Why do Shias only pray three times a day?
We pray 5 times a day,the misconstrued observation is seeing us combine Thuher and Aser after Athan of Thuher which is 1. Combining Magreb and Isha after Athan Magreb which is 2 and Fajer as three.
The Prophet Muhammad(saw) combined prayers.
Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 20, Number 209:
“Narrated Salim’s father: Narrated Ibn Abbas: Allah’s Apostle used to offer the Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers together on journeys and also used to offer the Maghrib and ‘Isha’ prayers together.”
One would assume by observation he has prayed 3 times but he infact prayed 5 times.