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Does the idea of praying 5 times a day come from the Qur'an?

The concept of praying five times a day is indeed rooted in the Qur'an, though the specific number is also reinforced by the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Qur'an mentions the establishment of prayers at different times, which are interpreted to include five daily prayers.

One relevant verse states: Establish prayer from the decline of the sun till the darkness of the night. Al-Kafi 4:30Shia This verse indicates the times for prayer, and while it does not explicitly mention the number five, it serves as a foundation for the practice. The Prophet ﷺ further clarified this by stating that Allah has ordained five prayers for His servants, as narrated in a hadith: Allah has ordained five prayers for His servants. Sunan an-Nasa'i 5:12SunniSahih (per Al-Albani)

In addition, the Qur'an emphasizes the significance of the dawn prayer, saying: Indeed, the Qur'an at dawn is witnessed. 17:78 This highlights the importance of the prayers during the specified times, which collectively form the five daily prayers when understood through the context of hadith and Islamic tradition.

Thus, while the Qur'an lays the groundwork for the prayers, it is the combination of the Qur'anic verses and the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ that establishes the practice of praying five times a day in Islam.

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