How many rakats in Dhuhr?
10 rakats: 4 sunnah, 4 fard, then 2 sunnah. The fard is 4 in every school. Hanafi charts show 12, adding 2 nafl at the end.
| Count | Sunnah before | Fard | Sunnah after | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The twelve sunnah | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| Hanafi charts | 4 | 4 | 2 + 2 nafl | 12 |
In order
- 4 rakats sunnah
- 4 rakats fard
- 2 rakats sunnah
- 2 rakats nafl optional, on Hanafi charts
Four before, two after
Six of the twelve sunnah rakats belong to Dhuhr: four before it and two after it, in the hadith of Umm Habibah (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 415, graded sahih).
On Friday: Jummah
Those who pray Jummah pray its 2 fard rakats in congregation, after the khutbah, in place of Dhuhr’s 4. Jummah isn’t required of travellers, the sick or women: if they don’t attend it, they pray Dhuhr as usual, and if they do, Jummah takes its place.
When travelling
Dhuhr’s 4 fard rakats are shortened to 2; this is called qasr. Most schools also allow joining Dhuhr and Asr when travelling; the Hanafi school doesn’t, outside Hajj.
When is Dhuhr?
Dhuhr begins just after midday, once the sun has passed its highest point, and its time runs until Asr. See today’s prayer times for New York City and nearby.
Questions people ask
Is it Dhuhr or Zuhr?
Both: they’re two spellings of the same Arabic word, for the same midday prayer.
How many fard rakats are in Dhuhr?
Four, in every school; two when shortened while travelling.
The rakats of Fajr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha, or all five on one free rakat chart to print. Different schools count the optional rakats differently; ask your local imam what yours teaches.