Raka'ah

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The Arabic word raka'ah (pl. 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.

What constitutes a Raka'ah?

Takbeer
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.

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