Dhuhr (Noon Prayer)
The second daily prayer, performed when the sun passes its zenith.
Dhuhr (Arabic: ظهر) is the second of the five daily obligatory prayers in Islam. The word "dhuhr" means "noon" and refers to the time when the sun has passed its highest point in the sky (zenith) and begins to move westward.
The Dhuhr prayer consists of four rak'ah and is prayed in the period from when the sun passes the zenith until the beginning of the Asr prayer. On Fridays, Dhuhr is replaced by the Jumu'ah prayer (Friday prayer) for men, which is prayed in congregation at the mosque.
Dhuhr time is calculated astronomically as the moment when the sun crosses the meridian (the highest point in the sky for that day). This typically falls between 12:00 and 13:30 depending on the season and daylight saving time. The exact time depends on the city's longitude — cities further west have a slightly later Dhuhr than cities to the east.
It is sunnah (recommended) to pray two or four rak'ah of sunnah prayer before Dhuhr and two rak'ah after. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was very attentive to these extra prayers.
Related terms
Ihsan (Excellence)
The highest level of worship: to worship Allah as if one can see Him.
Muharram (The Sacred Month)
The first and one of the four sacred months in the Islamic calendar.
A'mal (Acts of Worship)
Specific acts of worship and rituals for particular days and occasions.
Tashahhud (Declaration of Faith in the Seated Position)
The specific recitation during the seated position in prayer, with greetings to the Prophet.
Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
The third daily prayer, performed in the afternoon.
Salat al-Musafir (Traveler's Prayer)
The shortened prayers that travelers perform while traveling.