The five daily prayers have 17 obligatory (fard) rakat: Fajr 2, Dhuhr 4, Asr 4, Maghrib 3 and Isha 4. Around them are sunnah prayers, above all 2 rakat before Fajr and Witr after Isha. Pick a prayer below and pray along with it, one position at a time.
How many rakat in each prayer
| Prayer | Sunnah before | Fard | Sunnah after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr | 2 | 2 | · |
| Dhuhr | 2 or 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Asr | 2 or 4 (optional) | 4 | · |
| Maghrib | · | 3 | 2 |
| Isha | · | 4 | 2 |
| Jumu'ah | 2 (optional) | 2 | 2 or 4 |
| Witr | · | 3 | · |
17 fard rakat a day, in every school.
- The fard numbers are the same in all four schools. The sunnah counts differ a little, and these are the common ones.
- Dhuhr: the Hanafi school prays 4 rakat sunnah before it, in one prayer. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools stress 2, and 4 is also sunnah.
- Asr: the sunnah before Asr is recommended but not stressed (not mu'akkadah) in every school. There is no sunnah after Asr.
- Isha: the Hanafi school also recommends 4 rakat before Isha. Witr comes after the sunnah of Isha.
- Witr: the Hanafi school treats it as wajib (necessary) and prays 3 rakat together. The other schools treat it as a strong sunnah, from 1 to 11 rakat, often prayed as 2 and then 1.
- Jumu'ah replaces Dhuhr on Friday. The Hanafi school prays 4 sunnah before and 4 after it; others pray 2 or more on arriving and 2 or 4 after.
Each prayer page tells you its rakat, which ones are recited aloud, where you sit for the tashahhud, and when to add a surah after Al-Fatiha. Then a step player walks you through it: what position you are in, what to say, how many times, and whether to say it aloud or quietly.
Open it on your phone, put the phone where you can see it, and tap Next as you go. The screen stays on while the page is open.
Pray along, prayer by prayer
- FajrSunnah before 2 · Fard 2
- DhuhrSunnah before 2 or 4 · Fard 4 · Sunnah after 2
- AsrSunnah before 2 or 4 · Fard 4
- MaghribFard 3 · Sunnah after 2
- IshaFard 4 · Sunnah after 2
- Jumu'ahSunnah before 2 · Fard 2 · Sunnah after 2 or 4
- WitrWitr 3
If you do not know Al-Fatiha yet, you can still pray while you learn it. Here is how
Common questions
How many rakat are in all five prayers?
17 fard rakat: Fajr 2, Dhuhr 4, Asr 4, Maghrib 3 and Isha 4. With the stressed sunnah prayers and Witr it comes to about 30 rakat a day, a little more in the Hanafi school.
Do I have to pray the sunnah rakat?
No. Only the fard rakat are obligatory. The sunnah prayers bring extra reward, and the 2 before Fajr and the Witr are the most stressed. As a new Muslim, start with the fard and add the sunnah when you are ready.
Which rakat are recited aloud?
In Fajr, Maghrib and Isha the imam recites Al-Fatiha and the surah aloud in the first two rakat. Dhuhr and Asr are recited quietly. Sunnah prayers in the day are quiet. When you pray alone, quietly means moving your lips so that you can just hear yourself.
How do I pray 4 rakat?
Pray two rakat with Al-Fatiha and a short surah, sit for the tashahhud, stand up, pray two more rakat with Al-Fatiha only, then sit for the tashahhud, the salawat and salam. The Dhuhr, Asr and Isha pages walk you through it step by step.
What if I make a mistake or lose count?
It happens to everyone. If you are unsure whether you prayed 3 or 4 rakat, go with the lower number, finish, and make two extra prostrations before or after the salam (sajdat as-sahw). Your local imam can show you how your school does it.
Pray with audio
The Revertly app walks you through each prayer with audio: a figure moves into each position while the recitation plays.