Daily worship
Daily prayers and prayer times
Find local prayer times and read the words of salah in Arabic with English meanings.
Prayer times for your city
Choose a city to see the five prayer times in its local time zone. Sunrise marks the end of the Fajr window.
Read the prayers in Arabic and EnglishThese estimates use your selected method. Your mosque may publish different times for prayer or set a later time for the congregation (iqamah). How times are calculated
Ramadan suhoor and iftar timetableWhat to say in the five daily prayers
Follow the words and movements of a prayer offered individually. Each Arabic passage has an English meaning translated for this guide. The seated prayers include both Sunni and Twelver Shi‘i forms.
The five prayers and their rakʿahs
A rakʿah is one unit of standing, recitation, bowing, and two prostrations. These counts are for the ordinary obligatory prayers of a resident.
| Prayer | Obligatory rakʿahs |
|---|---|
| Fajr · dawn · الفجر (الصبح) | 2 |
| Dhuhr · midday · الظهر | 4 |
| ʿAsr · afternoon · العصر | 4 |
| Maghrib · sunset · المغرب | 3 |
| ʿIshāʾ · night · العشاء | 4 |
Fajr ends after the sitting in the second rakʿah. In the longer prayers, sit after the second rakʿah, stand again, and close the prayer sitting after its last rakʿah.
Sources · al-Sistani, the five daily prayers · al-Bukhārī 789
Begin the prayer and recite al-Fātiḥah
With the required purification, face the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and intend the prayer you are offering. Stand if able. Begin the first rakʿah with the opening takbīr.
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allāhu akbar
God is greatest.
Al-Fātiḥah · The Opening
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Bismillāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm
In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Giver of Mercy.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Al-ḥamdu lillāhi rabbi l-ʿālamīn
All praise belongs to God, Lord of all worlds,
الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Ar-raḥmāni r-raḥīm
the All-Merciful, the Giver of Mercy,
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
Māliki yawmi d-dīn
Master of the Day of Recompense.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn
You alone we worship, and from You alone we seek help.
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Ihdinā ṣ-ṣirāṭa l-mustaqīm
Guide us on the straight path,
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Ṣirāṭa lladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim ghayri l-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim wa laḍ-ḍāllīn
the path of those You have favored, free of the way of those who have incurred anger or have gone astray.
A common Sunni response after the last verse is Āmīn, asking God to answer the prayer. The response is separate from the Qur’anic text.
Sources · Read or listen to al-Fātiḥah · Qur’an 2:144, direction of prayer · Qur’an 5:6, purification · al-Bukhārī 757 · al-Bukhārī 782
A short surah for the first two rakʿahs
After al-Fātiḥah in each of the first two rakʿahs, recite a passage of the Qur’an. Al-Ikhlāṣ, chapter 112, is one short choice. In al-Sistani’s Twelver Jaʿfarī rulings the additional recitation should ordinarily be a complete surah, as an obligatory precaution.
Al-Ikhlāṣ · Sincerity
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Bismillāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm
In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Giver of Mercy.
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Qul huwa llāhu aḥad
Say, “He is God, the One.
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
Allāhu ṣ-ṣamad
God is the One on whom all depend.
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
Lam yalid wa lam yūlad
He neither begets nor was begotten,
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan aḥad
and no one is His equal.”
Sources · Read or listen to al-Ikhlāṣ · al-Bukhārī 776 · al-Sistani, recitation
Bow, stand, and prostrate twice
Move without rushing. In the Sunni sequence described by Abū Hurayrah, the worshipper says the takbīr when bowing, going down to prostrate, and rising from prostration.
Bow · rukūʿ
Bend forward with your hands at your knees. A Sunni formula for the bow is
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subḥāna rabbiya l-ʿaẓīm
Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
Stand upright again
A Sunni worshipper praying alone says the first phrase while rising, then the second on standing upright. In al-Sistani’s guide the first phrase is recommended once the worshipper stands still.
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
Samiʿa llāhu liman ḥamidah
God hears whoever praises Him.
رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ
Rabbanā laka l-ḥamd
Our Lord, to You belongs all praise.
Prostrate · sujūd
Lower yourself to place your forehead on the ground. In each of the two prostrations a Sunni formula is
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَىٰ
Subḥāna rabbiya l-aʿlā
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
In al-Sistani’s Jaʿfarī guide, a recommended form of the bowing and prostration formulas adds these words at the end of each.
وَبِحَمْدِهِ
Wa biḥamdih
And I praise Him.
Sit between the two prostrations
Lift your head and sit upright. One reported supplication is
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbi ghfir lī
My Lord, forgive me.
Prostrate a second time with the same words as the first. After the first rakʿah, rise and repeat the standing recitation, bow, and two prostrations. After the second, sit for the testimony.
Sources · al-Bukhārī 789 · Abū Dāwūd 874 · al-Sistani, bowing · al-Sistani, prostration
Sit for the testimony and finish the prayer
Sit after the second rakʿah and again after the last if the prayer is longer. Follow the wording of your tradition.
Sunni tashahhud in the report of Ibn Masʿūd
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ
At-taḥiyyātu lillāhi waṣ-ṣalawātu waṭ-ṭayyibāt
All greetings of honor, prayers, and good things belong to God.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuhā n-nabiyyu wa raḥmatu llāhi wa barakātuh
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, along with God’s mercy and blessings.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَىٰ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ
As-salāmu ʿalaynā wa ʿalā ʿibādi llāhi ṣ-ṣāliḥīn
Peace be upon us and upon God’s righteous servants.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā llāhu wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh
I bear witness that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
At the final sitting, follow the testimony with blessings on the Prophet. Kaʿb ibn ʿUjrah transmits this form.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā ṣallayta ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm. Innaka ḥamīdun majīd.
O God, bestow Your grace on Muhammad and his family as You bestowed it on the family of Abraham. You are worthy of praise and full of glory.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Muḥammadin kamā bārakta ʿalā āli Ibrāhīm. Innaka ḥamīdun majīd.
O God, bless Muhammad and his family as You blessed the family of Abraham. You are worthy of praise and full of glory.
Finish with the salām. In a widely practiced Sunni form, turn your head to the right and say the greeting, then to the left and repeat it.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu llāh
May peace and God’s mercy be upon you.
Sources · al-Bukhārī 831 · al-Bukhārī 6357 · Abū Dāwūd 996
Twelver Shi‘i tashahhud and salām
Al-Sistani gives this testimony, including blessings on Muhammad and his family, for each sitting of tashahhud.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ
Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah
I bear witness that there is no god but God alone, who has no partner.
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh
I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa āli Muḥammad
O God, bless Muhammad and his family.
In the final sitting, one way to close is to greet the Prophet with the words below, then address the closing salām to those present. Al-Sistani describes the greeting to the Prophet as recommended.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
As-salāmu ʿalayka ayyuhā n-nabiyyu wa raḥmatu llāhi wa barakātuh
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, along with God’s mercy and blessings.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu llāhi wa barakātuh
May peace, God’s mercy, and His blessings be upon you.
Sources · al-Sistani, tashahhud · al-Sistani, salām
The third and fourth rakʿahs
For Maghrib, Dhuhr, ʿAsr, and ʿIshāʾ, stand after the second rakʿah’s testimony without giving the closing salām. A common Sunni practice in the remaining rakʿahs is to recite al-Fātiḥah alone. Then bow and prostrate twice as before.
In al-Sistani’s Jaʿfarī rulings, the worshipper may recite al-Fātiḥah or the following four praises quietly in these rakʿahs. Saying the praises once suffices, and three times is preferred.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Subḥāna llāhi wal-ḥamdu lillāhi wa lā ilāha illā llāhu wallāhu akbar
Glory to God and praise to God. There is no god but God, and God is greatest.
At Maghrib, sit and close after the third rakʿah. In a four-rakʿah prayer, stand after the third, repeat the cycle, then sit for the final testimony and salām.
Sources · al-Bukhārī 776 · al-Sistani, recitation in later rakʿahs
Where schools differ on qunūt
Qunūt is a supplication made while standing. For example, the Qur’an records this request in 2:201.
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanā ātinā fī d-dunyā ḥasanatan wa fī l-ākhirati ḥasanatan wa qinā ʿadhāba n-nār
Our Lord, grant us good in this life and good in the life to come, and spare us the punishment of the Fire.
Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta describes how classical Sunni schools differ over regular qunūt at Fajr. Al-Nawawī, a Shāfiʿī jurist, recommends it after rising from the second bow. Mālikī scholars also favor qunūt at Fajr. The usual Ḥanafī and Ḥanbalī practice is to omit it at Fajr in ordinary circumstances.
In the contemporary Twelver Jaʿfarī manual of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, qunūt is recommended before bowing in the second rakʿah of each of the five daily prayers. A worshipper may choose the words of supplication.
Sources · Qur’an 2:201 · Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta, qunūt at Fajr · al-Sistani, qunūt