How Many Rakats in Isha Prayer?
Isha has 4 fard rakats, followed by 2 confirmed sunnah rakats and then Witr (commonly 3 rakats): 9 rakats in total.
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Isha Rakats at a Glance
| Part | Rakats | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sunnah before Isha | 0 (4 recommended in Hanafi) | No confirmed sunnah before it; the Hanafi school recommends 4 non-confirmed rakats. |
| Isha fard | 4 | Obligatory. The first two rakats are aloud, the last two silent. |
| Sunnah after Isha | 2 | Confirmed. |
| Witr | 3 | Commonly 3 (from 1 to 11). Wajib in the Hanafi school, a confirmed sunnah in the others. |
| Total | 9 | 4 + 2 + 3 |
How the Isha Rakats Are Prayed
Isha is four rakats with two tashahhuds. You recite aloud in the first two rakats (Al-Fatiha and a surah) and silently in the last two (Al-Fatiha alone), sit for the first tashahhud after the second rakah, and finish with the final tashahhud and the salam. Witr follows after the sunnah rakats; see the Witr guide.
When Is Isha Prayed?
Isha begins when the red twilight has faded and lasts at least until midnight; many scholars allow it until dawn. It is better not to delay it without a reason, and the Prophet ﷺ disliked sleeping before it and talking after it unless necessary (Bukhari, Muslim).
Praying While Travelling
A traveller shortens the 4 fard rakats of Isha to 2. The Hanafi school makes this obligatory and the other schools make it permitted and preferred. Witr is still prayed.
Where the Madhhabs Differ
The Hanafi school treats Witr as wajib and also recommends 4 non-confirmed rakats before Isha. The Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools treat Witr as a strongly confirmed sunnah and count only the 2 rakats after Isha as the regular sunnah. Witr can be 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 rakats; 3 is the most common.
Keep Count in Isha
If you lose count mid-prayer, build on the number you are sure of and finish with sajdah sahw; the forgetting during prayer guide covers each case. Prayer Memory can keep the count for you: a silent haptic tap on Apple Watch, or a manual counter on iPhone and Android. Get it on the App Store or Google Play. All the counts side by side: rakat guide.
Sources
- General guidance from widely cited hadith; where the schools differ, follow a scholar you trust.
- Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim: sleeping before Isha and talking after it; Witr as the last prayer of the night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Isha is 4 fard rakats. With the 2 confirmed sunnah rakats after it and 3 rakats of Witr, you pray 9 rakats.
Witr is a separate prayer that is prayed after Isha, but it is usually counted with it. It is wajib in the Hanafi school and a confirmed sunnah in the others.
Witr is an odd number from 1 to 11. The most common is 3 rakats.
The first two rakats are aloud and the last two are silent.
Never lose count in salah again
Prayer Memory keeps the count for you, silently, so you can give your attention to the prayer. Free to download, with an optional Pro upgrade inside the app.
