How many rakats in Isha?
6 rakats: 4 fard, then 2 sunnah, followed by Witr (3 rakats in the Hanafi school, 1 or more in the others). The fard is 4 in every school. Hanafi charts show 17, with every optional rakat counted.
| Count | Sunnah before | Fard | Sunnah after | Witr | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The twelve sunnah | – | 4 | 2 | 1 or more | 6 + Witr |
| Hanafi charts | 4 | 4 | 2 + 2 nafl | 3 + 2 nafl | 17 |
In order
- 4 rakats sunnah optional, on Hanafi charts
- 4 rakats fard
- 2 rakats sunnah
- 2 rakats nafl optional, on Hanafi charts
- Witr: 3 rakats (Hanafi), or 1 or more
- 2 rakats nafl optional, on Hanafi charts
Where 17 comes from
If you were taught 17 rakats for Isha, that’s the Hanafi count with everything optional included: 4 non-emphasized sunnah, 4 fard, 2 sunnah, 2 nafl, 3 Witr and 2 nafl. The fard is 4 either way, and the 2 sunnah after it are among the twelve (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 415).
Witr
Witr is its own prayer, prayed after Isha and before Fajr, with an odd number of rakats. The Hanafi school holds that it is three rakats and wajib (necessary); the other schools count it as a strongly recommended sunnah of one rakat or more. The Prophet ﷺ described Witr as a rakat at the end of the night (Sahih Muslim 752).
When is Isha?
Isha begins when the twilight has gone, and its time runs until Fajr, though scholars recommend praying it before midnight. See today’s prayer times for New York City and nearby.
When travelling
Isha’s 4 fard rakats are shortened to 2. Most schools also allow joining it with Maghrib; the Hanafi school doesn’t, outside Hajj.
Questions people ask
Is Witr part of Isha?
It’s a separate prayer, prayed in Isha’s time, after Isha and before Fajr. Many pray it straight after Isha.
Can I pray Witr before I sleep?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ advised Abu Hurairah to pray Witr before sleeping (Sahih al-Bukhari 1178). Those who wake for the night prayer often leave Witr until the end of it.
How many fard rakats are in Isha?
Four, in every school; two when shortened while travelling.
The rakats of Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr and Maghrib, or all five on one free rakat chart to print. Different schools count the optional rakats differently; ask your local imam what yours teaches.