The number of units (rakats) in the daily prayers
The full count of units (rak'ahs) of each daily prayer in the Hanafi school: the sunnah before, the obligatory (fard), the sunnah after, Witr and the voluntary (nafl), with the emphasised sunnah marked apart.
Every day you pray 17 rak'ahs that are fard, which means you must pray them. Around those you also pray sunnah and nafl rak'ahs, and Witr after Isha. Here is the whole day.
| Prayer | Before the fard | Fard | After the fard | Nafl and Witr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr | 2 sunnah (the strong kind) | 2 | None | None |
| Zuhr | 4 sunnah (the strong kind) | 4 | 2 sunnah (the strong kind) | 2 nafl |
| Asr | 4 sunnah (the lighter kind) | 4 | None | None |
| Maghrib | None | 3 | 2 sunnah (the strong kind) | Extra nafl called Awwabin, prayed before Isha |
| Isha | 4 sunnah (the lighter kind) | 4 | 2 sunnah (the strong kind) | 2 nafl, then 3 Witr which you must pray, then 2 more nafl |
| Jumu'ah on Friday, instead of Zuhr | 4 sunnah (the strong kind) | 2 | 4, then 2, both the strong kind | 2 nafl |
The fard rak'ahs add up to 17. Witr is not one of those 17: it has its own rule, and you must pray it. The nafl are extra, and you are rewarded for them without any blame for leaving them.
Witr is a must-do (wajib) prayer after Isha: three rakats, prayed like Maghrib. The Prophet ﷺ prayed it as three. The fard rakats of the day are seventeen: 2 at Fajr, 4 at Zuhr, 4 at Asr, 3 at Maghrib and 4 at Isha.
123| Kind | Which ones | What happens if you leave it |
|---|---|---|
| The strong kind (sunnah muʾakkadah) | 2 before Fajr, 4 before Zuhr, 2 after Zuhr, 2 after Maghrib, 2 after Isha | Leaving it without a good reason is a sin. Your fard prayer still counts. |
| The lighter kind (sunnah ghair muʾakkadah, also called nafl) | 4 before Asr, 4 before Isha, and the Awwabeen after Maghrib | It is not a sin to leave it. You get reward for praying it. |
The strong sunnah rak'ahs are 2 before Fajr, 4 before Zuhr, 2 after Zuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha. The Prophet ﷺ never left them, and leaving them without a good reason is a sin, though your fard prayer still counts.
123456789The lighter sunnah rak'ahs are 4 before Asr, 4 before Isha and the Awwabin prayer after Maghrib. You get reward for praying them, and it is not a sin to leave them.
123The five daily prayers carry seventeen fard rak'ahs between them. Around those sit the sunnah and nafl rak'ahs, and after Isha the Witr, so the table below gives the whole of what is prayed in a day and not only the obligatory part.
| Prayer | Sunnah before | Fard | Sunnah after | Nafl and Witr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr | 2, sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 | None | None |
| Zuhr | 4, sunnah muʾakkadah | 4 | 2, sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 nafl |
| Asr | 4, sunnah ghair muʾakkadah | 4 | None | None |
| Maghrib | None | 3 | 2, sunnah muʾakkadah | Salat al-Awwabin, nafl, between Maghrib and Isha |
| Isha | 4, sunnah ghair muʾakkadah | 4 | 2, sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 nafl, then Witr (3 rak'ahs, wājib), then 2 nafl |
| Jumu'ah (Friday, in place of Zuhr) | 4, sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 | 4, then 2, both sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 nafl |
The fard column totals seventeen rak'ahs. Witr is wājib rather than fard and is counted separately, and the nafl are voluntary throughout. On Friday the four fard rak'ahs of Zuhr are replaced by two of Jumu'ah, prayed in congregation.
Witr, prayed after Isha, is wajib: three rak'ahs with one salam, as the Prophet ﷺ prayed it, like Maghrib. The fard rak'ahs of the day are seventeen: 2 in Fajr, 4 in Zuhr, 4 in Asr, 3 in Maghrib and 4 in Isha; on Friday the 2 of Jumu'ah replace the 4 of Zuhr.
123| Kind of sunnah | Which prayers | What hangs on it |
|---|---|---|
| Sunnah muʾakkadah (emphasised) | 2 before Fajr; 4 before Zuhr; 2 after Zuhr; 2 after Maghrib; 2 after Isha. On Friday, 4 before and 4 after Jumu'ah. In Ramadan, the 20 rak'ahs of Taraweeh. | Abandoning it without a valid excuse is sinful, though the fard prayer itself remains valid. |
| Sunnah ghair muʾakkadah (not emphasised), also called nafl or mustaḥabb | 4 before Asr; 4 before Isha; Salat al-Awwabeen after Maghrib. | There is no sin for leaving it. |
The four-rak'ah sunnah prayers are prayed with a single tasleem. Prayed with two, they do not count as the sunnah.
The emphasised sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah) rak'ahs are 2 before Fajr, 4 before and 2 after Zuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha, twelve in a day and night, with 4 before and 4 after Jumu'ah on Friday and the 20 rak'ahs of Taraweeh in Ramadan. Abandoning them without a valid excuse is sinful, though the fard prayer remains valid.
123456789The non-emphasised sunnah (sunnah ghair mu'akkadah), also called nafl or mustahabb, are 4 before Asr, 4 before Isha and Salat al-Awwabin after Maghrib. They are rewarded, and there is no sin for leaving them.
123The farḍ rakʿāt across the five daily prayers total seventeen. The sunan and nawāfil that surround them, and the Witr that follows ʿIshāʾ, are set out here alongside so that the day is shown whole rather than as its obligatory core alone.
| Prayer | Sunnah before | Farḍ | Sunnah after | Nafl and Witr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr | 2, sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 | None | None |
| Ẓuhr | 4, sunnah muʾakkadah | 4 | 2, sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 nafl |
| ʿAṣr | 4, sunnah ghair muʾakkadah | 4 | None | None |
| Maghrib | None | 3 | 2, sunnah muʾakkadah | Ṣalāt al-Awwābīn, nafl, between Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ |
| ʿIshāʾ | 4, sunnah ghair muʾakkadah | 4 | 2, sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 nafl, then Witr (3 rakʿāt, wājib), then 2 nafl |
| Jumuʿah (in place of Ẓuhr) | 4, sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 | 4, then 2, both sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 nafl |
The farḍ column totals seventeen rakʿāt, matching the source passage. Witr is wājib, not farḍ, and falls outside that seventeen; the nawāfil are voluntary throughout. The sunnah of Fajr is singled out in the manual as the weightiest of them, some scholars holding it wājib.
Witr, after Isha, is wajib: three rak'ahs with a single salam, the Prophet ﷺ having prayed it as three like Maghrib, and its being a right that Allah has laid down. The fara'id of the day number seventeen rak'ahs: 2 in Fajr, 4 in Zuhr, 4 in Asr, 3 in Maghrib and 4 in Isha, the 2 of Jumu'ah standing in place of Zuhr's 4 on Friday.
123| Class | Where it falls | Consequence of omission |
|---|---|---|
| Sunnah muʾakkadah | 2 before Fajr; 4 before Ẓuhr; 2 after Ẓuhr; 2 after Maghrib; 2 after ʿIshāʾ. On Jumuʿah, 4 before and 4 after the farḍ. In Ramaḍān, Tarāwīḥ at 20 rakʿāt. | Its abandonment without ʿudhr is sinful; the farḍ prayer is nonetheless valid. |
| Sunnah ghair muʾakkadah, termed nafl or mustaḥabb in the manual | 4 before ʿAṣr; 4 before ʿIshāʾ; Ṣalāt al-Awwābīn after Maghrib. | No sin attaches to its omission. |
The four-rakʿah sunan are performed with one tasleem; performed with two, they do not count as the sunnah. Nafl is capped at 4 rakʿāt by day and 8 by night with a single tasleem, beyond which it is makrūh.
The sunnah mu'akkadah rak'at are 2 before Fajr, 4 before and 2 after Zuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha, the twelve of the hadith of Umm Habibah, together with 4 before and 4 after Jumu'ah and the 20 rak'at of Tarawih in Ramadan. Their abandonment without udhr is sinful; the fard prayer is nonetheless valid.
123456789The sunnah ghair mu'akkadah, termed nafl or mustahabb in the manual, are 4 before Asr, 4 before Isha and Salat al-Awwabin after Maghrib. They carry reward, and no sin attaches to their omission.
123This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 427 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
Rulings of Prayer (Salah) 8. Number of Rak'ahs in daily prayers
There are 17 obligatory Rak'ahs in the five daily prayers:
- Fajr: 2 Rak'ahs
- Zuhr, Asr, and Isha: 4 Rak'ahs each
- Maghrib: 3 Rak'ahs
- Friday prayer: Instead of 4 Rak'ahs for Zuhr, perform 2 Rak'ahs for Jummah.
Rulings of Prayer (Salah) 14. Explanation of Witr Prayer
- The Witr prayer is obligatory (Wajib). Skipping it is sinful, similar to neglecting a Fard (obligatory) prayer, and one who skips it is considered disobedient.
- The time for Witr prayer is after the Isha prayer.
- The Witr prayer consists of three Rak'ahs, similar to the Maghrib prayer. However, it is obligatory to recite another Surah after Surah Al-Fatihah in each of the three Rak'ahs.
- The method for performing the Witr prayer is the same as for the Fard prayers, with one difference: in the third Rak'ah, after reciting Surah Al-Fatihah and another Surah, raise both hands to the ears while Saying the Takbir (اَللّٰہُ اَکْبَرْ), just as done at the beginning of the prayer. Then, fold the hands again and silently recite the Dua-e-Qunoot:
Rulings of Prayer (Salah) 15. Explanation of Sunnah and Nafl Prayers
Types of Sunnah:
- Sunnah Mu'akkadah (Emphasized Sunnah): This type of Sunnah is very important. The one who abandons it without any valid excuse is considered sinful.
- Sunnah Ghair Mu'akkadah (Non-emphasized Sunnah): There is no sin for abandoning these prayers. They are also called Nafl or Mustahabb (recommended).
Rulings of Prayer (Salah) Sunnah Mu'akkadah
- There are 12 Sunnah Mu'akkadah prayers daily:
- 2 Rak'ahs before Fajr (before the Fard of Fajr)
- 4 Rak'ahs before Zuhr (before the Fard of Zuhr)
- 2 Rak'ahs after Maghrib (after the Fard of Maghrib)
- 2 Rak'ahs after Isha (after the Fard of Isha)
- Among these, the Fajr Sunnah is considered particularly significant, and some scholars regard it as wajib (obligatory).
- On Fridays, there are 4 Rak'ahs before the Fard of Jumu'ah and 4 Rak'ahs after the Fard of Jumu'ah, both being Sunnah Mu'akkadah.
- In Ramadan, the Taraweeh prayer (which consists of 20 Rak'ahs) is a Sunnah Mu'akkadah.
- The 4 Rak'ahs Sunnah prayers should be prayed with one Tasleem (one greeting of Salaam). If prayed with two Tasleems, they will not be counted as Sunnah.
Rulings of Prayer (Salah) Nafl Prayers
- There are 4 Rak'ahs before Asr and 4 Rak'ahs before Isha which are recommended. Additionally, there are some Nafl prayers after Maghrib, known as Salat al-Awwabeen.
- In Nafl prayers, a person may pray up to 4 Rak'ahs during the day and 8 Rak'ahs at night with one Tasleem. Praying more than this is considered undesirable.
- Nafl prayers can be prayed while sitting without any valid excuse.
- If a Nafl prayer is initiated properly, it must be completed. If it is invalidated for any reason, it should be made up later (Qaza).
Related
- The sunnah and voluntary (nafl) prayers The twelve emphasised sunnahs of the day, the sunnahs that are not emphasised, and the voluntary (nafl) prayers, including the sunrise (Ishraq), forenoon (Duha) and after-Maghrib (Awwabin) prayers.
- The night prayer of Ramadan (Tarawih) The confirmed sunnah of Ramadan night prayer: its twenty units (rak'ahs), its timing, completing the Qur'an, and the rules of praying it in congregation.
- The rules of the call to prayer (adhan) and the iqamah, and when an adhan counts Who must give the call to prayer (adhan), when it is and isn't required, and the four conditions that make an adhan valid.
- The obligatory acts of prayer (wajibat) The twelve necessary (wajib) acts of prayer: the Fatiha, the surah, order, stillness (tumaninah), the sittings, the testimony (tashahhud), recitation volume, the closing greeting (salam), the supplication (qunoot) and the Eid takbirs.