How Many Rakats Are in 5 Daily Prayers?

How many Rak’ats are there in each prayer?

Among the important rulings of Salah, one must also know the prescribed number of Rak’ahs. It should be understood that when we speak of the number of Rak’ahs in prayer, what is fundamentally meant by “Salah” is the obligatory (Fard) prayers.

How Many Fard Rak’ahs Are in the Five Daily Prayers?

The number of Fard Rak’ahs in the five daily prayers is as follows:

These are the core prayers. Beyond these, there are Sunnah and Nafl (voluntary) prayers.

These obligatory prayers listed above are what Muslims who are legally accountable must observe, subject to the valid conditions and concessions recognized in Islamic law.

What are the 12 Sunnah Rawatib?

In addition to the Fard prayers, certain Sunnah prayers are firmly established from the Prophet (PBUH).
Aisha (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:

“مَنْ ثَابَرَ عَلَىٰ ثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً مِنَ السُّنَّةِ بَنَى اللّٰهُ لَهُ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ: أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ، وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَهَا، وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ، وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْعِشَاءِ، وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ”
Man thabara ‘ala ithnatay ‘ashrata rak’atan minas-sunnati bana Allahu lahu baytan fil-jannah: arba’a raka’atin qablaz-zuhr, wa rak’atayni ba’daha, wa rak’atayni ba’dal-maghrib, wa rak’atayni ba’dal-‘isha’, wa rak’atayni qablal-fajr.

Whoever maintains twelve Rak’ahs of Sunnah prayer regularly, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.
(Jami’ al-Tirmidhi: 414, Sahih Muslim: 728)

These are the Sunnah prayers that should be observed with consistency.

It is also authentically established from the Prophet (PBUH) that he would sometimes pray two Rak’ahs before Dhuhr (Sahih al-Bukhari: 1180, Sahih Muslim: 729), and that he encouraged praying four Rak’ahs after Dhuhr as well (Sunan Abi Dawud: 1269, Jami’ al-Tirmidhi: 427).

How to offer Sunnah prayers?

An important Sunnah guideline is that voluntary (Sunnah and Nafl) prayers beyond the Fard, whether during the day or night, are recommended to be performed in sets of two Rak’ahs.

Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:

“صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ مَثْنَىٰ مَثْنَىٰ”
Salatul-layli wan-nahari mathna mathna.

The voluntary prayers of the day and night are offered two Rak’ahs at a time.
(Sunan Abi Dawud: 1295)

Therefore, the four Rak’ahs before Dhuhr should be prayed as two sets of two, and if one
is praying four Rak’ahs after Dhuhr, those should also be prayed in two separate sets of two.

What Other Sunnah and Nafl Prayers Are Mentioned in the Hadith?

The Prophet (PBUH) also supplicated for the person who prays four Nafl Rak’ahs before Asr, saying:

“رَحِمَ اللَّهُ امْرَأً صَلَّى قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ أَرْبَعًا”
Rahima Allahum-ra’an salla qablal-‘asri arba’a.

May Allah have mercy on the one who prays four Rak’ahs before Asr.

(Sunan Abi Dawud: 1271, Jami’ al-Tirmidhi: 430)

Similarly, praying two Nafl Rak’ahs before the Fard of Maghrib is also established from the Prophet (PBUH).

Abdullah ibn Mughaffal (RA) narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“صَلُّوا قَبْلَ الْمَغْرِبِ، صَلُّوا قَبْلَ الْمَغْرِبِ، قَالَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ: لِمَنْ شَاءَ”
Sallu qablal-maghrib, sallu qablal-maghrib, qala fith-thalithati: liman sha’.

“Pray before the Maghrib prayer.” He repeated this twice, then said on the third occasion, “Whoever wishes may do so.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari: 1183)

The twelve Sunan Rawatib connected to Dhuhr, Maghrib, Isha, and Fajr are the ones that should be observed most consistently.

The four Rak’ahs before Asr and the two before Maghrib carry merit and reward, but they are not at the same level of emphasis.

A person who is able to pray them will receive the reward, and one who is unable is not sinful for omitting them.

Is There Any Established Basis for Commonly Practiced Extra Sunnah and Nafl Prayers?

One should also be aware that it is commonly taught in some traditions that after each prayer there are additional specific Nafl units: two Nafl after the Sunnah of Maghrib, two Nafl after the Sunnah of Isha, or four non-emphasized Sunnah (Ghair Mu’akkadah) specifically fixed before Isha.

While offering general voluntary prayer between the Adhan and Iqamah is universally established from the Prophet (PBUH) (Sahih al-Bukhari: 627, Sahih Muslim: 838), fixing specific counts such as four before Isha or fixed extra Nafl after Maghrib and Isha as institutional Sunnahs is not established from authentic Hadith.

A person may certainly offer voluntary prayers whenever they wish, but designating something as Sunnah or declaring it part of the Shariah requires direct evidence from the Prophet (PBUH).

All the prayers beyond the Fard that have been described above may be termed Sunnah or Nafl based on their evidential weight, with varying degrees of emphasis.

However, none of them carries the status of Fard.

What Is the Complete Breakdown of Rak’ahs for Each Prayer?

Taking all of the above into account, the total Rak’ahs for each prayer are as follows:

This is the Salah that is established from the Prophet (PBUH). The Witr prayer is a separate matter and has its own distinct discussion.

May Allah grant us all the understanding and ability to act upon these rulings. Ameen.