Prayer Times

How prayer-time calculation methods differ

Prayer times are astronomy: each prayer's moment is defined by the sun's position. Fajr begins at dawn (sun a set angle below the horizon) and Isha when twilight ends — and the angle is where methods differ: the Muslim World League uses 18° for Fajr and 17° for Isha, ISNA uses 15°/15°, the University of Islamic Sciences Karachi uses 18°/18°, and Egypt's authority uses 19.5°/17.5°. A larger angle means an earlier Fajr and later Isha. Asr depends on shadow length: the Shafi'i/Maliki/Hanbali position starts Asr when an object's shadow equals its height plus the noon shadow (factor 1), while the Hanafi position waits until the shadow is twice the height (factor 2) — making Hanafi Asr noticeably later. Dhuhr follows solar noon; Maghrib is sunset.

Worked example: why Fajr moves between methods

On the same day in the same city, an 18° Fajr angle catches dawn earlier than a 15° angle — typically shifting Fajr 15–25 minutes earlier and Isha later by a similar amount. That is the entire reason two apps show different times: same sun, different agreed angle. Neither is "wrong"; they follow different scholarly conventions.

Practical tips

Match the method your country or local masjid uses — consistency with your community matters more than the angle debate. At very high latitudes (long summer days), standard angles break down and adjusted methods apply. And treat online times as precise guides, but confirm with your local masjid during Ramadan, when minutes matter most.

The high-latitude problem

Above ~55° latitude, summer brings a brutal edge case: the sun never dips 18° (or even 15°) below the horizon, so standard Fajr/Isha angles never occur — there is no true night. Scholars offer several solutions: follow the nearest latitude where times are normal, use fixed time offsets (e.g., Isha 90 minutes after Maghrib), or follow Makkah/Madinah times. Scandinavian and Canadian mosques publish their chosen convention each Ramadan. If you live that far north, your local masjid's timetable — not any generic calculator — is the authority to follow.

When traveling, re-check the calculation method for your destination — crossing from a 15° country to an 18° one shifts Fajr and Isha noticeably, and your home routine will be off until you switch.