The Maghrib prayer ( ṣalāt al-maġrib, "sunset prayer") is one of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayers), and contains three cycles (rak'a). If counted from midnight, it is the fourth one. According to Sunni Muslims, the period for Maghrib prayer starts just after sunset, following Asr prayer, and ends at the beginning of night, the start of the Isha prayer. As for Shia Muslims, since they allow Maghrib and Isha prayers to be performed one after another, the period for Maghrib prayer extends until the midnight. Except for the Hanafi school, however, Sunni Muslims are also permitted to combine Maghrib and Isha prayers if they are traveling and incapable of performing the prayers separately. In this case, the period for Maghrib prayer extends from sunset to dawn, as with Shiites. Amongst Sunnis, Salafis allow the combining of two consecutive prayers (Maghrib & Isha'a, Dhuhr & 'Asr) for a wide range of reasons; such as when various needs arise or due to any difficulty (taking precedence from Hanbali and Shafiite schools). The formal daily prayers of Islam comprise different numbers of units, called rakat. The Maghrib prayer has three obligatory (fard) rak'at and two sunnah and two non-obligatory nafls. The first two fard rak'ats are prayed aloud by the Imam in congregation (the person who misses the congregation and is offering prayer alone is not bound to speak the first two rak'ats aloud), and the third is prayed silently. To be considered valid salat, the formal daily prayers must each be performed within their own prescribed time period. People with a legitimate reason have a longer period during which their prayers will be valid. The five daily prayers collectively are one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the Religion (Furū al-Dīn) according to Shia Islam.

Name variations

Sunni tradition

Time begins Time ends

Shia tradition

Time begins Time ends Despite the relatively long period in which valid prayers can be recited, it is considered important to recite the prayer as soon as the time begins. Shia doctrine permits the mid-day and afternoon and evening and night prayers to be prayed in succession, i.e. Zuhr can be followed by Asr once the mid-day prayer has been recited and sufficient time has passed, and Maghrib can be followed by Isha'a once the evening prayer has been recited and sufficient time has passed. During Ramadan, the maghrib prayer marks the end of the fast and is the start of the iftar.