the arms hang in the obligatory prayer, though folding them is also permitted.
The qunut in Fajr. the Shafi'i and Maliki schools do it, the Hanafi and Hanbali schools do not.
Note
This is a summary. The best way to learn the prayer is to watch a teacher pray and be corrected by them.
Peliharalah kamu (kerjakanlah dengan tetap dan sempurna pada waktunya) segala sembahyang fardu, khasnya sembahyang Wusta (sembahyang Asar), dan berdirilah kerana Allah (dalam sembahyang kamu) dengan taat dan khusyuk.
Sesungguhnya Tuhanmu (wahai Muhammad) mengetahui bahawasanya engkau bangun (sembahyang Tahajjud) selama kurang dari dua pertiga malam, dan selama satu perduanya, dan selama satu pertiganya; dan (demikian juga dilakukan oleh) segolongan dari orang-orang yang bersama-samamu (kerana hendak menepati perintah yang terdahulu); padahal Allah jualah yang menentukan dengan tepat kadar masa malam dan siang. Ia mengetahui bahawa kamu tidak sekali-kali akan dapat mengira dengan tepat kadar masa itu, lalu Ia menarik balik perintahNya yang terdahulu (dengan memberi kemudahan) kepada kamu; oleh itu bacalah mana-mana yang mudah kamu dapat membacanya dari Al-Quran (dalam sembahyang). Ia juga mengetahui bahawa akan ada di antara kamu orang-orang yang sakit; dan yang lainnya orang-orang yang musafir di muka bumi untuk mencari rezeki dari limpah kurnia Allah; dan yang lainnya lagi orang-orang yang berjuang pada jalan Allah (membela ugamaNya). Maka bacalah mana-mana yang sudah kamu dapat membacanya dari Al-Quran; dan dirikanlah sembahyang serta berikanlah zakat; dan berilah pinjaman kepada Allah sebagai pinjaman yang baik (ikhlas). Dan (ingatlah), apa jua kebaikan yang kamu kerjakan sebagai bekalan untuk diri kamu, tentulah kamu akan mendapat balasannya pada sisi Allah, -sebagai balasan yang sebaik-baiknya dan yang amat besar pahalanya. Dan mintalah ampun kepada Allah; sesungguhnya Allah Maha Pengampun, lagi Maha Mengasihani.
From the Sunnah
Sahih al-Bukhari 631Authentic collection
The point of the hadith: The Prophet ﷺ said: pray as you have seen me praying.
Read the Arabic text
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، أَتَيْنَا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ شَبَبَةٌ مُتَقَارِبُونَ، فَأَقَمْنَا عِنْدَهُ عِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا وَلَيْلَةً، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَحِيمًا رَفِيقًا، فَلَمَّا ظَنَّ أَنَّا قَدِ اشْتَهَيْنَا أَهْلَنَا أَوْ قَدِ اشْتَقْنَا سَأَلَنَا عَمَّنْ تَرَكْنَا بَعْدَنَا فَأَخْبَرْنَاهُ قَالَ " ارْجِعُوا إِلَى أَهْلِيكُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا فِيهِمْ وَعَلِّمُوهُمْ وَمُرُوهُمْ ـ وَذَكَرَ أَشْيَاءَ أَحْفَظُهَا أَوْ لاَ أَحْفَظُهَا ـ وَصَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي، فَإِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَلْيُؤَذِّنْ لَكُمْ أَحَدُكُمْ وَلْيَؤُمَّكُمْ أَكْبَرُكُمْ ".
The point of the hadith: A man prayed hastily. The Prophet ﷺ told him three times to go back and pray, and then taught him: be calm in the bowing, in the rising, in the prostration and in the sitting.
Read the Arabic text
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ، فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَصَلَّى فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرَدَّ وَقَالَ " ارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ، فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ ". فَرَجَعَ يُصَلِّي كَمَا صَلَّى ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " ارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ " ثَلاَثًا. فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا أُحْسِنُ غَيْرَهُ فَعَلِّمْنِي. فَقَالَ " إِذَا قُمْتَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَكَبِّرْ، ثُمَّ اقْرَأْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ رَاكِعًا، ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَعْتَدِلَ قَائِمًا، ثُمَّ اسْجُدْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ سَاجِدًا، ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ جَالِسًا، وَافْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فِي صَلاَتِكَ كُلِّهَا ".
This is general information, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.
Fiqh questions
How to pray: the pillars and the steps
The Prophet ﷺ said: pray as you have seen me praying. The prayer begins with the opening takbir and ends with the taslim. Its pillars are standing when able, the takbir, reciting Al-Fatihah, bowing, rising, prostrating, sitting between the prostrations, the last tashahhud and the taslim, each done with calm. The Prophet ﷺ taught a man who prayed hastily to repeat his prayer and stay calm in every posture.
Is this a fatwa?
No. It is a summary of well-known rulings with their evidence. For your own case, ask a qualified scholar.
What if my school differs from this answer?
Follow the view of the school you follow and the scholar who teaches you. The page lists the differences of the four schools.