What Is Zuhr Prayer? Importance, Rakat, and Guidelines

Hi, all readers! Are you looking for an explanation of "What is the Zuhr prayer?" If your answer is “Yes,” congratulations! You are now reading the right article. Why? Because that is what I will explain here. As Muslims, it is essential for us to understand this. That’s why I wrote this article, so you should read it until the end!

Specifically, there are four important aspects of "What is the Zuhr prayer?" that I will explain in this article. The four key points are as follows:

What Is the Zuhr Prayer?

The first important thing about "What is the Zuhr prayer?" that I'm going to explain now is a specific answer. So, please read the explanation below very carefully.

In simple terms, the Zuhr prayer is an obligatory Islamic prayer performed when the sun has tilted to the west, and a person's shadow is equal to their height, which marks the beginning of the time for the Asr prayer. The Zuhr prayer consists of four rakats.

We can find an explanation that the Zuhr prayer has four rakats in the hadith below:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا افْتُرِضَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّلَاةُ رَكْعَتَانِ رَكْعَتَانِ إِلَّا الْمَغْرِبَ فَإِنَّهَا كَانَتْ ثَلَاثًا ثُمَّ أَتَمَّ اللَّهُ الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ أَرْبَعًا فِي الْحَضَرِ وَأَقَرَّ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى فَرْضِهَا الْأَوَّلِ فِي السَّفَرِ

From Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), she said: Among the obligations on the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was Salat, which was two rakats, two rakats except for Zuhr, which was three. Then Allah made Zuhr, Asr, and Isha four while one is not traveling, and made it the same as it was obligated the first time while traveling (meaning two rakats).

That is a brief explanation of “What is the Zuhr prayer?” As Muslims, we must understand this.

Do You Have to Pray Zuhr?

The second important thing about "What is Zuhr prayer?" that I will explain now is "Do you have to pray Zuhr?". I want you to understand this because it is one of the key questions in this discussion that must be well understood.

As we know, the Zuhr prayer is one of the obligatory prayers in Islam. We can find this explanation in the following verses of the Quran and hadith:

فَاِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلٰوةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللّٰهَ قِيَامًا وَّقُعُوْدًا وَّعَلٰى جُنُوْبِكُمْ ۚ فَاِذَا اطْمَأْنَنْتُمْ فَاَقِيْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ ۚ اِنَّ الصَّلٰوةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ كِتٰبًا مَّوْقُوْتًا

And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides. But when you become secure, re-establish [regular] prayer. Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times. (An-Nisa [04]; 103).

قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِمُعَاذٍ بْنِ جَبَلٍ لَمَّا أَرْسَلَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ: إِنَّكَ تَقْدَمُ عَلَى قَوْم أَهْلِ كِتَاب فَلْيَكُنْ أَوَّلَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ عِبَادَةُ اللَّهِ فَإِذَا عَرَفُوا اللَّهَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَات فِي يَوْمِهِمْ وَلَيْلَتِهِمْ فَإِذَا فَعَلُوا فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ زَكَاةً مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَتُرَدُّ عَلَى فُقَرَائِهِمْ فَإِذَا أَطَاعُوا بِهَا فَخُذْ مِنْهُمْ وَتَوَقَّ كَرَائِمَ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said to Mu'adz bin Jabal when he sent him to Yemen, "You will come to the People of the Book. So, your first task is to invite them to worship God. If they acknowledge it, then you should tell them that Allah has obliged them to pray five times a day. If they have done it (prayer), then tell them that Allah requires them to give alms from their property, which is then distributed to the needy among them. If they have obeyed the order, then take the rest, but do not take their best assets."

So, if you ask me, "Do you have to pray Zuhr?", the answer is "Yes, if you have reached puberty (baligh)." Muslims who have reached puberty must pray Zuhr. If they don't, they commit a sin.

That's a brief explanation of "Do you have to pray Zuhr?". As Muslims, we must understand that.

How Do You Pray Zuhr?

The third important thing about "What is Zuhr prayer?" that I will explain now is "How do you pray Zuhr?". I want you to understand this because it is one of the key questions about the Zuhr prayer that must be well understood.

In simple terms, I want to tell you that there are eight main things we must do if we want to perform the Zuhr prayer:

• We must cleanse our bodies of minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and major hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَكْبَرُ).
• We have to wear clean clothes to perform the Zuhr prayer.
• We must find a clean place to pray.
• We need to face the Qiblah.
• We have to perform Takbir Ihram.

One of the prayers we can recite after Takbir Ihram is as follows:

وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِيْ فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيْفاً وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ إِنَّ صَلَاتِيْ وَنُسُكِيْ وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِيْ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَبِذَالِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَنْتَ رَبِّيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِيْ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ ذُنُوْبِيْ جَمِيْعًا إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَاهْدِنِيْ لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّيْ سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّيْ سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرَ كُلُّهُ فِيْ يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْكَ.

I face my face to God who has created the heavens and the earth, in conditions of accepting Islam. I am not a polytheist. Indeed, my prayer, my worship, my life, and my death are due to God, the Lord who controls the universe. There is nothing for Him. That's why I was ordered, and I include myself among those who surrender. O Allah, You are the Ruler. There is no god but You. You are my Lord, and I am Your servant. I have judged myself and I confess my sin, then forgive all my sins. Indeed, no one forgives sins except You. Show me the best ethical behavior; no one can show that except You. Avoid me from the worst ethics; no one can protect me from that except You. I answer Your call and wish to obey You. All good is in Your hands. Evil does not draw near to You. Your goodness is always multiplying, and You are holy of all shortcomings. I ask for Your forgiveness and turn to You.

We must say the intention to pray Zuhr during Takbir Ihram. The Niyyat for the Zuhr prayer alone is as follows:

أُصَلِّى فَرْضَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ أَدَاءً لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

I intend to perform the obligatory prayers, Zuhr, four rak'ahs, facing Qiblah, as an obligation, because of Allah Taala.

The Niyyat for the Zuhr prayer as Imam is as follows:

أُصَلِّى فَرْضَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ أَدَاءً إِمَامًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

I intend to perform the obligatory prayers, Zuhr, four rak'ahs, facing Qiblah, as Imam, as an obligation, because of Allah Taala.

The Niyyat for the Zuhr prayer as Makmum is as follows:

أُصَلِّى فَرْضَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ أَدَاءً مَأْمُوْمًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

I intend to perform the obligatory Zuhr prayer, which consists of four rak'ahs, facing the Qiblah, as a Makmum, fulfilling my obligation to Allah Taala.

We must fulfill all the requirements when praying the four rak'ahs of the Zuhr prayer. Additionally, we need to perform Salaam and maintain the intention to pray Zuhr.

This is a brief explanation of "How do you pray Zuhr?" As Muslims, we must understand this.

Why Is Zuhr Prayer Silent?

The fourth important aspect of "What is the Zuhr prayer?" that I will explain now is "Why is the Zuhr prayer silent?" It is essential to understand this, as it is one of the critical questions about the Zuhr prayer that must be thoroughly grasped.

The Zuhr prayer is one of the prayers performed in a hushed voice. This means that Muslims who perform the Zuhr prayer should not raise their voices when reciting the readings during the prayer.

If you ask me, "Why is the Zuhr prayer silent?" the answer is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) observed silence during the Zuhr prayer. He did not recite the readings of the Zuhr prayer in an audible voice as he did during the Maghrib, Isha, and Fajr prayers. As Muslims, we are required to imitate his way of praying. We can find this explanation in the hadith below:

عَنْ مَالِكٍ بْنِ الْحُوَيْرِثِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : صَلُّوْا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُوْنِيْ أُصَلِّي . رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

From Malik bin al-Huwairits (radliyallahu anhu), he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'Pray as you have seen me praying.'" This hadith was narrated by al-Bukhari.

That is a brief explanation of "Why is the Zuhr prayer silent?" As Muslims, we must understand this.

Dear readers! That concludes our brief overview of "What is the Zuhr prayer?" and some important aspects of it. Do you understand? If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

I think that’s enough for this article. May it be beneficial. Ameen.

See you again in the next article!