Accurate Daily Prayer Times & Live Countdown.
High-precision astronomical calculations for Fajr, Sunrise, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha based on your exact location coordinates.
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Today's 6 Prayer Times
FAJR
Begins at true dawn when light appears across the eastern horizon before sunrise.
SUNRISE
Marks the end of Fajr. Prayer is not performed during the exact sunrise window.
DHUHR
Begins after the sun passes its celestial zenith (meridian) at true solar noon.
ASR
Begins when an object's shadow equals its length plus shadow at noon (Shafi'i/Hanbali/Maliki standard).
MAGHRIB
Begins immediately upon sunset when the sun's upper limb disappears beneath horizon.
ISHA
Begins when twilight completely disappears from the western sky (evening twilight ends).
Astronomical Solar Algorithms
Our prayer times engine evaluates real-time solar declination, local solar noon, and equation of time to calculate precise horizons without relying on static external tables.
Computes Earth's orbital tilt and speed variation to determine exact solar zenith passage for your specific latitude/longitude.
Applies standard angle parameters to handle seasonal variations at northern or southern latitudes smoothly.
Integrates directly with our live Qibla compass bearing to ensure proper physical orientation toward Mecca.
How Islamic Prayer Times (Salah) Are Astronomically Determined
The five daily prayers of Islam are bound to distinct, observable movements of the Sun across the terrestrial sky. In classical Islamic civilization, the office of the Muwaqqit (astronomical timekeeper) arose in major congregational mosques to record and verify solar transit lines using sundials, quadrants, and astrolabes. Modern digital calculators translate these foundational celestial milestones into precise mathematical algorithms.
Fajr begins when horizontal light first scatters laterally along the eastern horizon. Islamic jurists distinguish this from the 'False Dawn' (Al-Subh al-Kazib or zodiacal light), which is a vertical beam like a wolf's tail followed by darkness. The True Dawn occurs when the center of the Sun is between 15° and 19.5° below the eastern horizon.
Sunrise marks the termination of the Fajr prayer window. Astronomically, it is defined as the exact moment the upper limb of the Sun breaks the eastern horizon. This calculation accounts for 34 arcminutes of atmospheric refraction and 16 arcminutes of solar semi-diameter, totaling 50 arcminutes (-0.833°) of geometric depression.
Dhuhr commences the instant the Sun declines past its highest celestial zenith point (Al-Zawal) on the local meridian. It does not coincide with 12:00 PM standard clock time; it varies with the observer's longitude and Earth's orbital speed via the Equation of Time (EoT). A precautionary buffer of 1–2 minutes is added to ensure the Sun has truly begun descending.
Asr is defined by the length of an upright object's shadow. By majority consensus (Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali), Asr begins when the shadow equals the object's height plus its shadow at noon (S = H + S₀). Under the classical Hanafi position (Asr al-Thani), it begins when the shadow equals twice the object's height plus its noon baseline (S = 2H + S₀).
Maghrib begins the moment the Sun's upper disk fully submerges beneath the western horizon. Fasting believers break their fast (Iftar) at this precise second. Observers at high elevations or mountain peaks see sunset later due to horizon dip and must adjust their schedule accordingly.
Isha begins when the evening twilight glow (Al-Shafaq) has completely vanished from the western sky. In the Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools, this refers to the red twilight (Al-Shafaq al-Ahmar). In the primary Hanafi view, it refers to the disappearance of the subsequent white twilight (Al-Shafaq al-Abyad).
Comparison of Recognized Global Islamic Calculation Authorities
Different national councils apply specific twilight angles suited to the atmospheric clarity, light scattering, and latitudes of their respective geographic jurisdictions:
| Calculation Standard / Organization | Fajr Angle | Isha Parameter | Primary Geographic Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muslim World League (MWL) | 18.0° | 17.0° | Europe, Far East, Global Standards |
| Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) | 15.0° | 15.0° | USA, Canada, North America |
| Umm Al-Qura University (Makkah) | 18.5° | Fixed 90 min (120 min Ramadan) | Saudi Arabia, Arabian Peninsula |
| Egyptian General Authority of Survey | 19.5° | 17.5° | Egypt, Africa, Levant, Malaysia |
| University of Islamic Sciences, Karachi | 18.0° | 18.0° | Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, South Asia |
| Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı (Turkey) | 18.0° | 17.0° | Turkey, Central Asia, Balkans |
| UOIF (France / Western Europe) | 12.0° | 12.0° | France, Western Europe (High Latitudes) |
In summer months across northern Europe and Canada, the Sun never sinks below 18° or 15° beneath the horizon, causing twilight to persist throughout the night. In these conditions, juristic councils authorize proportional estimation (Sub' al-Layl) or adopting the schedule of the nearest moderate city (Aqrab al-Bilad).
A traveler (Musafir) covering more than 48 miles (approx. 77–81 km) is permitted by Islamic law to shorten 4-rak'ah prayers (Dhuhr, Asr, Isha) to 2 rak'ahs, and to combine Dhuhr with Asr, and Maghrib with Isha, either earlier (Jam' Taqdim) or later (Jam' Ta'khir).
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