How prayer times are calculated
Islamic prayer times are based on the sun's position in the sky, not the clock: Fajr begins at dawn twilight, Dhuhr just after the sun passes its highest point, Asr when a shadow reaches a set length, Maghrib at sunset, and Isha once night twilight sets in. Because these depend on your exact location and the date, times shift slightly every day and vary from city to city.
Why times vary by calculation method
Different Islamic authorities define the twilight angles for Fajr and Isha slightly differently — for example, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Muslim World League, and Umm al-Qura University in Makkah each use their own conventions. This tool uses the widely-used ISNA method, so times may differ by a few minutes from a mosque using a different regional standard.
Frequently asked questions
Why do these times differ slightly from my local mosque?
Your mosque may follow a different calculation method or apply a small manual adjustment for local convention — both are common and don't indicate an error.
Does this account for daylight saving time?
Yes — times are returned based on your device's detected time zone, which automatically reflects daylight saving where it applies.
How accurate is the location-based calculation?
It's as accurate as the latitude and longitude provided — using "Use my location" gives the most precise result for exactly where you are, rather than the center of your city.