Imam Ali (a) taught that a believer should divide their day into three parts. Imam Musa al-Kazim (a) named a fourth — separating work from companionship. Together they give an Islamic framework for every waking hour, not only the devotional ones.
“A believer should divide his time into three parts: a time to supplicate privately to his Lord, a time to take account of himself, and a time to enjoy what is lawful and pleasant.”
Time for Allah
وَقْت لِلّٰه
Prayer, duʿāʾ, dhikr, Qur'an, reflection. The schedule below fills this part.
Time for self-accounting
وَقْت لِلمُحَاسَبَة
Reviewing the day before Allah — what was good, what slipped, what to repair. The evening reflection below is this.
Time for work and companionship
وَقْت لِلعَمَل
Lawful livelihood, duties, and time with trustworthy companions. (Imam Kazim's addition.)
Time for lawful rest
وَقْت لِلرَّاحَة
Family, food, hobbies, walking — without sin or excess. Rest is part of the structure, not a failure of it.
Prayer times
Choose your city for exact Shia Ithna-Ashari prayer times.
United Kingdom
Switzerland
Times sourced from najaf.org (Imam Ali Foundation UK)
Times of Acceptance
Sacred windows when du'a is especially hoped to be answered. Those open right now are highlighted.
Set your location in the prayer-times card above to light up the windows that are open right now.
In prostration (sujud)
anytime
The servant is nearest to his Lord while in sajda — so make much du'a there.
· Sahih Muslim
While the rain falls
anytime
Du'a is not refused at the time of rain — a mercy descending. Watch for it.
· Devotional tradition
Daily Morning Intention
Begin each day with a conscious intention: 'O Lord, today I want to walk in obedience and avoid what displeases You.'
Morning Summary Dhikr of Imam Ali (dhikr-015)
After Each Prayer
Fajr
Dawn — before sunrise
الفجر
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
SubhanAllahi al-Azimi wa bi-hamdih
×10· Fajr Taqibat — Mafatih al-Jinan
Bismillah + La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
×7· Fajr devotional practice
Dua for Halal Provision (Allahumma akfini bi-halalika...)
×110Increase in halal rizq· Prophetic tradition
Begin with the Morning Summary Dhikr of Imam Ali. Set your intention for the day.
Zuhr
Midday
الظهر
Bi-llahi i'tasamtu...
×10· Attributed to Imam al-Askari (a)
Ya Sami'a kulli sawt
Intention for Imam al-Mahdi's return· Shii devotional tradition
Midday is a time to reset. Brief dhikr between tasks.
Asr
Afternoon
العصر
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ
Astaghfirullah
×70· Daily devotional programs (taqibat)
Surah al-Qadr
×10· Asr taqibat
Also: Sujud al-Shukr (prostration of gratitude)
Afternoon is a powerful time for seeking forgiveness. The 70x istighfar is a key practice.
Maghrib
Sunset
المغرب
Bismillah + La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
×7· General Shii devotional practice
Salawat upon the Prophet and family
· Maghrib taqibat
Praise Allah's decree. Seek mercy, forgiveness, and refuge from Hellfire.
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
2:255
Whoever recites it at night, a guardian from Allah remains over them until morning.
Sources: Qur'an 2:255 · Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim · Mafatih al-Jinan (taqibat)
Surah al-Ikhlas (al-Tawhid)
Qur'an 112
Good for: The declaration of pure oneness; equal in reward to a third of the Qur'an.
When: Three times before sleep; in the daily prayers; morning and evening.
قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
112:1
ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ
Allah, the Eternal Refuge.
112:2
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
He neither begets nor is born,
112:3
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ
Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
112:4
Reciting it three times equals reciting the whole Qur'an in reward.
Sources: Qur'an 112 · Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim · al-Kafi
Surah al-Falaq
Qur'an 113
Good for: Seeking refuge in the Lord of daybreak from every outward harm — darkness, envy, and evil.
When: Morning and evening, before sleep, and after the prayers — with al-Nas (the Mu'awwidhatayn).
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak
113:1
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
From the evil of that which He created
113:2
وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ
And from the evil of darkness when it settles
113:3
وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّٰثَٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ
And from the evil of the blowers in knots
113:4
وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
And from the evil of an envier when he envies."
113:5
One of the two 'surahs of refuge' the Prophet (s) recited for protection.
Sources: Qur'an 113 · Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim (the Mu'awwidhatayn) · Mafatih al-Jinan
Surah al-Nas
Qur'an 114
Good for: Seeking refuge from the whisperer — the inner and unseen harm of doubt and temptation.
When: Morning and evening, before sleep, and after the prayers — with al-Falaq.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
114:1
مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ
The Sovereign of mankind.
114:2
إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ
The God of mankind,
114:3
مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ
From the evil of the retreating whisperer -
114:4
ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ
Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind -
114:5
مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ
From among the jinn and mankind."
114:6
The second of the two surahs of refuge.
Sources: Qur'an 114 · Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim (the Mu'awwidhatayn) · Mafatih al-Jinan
Surah al-Qadr
Qur'an 97
Good for: The Night of Decree — beloved to the Ahl al-Bayt; carries immense reward and opens blessing.
When: In the taqibat after Asr and Isha, and abundantly in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him.
He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
[And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks?
And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.
Or do you feel secure that He who [holds authority] in the heaven would not send against you a storm of stones? Then you would know how [severe] was My warning.
Do they not see the birds above them with wings outspread and [sometimes] folded in? None holds them [aloft] except the Most Merciful. Indeed He is, of all things, Seeing.
But when they see it approaching, the faces of those who disbelieve will be distressed, and it will be said, "This is that for which you used to call."
Say, [O Muhammad], "Have you considered: whether Allah should cause my death and those with me or have mercy upon us, who can protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment?"
Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and what they left behind, and all things We have enumerated in a clear register.
They said, "Indeed, we consider you a bad omen. If you do not desist, we will surely stone you, and there will surely touch you, from us, a painful punishment."
Should I take other than Him [false] deities [while], if the Most Merciful intends for me some adversity, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me?
36:23
إِنِّىٓ إِذًۭا لَّفِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍ
Indeed, I would then be in manifest error.
36:24
إِنِّىٓ ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَٱسْمَعُونِ
Indeed, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me."
And when it is said to them, "Spend from that which Allah has provided for you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Should we feed one whom, if Allah had willed, He would have fed? You are not but in clear error."
They will say, "O woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping place?" [The reply will be], "This is what the Most Merciful had promised, and the messengers told the truth."
Recommended fasts: Monday, Thursday, White Days (13th-15th of lunar month)
Weekly reflection: Once a week, note moments of slip, emotional triggers, and moments of restraint. Write to understand yourself, not to condemn yourself.
Fridays: Fridays carry special spiritual weight — a recommended time for extra dua and Quran recitation