How Many Rakats in Dhuhr Prayer? A Comprehensive Explanation

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Hi, dear readers! Are you looking for a detailed explanation of "How many rakats are in the Dhuhr prayer?" If your answer is "Yes," congratulations! You've come to the right place. Why? Because this article is specifically written to answer that question. As Muslims, it is essential to understand this topic, and that's exactly why I wrote this article. So, make sure to read it till the end!

Key Points Covered in This Article

In this article, I will explain three important points about "How many rakats are in the Dhuhr prayer?" These are as follows:

• The Meaning of Rakats in the Dhuhr Prayer.
• Hadiths About the Dhuhr Prayer and Its Timing.
• The Specific Number of Rakats in the Dhuhr Prayer.

Let's dive into each point for a better understanding.

The Meaning of Rakats in Dhuhr Prayer

The first important aspect to understand is the meaning of rakats in the Dhuhr prayer. Grasping this concept is crucial before proceeding further.

In general, the definition of rakats in the Dhuhr prayer is as follows:

رَكَعَاتُ صَلَاةُ الظُّهْرِ هِيَ : أَقْوَالٌ وَأَفْعَالٌ مَخْصُوْصَةٌ فِيْ صَلَاةُ الظُّهْرِ ، تَتَكَوَّنُ مِنْهَا ، وَكَيْفِيَتُهَا مُحَدَّدَةٌ بِاتِّبَاعِ الشَّرْعِ

Rakats in the Dhuhr prayer are specific sayings and actions performed during the Dhuhr prayer, forming its essential components, and their method is determined by following Islamic teachings.

From this definition, it is clear that rakats in the Dhuhr prayer involve specific recitations and movements, prescribed and regulated by Islamic law (shari'a). Not all words can be recited, nor can all movements be performed during the Dhuhr prayer.

How to Combine Dhuhr and Asr?

This is a brief explanation of the meaning of rakats in the Dhuhr prayer. As Muslims, it is our duty to understand this.

Hadiths About Dhuhr Prayer and Its Timing

The second important point is the hadiths related to the Dhuhr prayer and its timing. This is an essential aspect of understanding the Dhuhr prayer.

Below are two hadiths that explain the Dhuhr prayer and its timing:

First Hadith

عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ، قَالَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ الْحَجَّاجُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَسَأَلْنَا جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ كَانَ رَسُوْلُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ بِالْهَاجِرَةِ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ نَقِيَّةٌ وَالْمَغْرِبَ إِذَا وَجَبَتْ وَالْعِشَاءَ أَحْيَانًا يُؤَخِّرُهَا وَأَحْيَانًا يُعَجِّلُ كَانَ إِذَا رَآهُمْ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَجَّلَ وَإِذَا رَآهُمْ قَدْ أَبْطَئُوا أَخَّرَ وَالصُّبْحَ كَانُوا أَوْ - قَالَ - كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّيهَا بِغَلَسٍ

Translation:

From Muhammad bin Amr bin al-Hasan bin Ali: When Hajjaj came to Medina, we asked Jabir bin Abdullah about the timings of prayer as observed by the Prophet SAW. He said: The Messenger of Allah SAW used to pray Dhuhr in the midday heat, Asr when the sun was bright, Maghrib after sunset, and sometimes delayed or hastened the Isha prayer depending on the congregation's readiness. The Fajr prayer was performed in the darkness before dawn.

Second Hadith

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ، أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ :‏‏ وَقْتُ الظُّهْرِ إِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَكَانَ ظِلُّ الرَّجُلِ كَطُولِهِ مَا لَمْ يَحْضُرِ الْعَصْرُ وَوَقْتُ الْعَصْرِ مَا لَمْ تَصْفَرَّ الشَّمْسُ وَوَقْتُ صَلاَةِ الْمَغْرِبِ مَا لَمْ يَغِبِ الشَّفَقُ وَوَقْتُ صَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ إِلَى نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ الأَوْسَطِ وَوَقْتُ صَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ مِنْ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ مَا لَمْ تَطْلُعِ الشَّمْسُ فَإِذَا طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَأَمْسِكْ عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّهَا تَطْلُعُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَىْ شَيْطَانٍ

Translation:

From Abdullah bin Amr: The Prophet SAW said, "The time for Dhuhr begins when the sun passes its zenith and lasts until the shadow of an object equals its length. The time for Asr continues as long as the sun has not turned pale. Maghrib lasts until the twilight fades, and Isha is valid until the middle of the night. Fajr is from dawn until the sun rises. Refrain from praying when the sun rises, as it rises between the horns of Satan."

Key Takeaways

• Dhuhr prayer is one of the five obligatory prayers in Islam.
• The time for Dhuhr begins when the sun tilts westward and ends when the shadow of an object matches its length, before Asr prayer time begins.

Understanding these hadiths helps us appreciate the significance and timing of the Dhuhr prayer.

How Many Rakats in Dhuhr Prayer?

Finally, let's address the main question: "How many rakats are in the Dhuhr prayer?"

Before giving the specific answer, let's consider two related hadiths:

First Hadith

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا افْتُرِضَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّلَاةُ رَكْعَتَانِ رَكْعَتَانِ إِلَّا الْمَغْرِبَ فَإِنَّهَا كَانَتْ ثَلَاثًا ثُمَّ أَتَمَّ اللَّهُ الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ أَرْبَعًا فِي الْحَضَرِ وَأَقَرَّ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى فَرْضِهَا الْأَوَّلِ فِي السَّفَرِ

Translation:

From Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet SAW: The initial obligation of prayer on the Prophet SAW was two rakats for each prayer, except Maghrib, which was three. Later, Allah made Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha four rakats during residence and retained the original two rakats for travel.

Second Hadith

عَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَّى الظُّهْرَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَرْبَعًا وَصَلَّى الْعَصْرَ بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ

Translation:

From Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah SAW prayed Dhuhr in Medina as four rakats and Asr at Dzulhulaifah as two rakats.

Answer

Based on these hadiths, the Dhuhr prayer consists of four rakats when one is not traveling.

Conclusion

That's a comprehensive explanation of "How many rakats are in the Dhuhr prayer?" and its related aspects. As Muslims, it is essential to understand the meaning of rakats, the timing of the Dhuhr prayer, and the specific number of rakats it includes.

If you have any further questions about this topic or related Islamic practices, feel free to ask. May Allah guide us all on the right path.