How each prayer follows the sun

Allah tells believers to keep the prayer from the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night, and to pray at dawn (Quran 17:78). The Prophet ﷺ was taught the times by Jibril (peace be upon him), as reported in Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami at-Tirmidhi.

  • Fajr starts at true dawn, when a thin line of light spreads across the horizon. It ends at sunrise.
  • Dhuhr starts just after midday, when the sun has passed its highest point and begins to decline.
  • Asr starts when the shadow of an object reaches a certain length, as explained below.
  • Maghrib starts at sunset, when the sun has fully gone below the horizon.
  • Isha starts when the twilight after sunset has ended and the night is dark.

The Asr shadow rule

The schools differ most famously on Asr. Most scholars say Asr begins when the shadow of an object becomes equal to the height of the object, after the shadow at midday is removed from the count.

The Hanafi school says Asr begins when the shadow becomes twice the height of the object. For this reason many apps let you choose between the Hanafi and the standard setting. The Hanafi setting gives a later Asr time.

Why calculation methods differ

Dawn and twilight are not sharp moments. The light changes slowly. To turn them into a clock time, organisations use the angle of the sun below the horizon.

Different organisations and regions use different angles for Fajr and Isha. Each group has its own studies, observations and scholarly opinion. Scholars also differ on which kind of twilight marks the start of Isha. None of these methods is a new rule of the religion. They are efforts to reach the time that Allah set by the sun.

A good habit is to use the method that is common in your own city or that your local mosque follows.

High latitudes

In places far from the equator, the sky may never become fully dark in summer, or the sun may not set for days. Then the normal signs for Isha and Fajr cannot be seen.

Scholars and councils have given several solutions. Some divide the night into parts. Some follow the times of a nearby place where the signs appear. Ask a qualified local scholar or your community which method to follow.

Why apps differ by a few minutes

Two apps can show different times in the same city for a few simple reasons.

  • They use different calculation methods and angles.
  • They use different Asr settings.
  • They round times in different ways.
  • Some add a few extra minutes of caution, so you do not pray before the time begins.

Small differences are normal. Many people pray a little after the listed start time for caution, and they finish before the next prayer begins.

General information for learning, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.

Sources

  • Quran 17:78
  • Quran 4:103
  • Sunan Abi Dawud (Book of Prayer)
  • Jami at-Tirmidhi (Book of Prayer)