It is obligatory to perform five prayers throughout the day and the night. [/size]
These are:
The Noon Prayer (Dhuhr). (Four (4) rak^ahs): Its time begins when the sun has declined westward from the middle of the sky and remains until the length of the shadow of an object becomes equal to that of the object per se, in addition to the length of the shadow of that object when the sun was at its zenith.
The Mid-afternoon Prayer (^Asr). (Four (4) rak^ahs): Its time begins after Dhuhr ends, and remains until sunset.
The Sunset Prayer (Maghrib). (Three (3) rak^ahs): Its time begins after sunset, i.e., when ^Asr ends, and remains until the disappearance of the redness in the western horizon.
The Nightfall Prayer (^Isha'). (Four (4) rak^ahs): Its time begins when Maghrib time ends and remains until the appearance of the true dawn (Fajr Sadiq).
The Dawn Prayer (Subh). (Two (2) rak^ahs): Its time begins after ^Isha' time and remains until sunrise (Shuruq).
These obligatory prayers must be performed in their due times by every Muslim who is pubescent, sane, and pure. Without an excuse, it is unlawful to perform these prayers ahead of their times or to delay performing these prayers until after their times have passed. If something prohibitive, such as menses, occurs after a time which was enough to perform the prayer, then one must make up that missed prayer. In the case of incontinence of urine, if the prohibitive thing occurs after a time which was enough to perform the prayer and its purification (taharah), then one must make up that missed prayer. If, on the other hand, the prohibitive thing terminates and time enough to say 'Allahu akbar' is left, then one must make up that prayer and the one before it if they are combinable; so if the prohibitive thing terminates before sunset while there is enough time to say 'Allahu akbar', then both ^Asr and Dhuhr must be prayed. If it terminates before Fajr begins while there is time enough to say 'Allahu akbar', then both ^Isha' and Maghrib must be prayed.
