How many rakat is each prayer?
The five daily prayers have 17 obligatory rakat in total: Fajr 2, Dhuhr 4, Asr 4, Maghrib 3 and Isha 4. These numbers are the same in every school. On Friday, the two rakat of Jumu'ah at the mosque take the place of Dhuhr.
How to pray: the rakat chart and a pray-along for every prayer
By Benjamin · Last updated
The obligatory (fard) rakat
- Fajr (dawn): 2 rakat
- Dhuhr (midday): 4 rakat
- Asr (afternoon): 4 rakat
- Maghrib (sunset): 3 rakat
- Isha (night): 4 rakat
The sunnah prayers and Witr
Around the obligatory prayers there are extra sunnah prayers, for example two rakat before Fajr. Their exact number differs a little between the schools, so follow your school or your local mosque.
Witr is an odd-numbered prayer after Isha. The Hanafi school treats it as necessary (wajib) and prays it as 3 rakat; the other schools treat it as a strongly recommended sunnah.
How the rakat are arranged
- In a 2-rakat prayer, you sit for the Tashahhud once, at the end.
- In 3 and 4-rakat prayers, you also sit after the second rakat for the Tashahhud only, then stand up.
- Only the first two rakat have an extra surah after Al-Fatiha.
Prayer times today: London · Birmingham · Manchester · Bradford · All UK towns
Common questions
Can I shorten my prayers when I travel?
Yes. When travelling, the four-rakat prayers (Dhuhr, Asr and Isha) are shortened to two. Fajr and Maghrib stay the same. The schools differ on the distance and the length of stay, so check with your imam.
Is Jumu'ah prayed in addition to Dhuhr?
No. For those who attend, the two rakat of Jumu'ah replace Dhuhr. If you miss Jumu'ah, you pray the four rakat of Dhuhr.
Practise it with audio
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