Dhuhr prayer

The midday prayer, performed after the sun passes its zenith

How many rakats is Dhuhr?

How many rakats is Dhuhr? 4 sunnah before the fardh, 4 fardh, 2 sunnah after the fardh, 2 nafl. This page lists 12 in the site’s total column, which sums every category in the table.

Rakats breakdown

Sunnah (Before)

Fardh

Sunnah (After)

Nafl

Witr

Total Rakats

Sunnah and witr in this table follow one common presentation (Hanafi) where schools differ; obligatory (fardh) rakats are the same across Sunni schools. Minor variations appear in other schools.

Overview

Dhuhr is the second daily prayer, performed during the middle of the day. It consists of 4 Sunnah Muakkadah before the Fardh, 4 Fardh rakats, 2 Sunnah Muakkadah after, and an optional 2 Nafl. The prayer time begins when the sun passes its highest point (zenith) and continues until the shadow of an object is equal to its length. On this site, Dhuhr is the clearest example of the rawatib pattern.

When it is prayed

From when the sun passes its zenith until the shadow of an object is equal to its length

"Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night."

— Quran 17:78

Read verse

Key reminders

First prayer time begins when sun passes its zenith
Its 4 before and 2 after sunnah are the clearest rawatib pattern on the site
A moment of worship during busy midday hours

Rawatib around Dhuhr
Why Dhuhr is the clearest rawatib pattern in the table.
Printable rakats chart
A one-page version of the same table.

Sources

"Whoever maintains four rak'ahs before Dhuhr and four after, Allah will make the Fire forbidden for him."

— Sunan Abu Dawud 1269 (Hasan)

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"The Prophet (ﷺ) never abandoned the four rak'ahs before Dhuhr."

— Sunan al-Tirmidhi 427