What is the time of prayer called?

Answer 1

Many religions have specific times which they pray.

The Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam (and the Bahá'í Faith) each traditionally have specific times (of day) during which they pray.

Judaism

In Judaism, there are (usually) three prayer services a day, but on special occasions there are four, or sometimes five.

The three services recited daily are

1. Shacharit or Shaharit (שַחֲרִת), A Morning prayer whose name is derived from the Hebrew word for "Morning Light"
2. Mincha or Minha (מִנְחָה), the afternoon prayer named for the flour offering that accompanied sacrifices at the Temple (before its destruction).
3. Arvith (עַרְבִית) or Ma'ariv(מַעֲרִיב), which is the evening prayer. The name is derived from the Hebrew word for "nightfall."

Additional prayer services:

• Musaf (מוּסָף, "additional") are recited by Orthodox and Conservative congregations on Shabbat (the seventh day of the Jewish week and the day of rest for Judaism), major Jewish holidays and Rosh Chodesh (the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar).
• A fifth prayer service, Ne'ilah (נְעִילָה, "closing"), is recited only on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

ChristianityIn Christianity, because of the diversity of belief and theology, there are a variety of different "Prayer services" for specific times. In the more liturgical churches such as the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, it is traditional to have "The Canonical Hours" which are 7AM (or 8 AM).

In both the eastern churches and the Roman Catholic churches the "Day" starts at the fall of evening, with the Vespers service. In the Roman Catholic church these daily services are/were known as:

1. Vespers - "Evening (from the Vesper Star)" Evening Prayer
2. Compline - "Completion" Night Prayer
3. Matins - This service was traditionally said before dawn, at midnight or some other late hour. It was traditionally a Vigil office, and consisted of (depending on the solemnity) one to 3 subdivisions known as Nocturns. This service has been extremely simplified in the modern office, and now is called the Office of Readings and may be said at any hour of the day.
4. Lauds - "Praises" Morning Prayer, which was originally rolled together with Matins into one Long hour.
5. Prime - "First (Hour)" a morning hour, now defunct in the modern Office.
6. Terce - "Third (Hour)" Daytime Prayer
7. Sext - "Sixth (Hour)" Noonday Prayer
8. None - "Ninth (Hour)" Afternoon Prayer

The Eastern churches have a similar structure to their day with 8 hours. The following is the Byzantine/Greek Usage, however The Copts (Native Egyptian Christians), the Assyrian Church and a variety of the other Eastern Churches hava a similar structure of 8 hours.

1. Hesperinos (Ἑσπερινός) - Vespers
2. Apodeipnon (Ἀπόδειπνον) - Compline "After Supper"
3. Mesonyktikon (Μεσονυκτικόν) - A monastic office said at midnight. It is similar to Vigil or a Nocturn.
4. Orthros (Ὄρθρος) - Prayer at dawn - Lauds/Matins
5. Prōtē Hōra (Πρῶτη Ὥρα) - First Hour/Morning Prayer
6. Tritē Hōra (Τρίτη Ὥρα) - Third Hour - Mid Morning Prayer
7. Hektē Hōra (Ἕκτη Ὥρα) - Sixth Hour - Noon Prayer
8. Ennatē Hōra (Ἐννάτη Ὥρα) - Ninth Hour - Afternoon Prayer.

Other churches with a tradtion of prayer services at a specific time are the Anglican and Lutheran Churches, who both have a tradition of Matins (Lauds) in the morning and Vespers/Evensong in the evening.

Additional Note:

I am a Christian, there is no need to wait for a specific time to pray, you can pray anytime you need or want to. God is not asleep or waiting for a specific time to listen.

Islam

In Islam, the day is broken by Salat. Salatare the times of prayer dictated by God to Muhammad. The Fard As-salat (The obligatory prayers/salat) are as follows:

1. Fajr (فجر) - Dawn Prayer
2. Dhuhr (ظهر) - Midday prayers (On Friday the Dhuhr is replaced by the Jumu'ah) (جمعة‎)
3. Asr (عصر) - Afternoon Prayer
4. Maghrib (مغرب) - Sunset Prayer
5. Isha'a (عشاء) - Dusk/Night Prayer
6. (Optionally after Isha'a) Another prayer, Witr (وتر‎) is offered, some time after Night prayer, but before Fajr. Alternatively During the holy month of Ramadan, Tarawih (تراويح) are offered. These, like Witr, are not compulsory, but they are traditionally said. There are a broad variety of other compulsory and semi-compulsory prayers depending on the time of year and the seasons. However, the five listed above are those of the pillars of Islam.

The Bahá'í Faith

The Bahá'í faith, following the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh (the founder of Bahá'í), have an obligation to pray three times a day, praying the three obligatory prayers of that faith. The Bahá'í, however, have chosen not to give specific names to those prayers.

Zoroastrianism

In Zoroastrianism, there is also a requirement to pray several times a day. All practicing Zoroastrians are expected to pray the Kusti prayers 5 times a day.

These prayers take place at:

1. Dawn: Havaan
2. Noon: Rapithwan
3. Afternoon: Uziren
4. Evening: Aiwisuthrem
5. Night time: Ushaen

These prayers fall at or around the same times as the prayers in Islam.