The dawn prayer, Fajr, contains two obligatory rakahs in Islam.
Fajr is the first of the five daily obligatory prayers and is performed between the beginning of dawn and sunrise. A rakah is a unit of prayer involving standing, recitation, bowing, and prostration. The two obligatory rakahs are the central required portion of Fajr.
Fajr is distinct from the optional prayer sometimes performed before it, known as the Sunnah of Fajr. That optional component does not change the number of obligatory rakahs. The prayer’s time is tied to the appearance of true dawn, so local timetables vary with latitude, season, and date. Muslims must complete it before sunrise.