The Five Daily Prayers (Salah)
Salah (صَلَاة) is the second pillar of Islam and the foundation of a Muslim's daily worship. The five daily prayers are obligatory for every adult Muslim—they structure the day around remembrance of Allah and keep the believer connected to the Creator from dawn until night.
Quranic Command
"Indeed, prayer has been prescribed upon the believers at fixed times." (Surah An-Nisa 4:103)
The Five Prayers
| # | Prayer | Arabic | Time | Rakah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fajr | الفجر | Dawn (before sunrise) | 2 |
| 2 | Dhuhr | الظهر | Noon (after sun passes zenith) | 4 |
| 3 | Asr | العصر | Afternoon (mid-afternoon) | 4 |
| 4 | Maghrib | المغرب | Sunset (just after sunset) | 3 |
| 5 | Isha | العشاء | Night (after twilight) | 4 |
Total: 17 rakah per day
Fajr (الفجر) The dawn prayer. Two rakah offered before sunrise. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The two rakah of Fajr are better than the world and all that is in it." It begins the day with submission to Allah.
Dhuhr (الظهر) The noon prayer. Four rakah offered when the sun has passed its zenith. It breaks the day's work to remember Allah. The Prophet would pray it when the sun began to decline.
Asr (العصر) The afternoon prayer. Four rakah offered in the mid-afternoon. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever misses the Asr prayer, it is as if he has lost his family and wealth." It is the middle prayer, especially emphasized.
Maghrib (المغرب) The sunset prayer. Three rakah offered immediately after the sun sets. It marks the end of the day's work and the transition to evening.
Isha (العشاء) The night prayer. Four rakah offered after the red twilight has disappeared. It closes the day in worship before sleep.
Importance The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The first thing for which a person will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection is the prayer. If it is sound, the rest of his deeds will be sound. If it is corrupt, the rest of his deeds will be corrupt." Prayer is the pillar of the religion—whoever establishes it has established the religion; whoever abandons it has destroyed the religion.