Prayer Times
Daily prayer times — fajr, dhuhr, asr, maghrib and isha — for any city, using the calculation method you choose in the theme settings.
How prayer times are worked out
The five daily prayers follow the sun, so their times shift every day and differ between cities that share a clock. Fajr begins at dawn, dhuhr just after the sun passes its highest point, asr when a shadow reaches a set length, maghrib at sunset and isha once the evening light has gone.
Calculation methods
Fajr and isha depend on how far the sun is below the horizon, and authorities differ on the exact angle. Ten methods are available here, including Karachi, the Muslim World League, ISNA, Umm al-Qura and Tehran; the site-wide choice is set in the theme settings.
Asr has two rulings. The standard calculation, followed by the Shafi, Maliki and Hanbali schools, uses a shadow equal to the object’s length plus its noon shadow. The Hanafi calculation uses twice that, which puts asr later in the afternoon.
How Asr is worked out
Asr is the one that most often looks wrong in a timetable, because it is defined by shadow length rather than by an angle below the horizon. As the sun drops, every object casts a lengthening shadow; asr begins at the moment that shadow reaches the object’s own height, added to whatever shadow it cast at noon.
That noon shadow is why latitude matters so much. Near the equator an object casts almost nothing at midday, so asr arrives roughly three and a half hours after dhuhr. In northern Europe in winter the noon shadow is already long, and asr follows dhuhr much sooner.
The Hanafi ruling waits until the shadow reaches twice the object’s height, which typically puts asr forty-five minutes to an hour and a half later than the standard calculation. Both are listed as options in the theme settings; neither is a correction of the other.
Questions people ask
How are prayer times calculated?
From the sun’s position at your coordinates. Dhuhr follows solar noon, maghrib follows sunset, and fajr and isha depend on how far the sun is below the horizon.
Which calculation method should I use?
The one your local mosque uses. Karachi is common in South Asia, Umm al-Qura in Saudi Arabia, ISNA in North America and the Muslim World League in much of Europe.
What is the difference between standard and Hanafi asr?
Standard asr begins when an object’s shadow equals its length plus its noon shadow. The Hanafi calculation uses twice that, placing asr later in the afternoon.
Why does Asr sometimes look late or early?
Because it is set by shadow length rather than a sun angle, and the noon shadow varies with latitude and season. Near the equator asr falls about three and a half hours after dhuhr; in a northern winter it comes much sooner.
Which Asr calculation does this site use?
Whichever is selected in the theme settings — the standard ruling by default, with the Hanafi option available, which places asr roughly an hour later.
Why are these times a minute or two off my mosque’s timetable?
Local timetables often round to a safe minute or account for the horizon around the city. Where they differ, follow your mosque.
Can I use this while travelling?
Yes. Search for the city you are in and everything is recalculated for its coordinates and zone.
What happens at high latitudes in summer?
Above roughly 48 degrees the sun may not dip far enough for a true dawn or nightfall. The calculation then divides the night into sevenths, a common fallback, though local rulings vary.
Why does fajr shift so much through the year?
Because it depends on twilight rather than a fixed hour. The further from the equator you are, the more the dawn angle moves with the season.
What is the earliest and latest time for each prayer?
Each has a window rather than a single moment. The times listed are the start of each window, which is when the prayer becomes due.
Does the site tell me the qibla direction?
Not at present. The times, sunrise and sunset here are calculated from your city’s coordinates.
Is sunrise a prayer time?
No, but it is listed because it marks the end of the fajr window.
Why is dhuhr not exactly at 12:00?
Because clock noon and solar noon rarely coincide. Your longitude within the time zone, and the Earth’s elliptical orbit, move solar noon by up to half an hour either way.
Do these times account for daylight saving?
Yes. Everything is shown in the current local time of the city.
Where to go next
Keep prayer times to hand — and if you need a different place rather than a different tool, world time clock covers every country.
- Ramadan calendar — sehri and iftar for your city, all month
- Azan clock — a countdown to the next prayer with an alert tone
- Sunrise times — sunrise, twilight and day length from real coordinates
- Sunset times — sunset, dusk and the length of the evening
- the time around the world — the current time in every country, territory and US state