Namaz TimesThe five daily prayers
A plain overview of the five obligatory prayers (salah): Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha, with their number of rakat, rough timing and the basic steps.
Muslims pray five times a day. Each prayer is called a salah (in India and Pakistan also namaz). A prayer is made of units called rakat (singular rakah). The five obligatory (fard) prayers and the number of obligatory rakat in each are agreed by all schools of thought.
| Prayer | Obligatory rakat | When it begins | Loud or silent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr | 2 | First light of dawn | Recitation aloud |
| Dhuhr | 4 | Just after midday | Silent |
| Asr | 4 | Afternoon | Silent |
| Maghrib | 3 | Sunset | Aloud in the first two rakat |
| Isha | 4 | After the twilight has gone | Aloud in the first two rakat |
Besides these, there are additional prayers before and after the obligatory ones (often called sunnah or nafl) and the Witr prayer after Isha. The number and status of these differ between schools, so this page does not list them. A teacher or a good beginner's book will give you those for your school.
Before the prayer
A person is in a state of ritual purity, made by wudu (the ablution of face, hands and arms, head and feet) or, where required, a full wash. Clothes and the place of prayer are clean, the body is covered as required, and the person faces the Qibla, the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah. See how to find the Qibla.
The shape of one rakah
A rakah has standing (with recitation of the opening chapter of the Quran and another passage), bowing, standing up, two prostrations with a short sitting between them. After the second rakah and at the end of the last there is a sitting with the testimony of faith and the greeting of peace to the right and left to close the prayer. Prayers of three or four rakat have a sitting after the second rakah, then continue.
Congregation and Friday
Praying in congregation behind an imam is encouraged for men. On Friday the Dhuhr prayer is replaced by the Jumu'ah congregational prayer, which is preceded by a sermon; see Friday prayer.
Learning to pray
Prayer is best learned from someone who prays, in person, because posture and recitation are taught by example. This page is only an outline for readers who want to understand the timetable they see here.
This page explains general practice in plain words. It is not a religious ruling. Schools of thought and local communities differ in details; for your own practice, ask a trusted teacher or your local mosque.
Questions people ask
How many rakat in total are obligatory each day?
Seventeen: 2 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 4.
What is the difference between namaz and salah?
Salah is the Arabic word; namaz is the Persian-origin word used in India, Pakistan, Turkey and Iran for the same prayer.