In Islam’s Five Pillars, Dhuhr is the obligatory salat prayer performed after the sun passes its midday zenith.
Dhuhr is the second of Islam’s five daily obligatory prayers. Its time begins after the sun has passed its highest point in the sky, an event called solar noon, and continues until the time for Asr begins. Because the exact time of solar noon changes by location and date, Dhuhr does not begin at the same clock time everywhere.
The prayer is normally performed quietly and consists of four obligatory rakahs, or units, for a resident Muslim. On Friday, the congregational Jumu’ah prayer takes the place of the regular Dhuhr prayer for those required to attend it. Jumu’ah includes a sermon before the prayer.
Dhuhr is often confused with Fajr, which occurs before sunrise, and Maghrib, which begins just after sunset. The Five Pillars include salat as a whole; Dhuhr is one of the five daily prayers through which that pillar is practiced.