The Five Daily Prayers: Names, Times and Number of Rak'ahs
Salah, the ritual prayer, is the second pillar of Islam and is prescribed five times a day at fixed times. This overview is for new Muslims, students and anyone who wants a quick reference. For personal rulings, ask a scholar.
Overview
| Prayer | Begins | Ends (generally) | Obligatory rak'ahs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr (dawn) | True dawn | Sunrise | 2 |
| Dhuhr (midday) | Just after the sun passes its highest point | When Asr begins | 4 |
| Asr (afternoon) | Shadow reaches its set length (see Hanafi vs Shafi'i) | Sunset (the preferred time ends earlier) | 4 |
| Maghrib (sunset) | Sunset | When twilight disappears | 3 |
| Isha (night) | When twilight disappears | Midnight or dawn, depending on the view | 4 |
Fajr
Fajr is the dawn prayer with two obligatory rak'ahs. It is prayed before sunrise, and two voluntary rak'ahs just before it are strongly recommended. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that these two rak'ahs are better than this world and everything in it.
Dhuhr
Dhuhr has four obligatory rak'ahs and is followed and preceded by voluntary prayers. On Friday it is replaced by the congregational Jumu'ah prayer, which has two rak'ahs preceded by a sermon (khutbah).
Asr
Asr has four obligatory rak'ahs. Scholars teach that it should be prayed while the sun is still bright and high; praying it very late, near sunset, is strongly discouraged without a valid excuse.
Maghrib
Maghrib has three obligatory rak'ahs and begins right at sunset. It is the time for breaking the fast in Ramadan, and it is recommended not to delay it needlessly. Its time lasts until the red twilight disappears in the view of many scholars.
Isha
Isha has four obligatory rak'ahs. It may be prayed once twilight has ended. Many scholars say the preferred time lasts until about a third or half of the night and the permitted time continues until dawn, though views differ on the end of the time. After Isha comes the Witr prayer, an odd number of rak'ahs. Hanafi scholars treat it as wajib (necessary), and other schools treat it as a strongly emphasised sunnah.
Prayers in congregation
Men are encouraged to pray the five prayers in congregation at the mosque, which carries great reward. Women may pray at home or at the mosque. Where there is no mosque, pray with family or alone.
Making up missed prayers
If a prayer is missed because of sleep or forgetfulness, the teaching is to pray it as soon as you remember. Scholars have detailed rulings for ongoing missed prayers, so ask a trusted scholar for guidance in your situation.
Where to find the times
Use the country list to open your city. Each page shows today's five times with a countdown to the next prayer and a full monthly timetable.