Prayer (Salah): One of the five pillars of Islam
“And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed [to you]. Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.”
[Qur’an 20:13-14]
It helps us to remember Allah (SWT) and our purpose in life – to worship Him. When we turn towards Makkah, we are united with all the Muslims around the world who face the same direction (Qibla), and when we raise our hands to begin Salah, we put aside the stresses and worries of life to remember our Lord.
When we pray, we communicate directly with Allah (SWT), and we are closest to Him in sujood, or prostration. This is one of the best times to supplicate and make du’a. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say this in prostration:
اللهم اغفر لي ذنبي كله دقه وجله، وأوله وآخره، وعلانيته وسره
“O Allah, forgive me all my sins, great and small, the first and the last, those
that are apparent and those that are hidden” (Muslim)
Allaahum-maghfir lee thanbee kullahu, diqqahu wa jillahu, wa'awwalahu wa 'aakhirahu wa 'alaaniyata hu wa sirrahu
What are the five daily prayers?
Prayer (Salah) is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a duty upon all Muslims. It is obligatory to perform the five prayers every day during the prescribed times.
The following timetables have been sourced from Islamic Finder for the major cities in Canada. Find the most accurate timings for Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha across the timezones below.
You may also find the following Islamic Resources useful: Zakat (inc. Zakat FAQs) and Islamic Calendar.
What times are the 5 daily prayers?
Fajr
Fajr is prayed at dawn and is the first fardh prayer that Muslims offer throughout the day. It is also very common for people to pray 2 rakat sunnah just before it.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The two Rakat before the dawn (Fajr) prayer are better than this world and all it contains” (Muslim). Throughout the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from Fajr (Dawn) to Maghrib (Sunset) every day.
Dhuhr
Dhuhr is the prayer that is offered midday, which helps to maintain a connection with Allah throughout the day. It is the second fardh prayer of the day, composed of 4 rakat.
Asr
Asr prayer, also known as the middle prayer consists of 4 rakat and is considered to be the best of prayers. In the Quran, it says,
“Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawat (the prayers) especially the middle Salat (i.e. the best prayer - 'Asr)” (Quran 2:238).
It is the final fardh prayer before Maghrib.
Maghrib
When is Maghrib? Maghrib is prayed at sunset and is unique in that it consists of 3 rakat. During Ramadan, Muslims break their fast at Maghrib.
Isha
Isha prayer is after Maghrib and is referred to as the night prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
“Whoever attends Isha (prayer) in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) stood half of the night. And whoever prays Isha and Fajr in congregation, then he has (the reward as if he had) spent the entire night standing (in prayer)” (Al-Tirmidhi).
Frequently Asked Questions
Each daily prayer has a different number of rakats per prayer:
-
Fajr: 2 Rakat Fardh
- Before Fajr: 2 Rakat Sunnah
-
Dhuhr: 4 Rakat Fardh
- Before Dhuhr: 4 Rakat Sunnah
- After Dhuhr: 2 Rakat Sunnah, then 2 Rakat Nafl
-
Asr: 4 Rakat Fardh
- Before Asr: 4 Rakat Sunnah
-
Maghrib: 3 Rakat Fardh
- After Maghrib: 2 Rakat Sunnah, then 2 Rakat Nafl
-
Isha: 4 Rakat Fardh
- Before Isha: 4 Rakat Sunnah
- After Isha: 2 Rakat Sunnah, then 2 Rakat Nafl, then 3 Rakat Witr Wajib, then 2 Rakat Nafl
- Fardh – obligatory
- Wajib – second in importance to Fardh, obligatory
- Sunnah – optional but highly recommended
- Nafl – optional
Qibla (also spelt Qiblah or Kiblah) is the direction towards the Kaaba (located in the centre of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia). It’s the direction which Muslims around the world face when performing their prayers, wherever they are in the world.
You can use apps and tools like Qibla Finder to find the Qibla direction when you are travelling.