Prayer guide
The Five Daily Prayers
The five obligatory prayers — Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha — gifted to the ummah on the night of the Mi'raj. Their times, number of rak'ahs, and Sunan are derived from the Prophet's ﷺ established practice over twenty-three years.
The Foundational Gift
The five daily prayers were prescribed during the Isra and Mi'raj — alone among acts of worship to be given directly in the heavens, not on earth. Originally fifty, they were reduced — through Musa's counsel to the Prophet ﷺ — to five performed, with the reward of fifty. Allah said: 'My word does not change — these five are five and are fifty.' (Bukhari 3207, Muslim 162). The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The five daily prayers are like a river running at the door of one of you, in which he bathes five times every day — would any dirt remain on him?' (Bukhari 528, Muslim 667).
Fajr
Two rak'ahs — quietly recited aloud, before dawn breaks fully. The time begins at true dawn (al-fajr as-sadiq, when the white line spreads horizontally on the eastern horizon) and ends at sunrise. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Whoever prays Fajr is under Allah's protection.' (Muslim 657). It is the prayer at which the angels of day and night both witness the believer: 'And recite the Qur'an of the dawn — indeed, the Qur'an of the dawn is ever witnessed.' (Qur'an 17:78). Two Sunnah rak'ahs before Fajr are especially beloved — the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The two rak'ahs of Fajr are better than the world and what is in it.' (Muslim 725).
Dhuhr
Four rak'ahs — recited silently, after the sun passes its zenith. The time begins when the sun's shadow starts to lengthen from its shortest point at midday, and ends when an object's shadow equals its length plus the shadow at zenith. Four Sunnah rak'ahs before and two after are emphasized — the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Whoever maintains four rak'ahs before Dhuhr and four after, Allah forbids him to the Fire.' (Tirmidhi 428). On Fridays it is replaced by Jumu'ah (two rak'ahs with a khutbah).
Asr
Four rak'ahs — silently — in the afternoon. The time begins when Dhuhr ends and continues until the sun yellows toward setting. Allah singled out Asr in His Book: 'Maintain the prayers, and the middle prayer (as-salat al-wusta).' (Qur'an 2:238). The dominant view is that the 'middle prayer' is Asr. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Whoever misses Asr is as one whose family and wealth were taken from him.' (Bukhari 552). It is the prayer that defines the end of the productive day in Islam — and the one most often missed by the careless.
Maghrib
Three rak'ahs — the first two recited aloud, the third silently — immediately after sunset. The time begins when the sun's disc fully sets and ends when the red glow leaves the western horizon. It is the only obligatory prayer with an odd number of rak'ahs (witr is voluntary). The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Pray Maghrib without delay — the Jews delay it until the stars appear.' (Abu Dawud 418). Two Sunnah rak'ahs after Maghrib are recommended.
Isha
Four rak'ahs — the first two aloud, the last two silently — in the night. The time begins when the red twilight is gone from the sky and extends until midnight (in the dominant view) or until true dawn (as the wider permissible window). The Prophet ﷺ loved to delay it to the latter portion of its time, but feared making it hard on his ummah: 'Were it not that I would burden my ummah, I would order them to delay Isha to the last third of the night.' (Bukhari 7239). Two Sunnah rak'ahs after, and the Witr to follow, complete the night.