How many rakats are in each prayer?
Each of the five daily prayers has a fixed number of rak'ahs (units). On top of them come the sunnah prayers the Prophet ﷺ regularly prayed before or after them.
The obligatory prayers (fard)
- Fajr (dawn): 2 rak'ahs, recited aloud
- Dhuhr (midday): 4 rak'ahs, silent
- Asr (afternoon): 4 rak'ahs, silent
- Maghrib (sunset): 3 rak'ahs, the first two aloud
- Isha (night): 4 rak'ahs, the first two aloud
The regular sunnah prayers
Whoever prays twelve rak'ahs in a day and night, a house will be built for him in Paradise: four before Dhuhr and two after it, two after Maghrib, two after Isha and two before Fajr.
at-Tirmidhi, similar in Sahih Muslim
- Before Fajr: 2 rak'ahs, the most important sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said they are better than the world and all it contains (Muslim).
- Dhuhr: 4 before, 2 after
- Maghrib: 2 after
- Isha: 2 after, then witr to close the night
Four rak'ahs before Asr are recommended but were not prayed as regularly. In the Hanafi school four rak'ahs before Isha are also among the recommended prayers.
Friday, travel and witr
- Jumu'ah: on Friday, 2 rak'ahs in congregation after the sermon take the place of Dhuhr. See Jumu'ah prayer.
- When travelling the four-rak'ah prayers are shortened to two; Fajr and Maghrib stay the same. See prayer while travelling.
- Witr has an odd number: at least one rak'ah, commonly three.
In total
The obligatory prayers make 17 rak'ahs a day. With the twelve regular sunnah rak'ahs and three of witr it is 32. In the Hadaff salah tracker you tick off each prayer and see how regularly you pray.
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Frequently asked questions
How many rakats is Isha?
The obligatory prayer has 4 rak'ahs. After it come 2 rak'ahs sunnah and finally witr, usually 3 rak'ahs.
How many rakats is Fajr?
2 rak'ahs obligatory, with 2 rak'ahs sunnah before them.
Can I skip the sunnah prayers?
Yes, they are not obligatory and leaving them is not a sin. But they make up for shortcomings in the obligatory prayers and carry great reward, so it is worth praying them regularly.
This article was written with the help of AI. Quran verses are inserted directly from the Quran text (translation: Saheeh International); it is general information, not a religious ruling (fatwa). For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar. Found a mistake? Write to support@hadaff.de.