05/08/2026
THE NUMBER OF RAK'AHS IN THE FIVE DAILY PRAYERS, AS STATED IN THE PROPHETIC HADITH:
FAJR PRAYER:
1- In Sahih al-Bukhari: "He (the Prophet) would lengthen the first rak'ah of the Fajr prayer and shorten the second."
2- In Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of Prayer, on the authority of Qays ibn Amr, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man praying two rak'ahs after the Fajr prayer, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Fajr prayer is two rak'ahs." The man said, “I had not prayed the two rak'ahs before them, so I prayed them now.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent.
THE NOON PRAYER (DHUHR):
1- Imam al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih on the authority of Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, who said: “When Allah first prescribed prayer, He prescribed it as two rak'ahs, whether at home or traveling. The prayer while traveling remained as it was, and the prayer while at home was increased.” Also in al-Bukhari, on the authority of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: “Prayer was prescribed as two rak'ahs. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated, and it was prescribed as four rak'ahs, and the prayer while traveling remained as it was.”
2- Abu Nu’aym narrated to us, saying: Sufyan narrated to us on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir and Ibrahim ibn Maysarah, on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “I prayed the noon prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in Medina as four rak'ahs.” Narrated by al-Bukhari.
THE AFTERNOON PRAYER (ASR):
1- On the authority of Abu Qatadah, who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to…” He would lead us in prayer, reciting in the first two rak'ahs of Dhuhr and Asr prayers the Opening Chapter of the Book (Al-Fatihah) and two other chapters, sometimes letting us hear a verse. He would lengthen the first rak'ah of Dhuhr and shorten the second, and in the last two rak'ahs he would recite only the Opening Chapter of the Book (Al-Fatihah). This is agreed upon. The wording is from Muslim. In a narration by Al-Bukhari: "He would lengthen the first rak'ah of Fajr prayer and shorten the second."
2- In Musnad Ahmad, on the authority of Aisha, she said: "The first prayer that was made obligatory upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was two rak'ahs." Two rak'ahs, except for Maghrib, which was initially three. Then Allah perfected Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha to four rak'ahs for those not traveling, and He maintained the original number of rak'ahs for those traveling.
I said: This hadith also clarifies the number of rak'ahs in Maghrib prayer.
MAGHRIB PRAYER:
1- On the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar, who said: (((I saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he was in a hurry while traveling, delay Maghrib and pray it as three rak'ahs, then give the taslim.))) Narrated by Al-Bukhari.
2- On the authority of Ibn Umar, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, combined Maghrib and Isha at Muzdalifah: he prayed Maghrib as three rak'ahs and Isha as two rak'ahs with one iqamah.”
Narrated by Muslim.
I said: This means that he, peace and blessings be upon him, was traveling and prayed Isha as a shortened prayer.
ISHA PRAYER:
1- On the authority of Abdullah ibn Al-Zubayr He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray four rak'ahs after the Isha prayer, then perform the witr prayer with one prostration, and then sleep until he prayed again after his night prayer.
Performing witr with one prostration: meaning he would pray one rak'ah.
2- In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, on the authority of Aisha, she said: The first prayer that was made obligatory upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was two rak'ahs at a time, except for Maghrib, which was three. Then Allah perfected Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha to four rak'ahs when not traveling, and He left the prayer as it was initially prescribed when traveling.
May Allah bless our master Muhammad, his family, and his companions, and grant them abundant peace.
Yusuf Sollallah al-Azhari 📝📝🙏🥰
