Prayer Time Calculator
Calculate accurate Islamic prayer times (Fajr, Sunrise, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha) for any location worldwide using multiple calculation methods including
Prayer Time Calculator
Calculator
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Formula: T = 12 + TZ − Lng/15 − EqT ± (1/15) × arccos((sin(angle) − sin(lat)×sin(decl)) / (cos(lat)×cos(decl)))
Worked example — Fajr: 5:07 AM | Dhuhr: 12:22 PM | Asr: 3:42 PM | Maghrib: 6:31 PM | Isha: 7:49 PM
Formula
T = 12 + TZ − Lng/15 − EqT ± (1/15) × arccos((sin(angle) − sin(lat)×sin(decl)) / (cos(lat)×cos(decl)))
Prayer times are calculated using the sun's position. First compute solar declination and equation of time for the given date. Then for each prayer, solve for the hour angle when the sun reaches the required altitude angle. Fajr and Isha use angles below the horizon (varying by method), Dhuhr is at solar noon, Asr uses shadow length ratios, and Maghrib is at sunset.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Prayer Times in Mecca
Problem:Calculate prayer times for Mecca (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E) on March 21, 2026 using the MWL method.
Solution:Using solar position calculations: Declination and equation of time computed for the date Each prayer time derived from specific sun angle Fajr: sun at -18° | Dhuhr: solar noon | Asr: shadow ratio Maghrib: sunset | Isha: sun at -17°
Result:Fajr: 5:07 AM | Dhuhr: 12:22 PM | Asr: 3:42 PM | Maghrib: 6:31 PM | Isha: 7:49 PM
Example 2: Prayer Times in Kabul
Problem:Calculate prayer times for Kabul (34.5553°N, 69.2075°E) using the Karachi method.
Solution:Higher latitude shifts Fajr earlier and Isha later Karachi method uses 18° for both Fajr and Isha Longitude affects local solar noon time All times adjusted for timezone offset
Result:Fajr: 4:52 AM | Dhuhr: 12:07 PM | Asr: 3:28 PM | Maghrib: 6:12 PM | Isha: 7:38 PM
Frequently Asked Questions
How are Islamic prayer times calculated?
Islamic prayer times are determined by the position of the sun relative to the observer's location on Earth. Fajr begins at dawn when the sky starts to lighten (sun is a specific number of degrees below the horizon, typically 15-19 degrees depending on the calculation method). Sunrise is when the upper edge of the sun appears above the horizon. Dhuhr starts just after the sun passes its zenith (highest point). Asr begins when an object's shadow reaches a specific length relative to the object's height. Maghrib starts immediately after sunset, and Isha begins when the twilight disappears. These calculations require the observer's latitude, longitude, date, and the chosen calculation convention.
What are the different prayer time calculation methods?
Several organizations have established different conventions for calculating Fajr and Isha times based on the sun's angle below the horizon. The Muslim World League (MWL) uses 18 degrees for Fajr and 17 for Isha. The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) uses 15 degrees for both. The Egyptian General Authority uses 19.5 for Fajr and 17.5 for Isha. Umm al-Qura (used in Saudi Arabia) uses 18.5 for Fajr and a fixed 90 minutes after Maghrib for Isha. The University of Islamic Sciences in Karachi uses 18 degrees for both Fajr and Isha. The choice of method can result in differences of 15-30 minutes for Fajr and Isha times.
Why do prayer times change daily and by location?
Prayer times change daily because the Earth's axis is tilted at approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane around the sun. This tilt causes the sun's apparent path across the sky to shift throughout the year, resulting in varying sunrise and sunset times. The effect is more pronounced at higher latitudes, where summer days can be extremely long and winter days very short. Location affects prayer times because the sun reaches its zenith at different clock times depending on longitude, and the sun's arc varies with latitude. Near the equator, prayer times remain relatively stable year-round, while near the poles they can vary dramatically between seasons.
How do Muslims in extreme latitudes pray when sun does not set or rise?
In regions above approximately 48.5 degrees latitude, there can be periods when astronomical twilight does not end (persistent twilight in summer) or normal sunrise and sunset do not occur. Islamic scholars have proposed several solutions: the nearest city method (using prayer times from the nearest location where times are normal), the nearest day method (using the last day when all prayer times were distinguishable), the proportional method (dividing the night into proportional segments based on the nearest normal day), or following Mecca time. The Islamic Fiqh Council and European Council for Fatwa and Research have both issued guidelines on this matter, generally recommending the nearest city or proportional methods.
What is the significance of each of the five daily prayers?
The five daily prayers (Salah) are a fundamental pillar of Islam. Fajr (pre-dawn) prayer consists of two units and marks the start of the daily spiritual routine. Dhuhr (midday) prayer has four units and provides a spiritual break during the workday. Asr (afternoon) prayer also has four units and the Prophet emphasized not missing it. Maghrib (sunset) prayer has three units and is performed immediately after sunset. Isha (night) prayer has four units and is the final prayer of the day. Together, they serve as regular reminders of one's connection to Allah, provide structure to the day, and foster mindfulness and spiritual discipline. The times are specifically prescribed to ensure worship is distributed throughout the waking hours.
What is the difference between the Shafi'i and Hanafi methods for Asr?
Asr is defined by shadow length rather than a sun angle. In the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali view, Asr begins when an object's shadow equals its own height plus the length of its shadow at solar noon — a shadow factor of one. The Hanafi school uses a factor of two, so the shadow must reach twice the object's height plus the noon shadow. Because the second condition takes longer to arrive, Hanafi Asr falls roughly 30 to 90 minutes later. The size of that gap tracks the season far more than latitude: it is widest around midsummer, when the noon sun is high and the noon shadow short, and it narrows sharply in winter, when a long noon shadow already dominates both conditions. Prayer Time Calculator applies the shadow factor of one.
Why is Dhuhr rarely at 12:00 on the clock?
Dhuhr is set by solar noon, the moment the sun crosses the local meridian, not by clock noon. Two corrections separate them. First, longitude: each degree east or west of your time zone's central meridian shifts solar noon by four minutes. Second, the equation of time, which accounts for the Earth's elliptical orbit and axial tilt and swings solar noon by up to roughly a quarter of an hour either way across the year. The calculator applies both, which is why Dhuhr drifts by several minutes from week to week.
Why does sunrise use an angle of 0.833 degrees below the horizon?
Geometric sunrise would be the sun's centre exactly on the horizon, but two physical effects come first. Atmospheric refraction bends light around the curve of the Earth and lifts the sun's apparent position by about 34 arcminutes, and the visible upper limb sits about 16 arcminutes above the centre. Together those add to roughly 0.833 degrees, so the disc appears while the sun's true centre is still below the horizon. Maghrib uses the same value at the other end of the day, which is why sunrise and sunset are symmetric about solar noon.
When does the window for each prayer end, not just begin?
Every time Prayer Time Calculator prints is the opening of a window rather than a deadline. Fajr runs until sunrise. Dhuhr runs until Asr begins, and Asr until sunset, though praying it once the sun yellows is discouraged without excuse. Maghrib runs until Isha begins. Isha is preferably prayed before the midpoint between sunset and the following dawn, and remains valid until Fajr in case of need. The closing edge matters most on travel days and short winter afternoons.
Why do these results differ by a few minutes from my local mosque timetable?
Several reasons. The calculator infers a time zone from longitude rather than using the political time zone, so an offset appears wherever the two diverge, and daylight saving is not applied. Mosques also commonly add a safety margin of one to five minutes to Fajr and subtract or add minutes at Maghrib, round to whole minutes, and may use a different Fajr or Isha convention or a different Asr shadow factor. Elevation and local horizon obstructions shift observed sunrise and sunset too. Follow your mosque's published timetable for actual worship.
References
Reviewed for accuracy by Daniel Agrici, Founder & Lead Developer · Editorial policy
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