Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
The third daily prayer, performed in the afternoon.
Asr (Arabic: عصر) is the third of the five daily obligatory prayers in Islam. The word "asr" means "afternoon" or "time/epoch" in Arabic. This prayer is performed in the afternoon, when the shadow of an object has become longer than the object itself (plus the shadow's length at noon).
The Asr prayer consists of four rak'ah. There are two main methods for calculating the Asr time, which vary between the Islamic schools of law: according to the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools, Asr begins when the shadow of an object equals the object's length plus the shadow's length at noon. According to the Hanafi school, Asr begins when the shadow is twice as long as the object plus the noon shadow.
The Quran specifically mentions the Asr prayer: "Guard strictly your prayers, especially the middle prayer" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:238). Many scholars interpret "the middle prayer" as the Asr prayer. Neglecting the Asr prayer is considered particularly serious.
The Asr time can vary significantly — from around 1:30 PM in winter to 5:00 PM or later in summer.
Related terms
Tashahhud (Testimony of Faith in Prayer)
The testimony of faith recited in the sitting position during prayer.
Fard (Obligatory)
The obligatory acts in Islam, including the five daily prayers.
Salaf (The Pious Predecessors)
The first three generations of Muslims: sahabah, tabi'in, and tabi' al-tabi'in.
Sunan Abu Dawud (Abu Dawud's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections in Sunni Islam with a special focus on legal narrations.
Iqamah (Second Call to Prayer)
The second call to prayer, recited just before the prayer begins.
Eid al-Ghadir (The Ghadir Festival)
Shia festival commemorating the Prophet's appointment of Imam Ali as his successor.