Raka'ah

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The word raka'ah (Arabic: ركعة‎, pl. ركعات rakaat) refers to one unit of Islamic prayer, or Salah. Each daily prayer is made up of a different number of rakaat:

• Fajr — The dawn prayer: 2 rakaat
• Dhuhr — The noon prayer: 4 rakaat
• Asr — The afternoon prayer: 4 rakaat
• Maghrib — The sunset prayer: 3 rakaat
• Isha'a — The night prayer: 4 rakaat

The Friday prayer consists of 2 rakaat and is prayed in place of the Dhuhr prayer on Friday.

[edit] What constitutes a Raka'ah?

• Takbir
• Supplications ¹
• Recitation of Surah Fatiha
• Recitation after Surah Fatiha
• Ruk'u (Bowing)
• Straightening up from Ruk'u
• Sujud (The prostration)
• Rising from Sajdah
• The second Sajdah
• Tashahuud ²
• Tasleem (The salutation) ³

¹ Only performed in the first raka'ah of the prayer.
² Only performed in the second and last raka'ah of the prayer.
³ Only performed in the final raka'ah of the prayer.