Rak'ah (Prayer Cycle)
A single cycle of movements and recitations in the Islamic prayer.
Rak'ah (Arabic: ركعة, plural: raka'at) is a single cycle of standing, bowing, and prostration in the Islamic prayer. Each obligatory prayer consists of a set number of rak'ah: Fajr has 2, Dhuhr has 4, Asr has 4, Maghrib has 3, and Isha has 4.
Each rak'ah contains the following elements in order: standing position (qiyam) with recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha and optionally additional Quran verses, bowing (ruku) with glorification of Allah, return to standing position, prostration with the forehead on the ground (sujud) with glorification, sitting position, and another sujud.
The number of rak'ah in the obligatory prayers was established by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and cannot be changed. In addition to the obligatory rak'ah, there are sunnah prayers (voluntary extra rak'ah), which are prayed before or after the obligatory prayers. The Prophet regularly prayed 12 extra rak'ah per day: 2 before Fajr, 4 before Dhuhr, 2 after Dhuhr, 2 after Maghrib and 2 after Isha.
Related terms
Kaaba (Allah's Sacred House)
The holiest building in Islam, in Mecca, toward which all Muslims face in prayer.
Muharram (The Sacred Month)
The first and one of the four sacred months in the Islamic calendar.
Ziyarat al-Jami'ah al-Kabirah
A comprehensive visitation prayer to all twelve Imams, taught by Imam Ali al-Hadi.
Mihrab (Prayer Niche)
The semicircular niche in the mosque wall that indicates the qibla direction.
Munajat (Intimate Supplication)
Intimate, personal conversations with Allah, an important part of Shia prayer tradition.
Salat al-Musafir (Traveler's Prayer)
The shortened prayers that travelers perform while traveling.