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
Wudu (Ritual Ablution)
The ritual cleansing with water, required before prayer.
Tartib (Order in Prayer)
The correct sequence of the prayer's actions and the daily prayers.
Salat al-Eid (Festival Prayer)
The special prayer performed on the two Islamic festival days.
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.
Ghusl (Ritual Full-Body Washing)
The complete ritual washing of the entire body, required in certain situations.
Salat al-Ghufaylah (Prayer Between Maghrib and Isha)
A specially recommended prayer prayed between Maghrib and Isha in Shia Islam.