Isha Prayer

Isha prayer (Arabic: صلاة العشاء) is one of the five obligatory daily prayers performed by Muslims. It is the last prayer when ordered by time of day, and is performed at night. It is also known as the evening prayer.

Isha prayer consists of four obligatory cycles (rakcad). In the first two cycles, the Quran is recited aloud (jahri), while in the latter two it is recited quietly. Additional voluntary cycles are performed before and after, as detailed in Islamic jurisprudence.

Timing

The time for Isha begins when the red twilight on the horizon fades following sunset (Maghrib prayer). It extends until the onset of dawn, though many scholars recommend not delaying it past the middle of the night. Time calculation is based on the sun's angle below the horizon; different organizations use different angles, which can result in minor variations in prayer time for the same location.

Jurisprudence

All four schools of Sunni jurisprudence agree that Isha is an obligatory prayer of four cycles. Men are encouraged to pray it with the congregation in mosques. Isha is followed by the Witr prayer and, during Ramadan, by the Tarawiih prayer performed afterward. Travelers may shorten Isha to two cycles and combine it with Maghrib.

Somali Practice

In Somalia and among Somali people generally, who predominantly follow the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence, Isha typically comes slightly less than an hour after sunset, as the country is near the equator. The time for Isha is generally marked by gathering at mosques, particularly during Ramadan when the Tarawiih prayer is performed.