How Many Rakats Is Dhuhr? Sunnah and Fard

Dhuhr is 10 rakats: 4 rakats of sunnah before the fard, 4 rakats of fard, and 2 rakats of sunnah after it. Each part has its own intention and the salam divides them. Of the five daily prayers, Dhuhr has the most emphasized sunnah, 6 rakats in all.

Is the sunnah before Dhuhr 4 rakats or 2?

The Diyanet Namaz İlmihali counts the 4-rakat first sunnah and the 2-rakat last sunnah of Dhuhr among the emphasized sunnahs. It also notes that the Prophet prayed the sunnah after Dhuhr as 4 rakats, just as he prayed the one before it as 2. Ibn ‘Umar's report describes this second practice:

I memorized from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ten Rak‘ahs (units of prayer): two Rak‘ahs before Zhuhr and two Rak‘ahs after it, two Rak‘ahs after Maghrib at his home, two Rak‘ahs after ‘Ishā’ at his home, and two Rak‘ahs before the Fajr prayer

In the Hanafi school the sunnah before Dhuhr is 4 rakats. In the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools it is 2 rakats.

How is Dhuhr prayed?

All four-rakat prayers are prayed alike. What changes is the intention and a few details:

1. First sunnah (4 rakats): The first two rakats are prayed like the Fajr sunnah. After the second rakat you sit and recite only the Tashahhud, then stand for the third rakat without the Salawat. In the third and fourth rakats, al-Fatihah is followed by a surah. After the fourth rakat the full sitting supplications are recited and the salam is given.
2. Fard (4 rakats): Prayed the same way, with the intention of the fard. In the third and fourth rakats only al-Fatihah is recited, with no additional surah. Men say the iqamah first.
3. Last sunnah (2 rakats): Prayed like any two-rakat prayer.

In Dhuhr and Asr the recitation is silent: you recite so that you can hear yourself. In congregational Fajr, Maghrib and Isha the imam recites aloud in the first two rakats.

The time of Dhuhr

Dhuhr begins at zawal, when the sun passes its highest point and starts to decline. Setting aside the shadow cast at zawal, it ends when an object's shadow equals its own length, or, according to Abu Hanifa alone, twice its length. For roughly ten minutes before zawal, while the sun stands at its peak, it is a makruh time and no prayer is offered.

Delaying Dhuhr in the heat

The Hanafis pray Dhuhr once the weather has cooled in hot weather; the Diyanet Namaz İlmihali gives the recommended time as later in the time in summer and early in winter. The basis is this hadith:

When the heat is intense, delay the prayer until it becomes fairly cool, for intense heat is from the boiling and breathing of Hellfire.

The Shafi'is likewise hold that Dhuhr is delayed in the heat. According to Imam al-Shafi'i, someone praying alone prays at the beginning of the time, while those praying in congregation delay it a little.

If you could not pray the first sunnah

You may have skipped the first sunnah of Dhuhr to catch the congregation. It can then be made up after the fard, either right after it before the last sunnah, or after the last sunnah. In general unprayed sunnahs are not made up; the sunnahs of Fajr, Dhuhr and Friday are the exceptions. A missed fard is made up as 4 rakats.

Travel and Friday

A traveler prays the four-rakat Dhuhr fard as two rakats; details are in how many rakats in each prayer. On Friday the Friday prayer is offered instead of Dhuhr; see how many rakats is the Friday prayer. Those who are not required to attend the Friday prayer, or who cannot attend for an excuse, pray Dhuhr that day.

For supplications after the prayer see prayer duas, and for today's Dhuhr time the prayer times page. The whole prayer is explained in how to perform Salah.

Sources

1. Diyanet Presidency of Religious Affairs, Namaz İlmihali (Karagöz, Altuntaş), Ankara 2011 (Turkish): PDF
2. TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, "Rek'at" (Turkish): islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/rekat
3. TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, "Vakit" (Turkish): islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/vakit
4. High Council of Religious Affairs, which prayers are made up (Turkish): kurul.diyanet.gov.tr