“The Missing Five: Why the Qur’an Refuses to Number the Salat.”
Author’s Note:
I write from a system-level perspective: examining Islam as a structure rather than operating solely within inherited frameworks. The Qur’an is treated as the supreme textual authority, while tradition is approached as historical context.
A Critical Analysis of Numerical Specificity and Historical Evolution in Sacred Texts
SEJARAHID.com The question of why the Qur’an—a book that claims to be detailed and clear—does not mention the number “5” for the daily prayers is one of the most pointed discussions in Islamic studies. If the Qur’an can be so specific about the number of heavens, the number of hell’s guardians, or the highly mathematical division of inheritance, why does this central act of worship lack an explicit numerical command?
Historically, and according to the Seerah Nabawiyah (Prophetic biography), the practice of prayer by Prophet Muhammad evolved through two major phases before settling into the five-fold structure known today.
The Initial Phase in Mecca: Two Prayers (Morning and Evening)
In the early days of the mission in Mecca (before the event of Isra Mi’raj), Prophet Muhammad and his companions are believed to have performed prayer twice daily: in the morning (Fajr) and in the evening (before sunset). This is based on several analyses:
- Textual Consistency: Early Meccan verses command glorification and prayer at these specific times, such as in QS. Al-Mu’min: 55: “And celebrate the praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.”
- The Abrahamic Tradition (Millah Ibrahim): At this stage, prayer was seen as a continuation of the monotheistic tradition of Abraham, emphasizing devotion at the two ends of the day.
- Absence of the Five-Fold Command: The explicit instruction for five prayers had not yet been revealed, as the Isra Mi’raj event occurred only about a year before the migration to Medina.
Transition Toward Hijrah: Evolution to Five Prayers
Following the Isra Mi’raj, the tradition of prayer expanded to five times a day. Interestingly, even as the frequency increased, the number of units (rak’ah) remained simple. According to Aisha RA:
“When the prayer was first enjoined, it was two rak’ahs in every prayer, whether in a journey or at home. Then the prayer of journey remained as such, but the prayer at home was increased.” (HR. Bukhari & Muslim).
Numerical Specificity in the Qur’anic Text (Nash)
The Qur’an is never “stingy” with numbers when it concerns fundamental laws or information that must be absolute. We see this precision in several areas:
- Inheritance Law: Detailed shares are provided: $1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/6,$ and $1/8$ (QS. An-Nisa). This ensures that for property matters, the Divine provides exact figures to prevent dispute.
- Criminal Law: 100 lashes for adultery (QS. An-Nur: 2). Not 99, not 101. The number is locked.
- Cosmology: Explicitly mentions the number 7 for the layers of heaven (QS. Al-Mulk: 3).
- Eschatology: The number of guardians of Hell is specified as 19 (QS. Al-Muddatstsir: 30).
If the Divine intended for prayer to be a rigid “dead number” (exactly 5), it would have been linguistically simple to reveal a verse stating: “Establish prayer five times a day.” The absence of this number suggests that the Qur’an prioritizes natural time intervals over mechanical quantity, allowing for an organic relationship between humans and the earth’s solar cycles.
Qur’anic Detail: Morning, Noon, and Night
The Qur’an specifies prayer times through descriptions of the sun’s position and light conditions:
- Morning and Evening: “And remember your Lord… in the morning and the evening (al-ghuduwwi wal-asal).” (QS. Al-A’raf: 205).
- Ends of the Day and Early Night: “And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night.” (QS. Hud: 114).
- Decline of the Sun until Darkness: “Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur’an of dawn.” (QS. Al-Isra: 78).
Historical Footprints: From Abraham to Jesus
Prayer consisting of standing, bowing (ruku), and prostrating (sujud) is not a new phenomenon. The Qur’an mentions these physical elements (QS. Al-Baqarah: 43 for bowing; QS. Al-Hajj: 26 for prostration). These traditions are mirrored in earlier scriptures:
- Abraham (Ibrahim): Genesis 17:3 — “Abram fell on his face…”
- Moses (Musa): Exodus 34:8 — “Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped.”
- Jesus (Isa): Matthew 26:39 — “He fell with his face to the ground and prayed…”
The Prophet Daniel’s Devotion
The model of praying several times a day is deeply rooted in prophetic history. One of the clearest references is the story of the Prophet Daniel:
- Daniel 6:10 (NASB/NKJV): “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed… in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”
This practice aligns with the three major time zones mentioned in the Qur’an (morning, noon, evening), reinforcing the argument that prayer was originally about maintaining God-consciousness throughout the day rather than fulfilling a numerical quota.
Identity Distinction Strategy: Differentiating from the Jewish Tradition
There is a strong historical hypothesis that the evolution of prayer formats in Islam—moving away from a structure remarkably similar to Jewish tradition (praying three times daily toward Jerusalem)—was a strategic move to establish a distinct and unique identity for the Muslim community. Following social and political tensions with the Jewish tribes in Medina, the Qibla (direction of prayer) was formally redirected from Jerusalem to Mecca (QS. Al-Baqarah: 144). The shift in prayer frequency to five times a day is viewed by many historians as a sociological step to decouple the rhythm of Muslim life from the Jewish prayer cycle (Tfilos), which traditionally occurs three times daily.
This differentiation of identity extended beyond ritual prayer into physical characteristics, serving as a form of “branding” for the emerging community. The emergence of Hadith instructions to trim the mustache and grow the beard served as a visual strategy to ensure Muslims were easily recognizable and did not mirror the physical appearance of the Jews or the Magians (Zoroastrians) of that era. Consequently, the increased frequency of prayer and these grooming regulations were instrumental ways the Prophet established the socio-political independence of his followers.
The Logic of Nash: Circumcision vs. Prayer
The absence of the number “5” becomes legally significant when using textual logic. In Islamic law, the absence of a Nash (explicit text) in the Qur’an usually triggers flexibility or divergent interpretations. Consider Circumcision (Khitan): because it is absent from the Qur’an, the four schools of thought (Madhabs) differ:
| Madhab | Male Circumcision | Female Circumcision | Key Note |
| Hanafi | Sunnah Muakkadah | Mubah | Regarded as a sunnah, not a pillar of faith. |
| Maliki | Sunnah Muakkadah | Mubah | Focuses on communal identity over individual obligation. |
| Syafi’i | Wajib (Obligatory) | Wajib (Obligatory) | Strong emphasis on ritual purity (thaharah). |
| Hanbali | Wajib | Mubah | Obligatory for men, optional for women. |
Similarly, for prayer, the religious institution “locked” the number at 5 based on Mutawatir Amali (mass practice), yet textually (Qur’an-only), that number remains absent.
Constitution vs. Implementing Regulations
If we view the Qur’an as a Constitution, it regulates the principles:
- Prayer is obligatory.
- Prayer is fixed at specific times (QS. An-Nisa: 103).
- The core movements are standing, bowing, and prostrating.
The specific count of 5 times and the number of rak’ahs are positioned by scholars as Implementing Regulations (As-Sunnah). If one chooses to follow only the Supreme Constitution, the format returns to the flexibility of the mentioned time zones.
| Object | Mentioned in Qur’an | Technical Detail (Hadith/Tradition) |
| Heavens | Number “7” specified | Static/Creational information. |
| Zakat | Commanded as a duty | Determination of 2.5% rate. |
| Hajj | Commanded for those able | 7 rounds of Tawaf. |
| Prayer | Obligatory at fixed times | The number “5” and specific rak’ahs. |
Conclusion
Logically and textually, if the Qur’an is a book that is Mubayan (clear) and Tafshil (detailed), the absence of the number “5” is not a Divine oversight but a deliberate act to provide spiritual space. Furthermore, historical records show that even Prophet Muhammad began with prayers only twice a day with two units each.
Therefore, for those employing a Quran-Centric approach, the conclusion that prayer follows the intervals of morning, noon, and evening—interpretable as three times a day—is a position with a robust textual and historical foundation. It is not literally incorrect for one to believe that the essence of prayer is the act of bowing and prostrating at these times, as the Qur’an never once specifies the number five.
SEJARAHID.com
Most Muslims think within the Islamic system.
I think about the Islamic system itself.Focusing on why thinking about the system is the only way to recover the “Unseen Patterns” of history and Nash.