How the prayer times are calculated
Prayer times follow the sun. Dhuhr starts just after midday, when the sun passes its highest point. Asr starts when a shadow reaches its object's length plus its midday shadow (twice the length in the Hanafi school). Maghrib is at sunset. Fajr and Isha depend on twilight: they begin when the sun is a set angle below the horizon, or a set number of minutes after sunset.
Countries use different angles, so we pick the method each country's authorities use:
| Method | Fajr | Isha | Used in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umm al-Qura | 18.5° | 90 min after Maghrib (120 in Ramadan) | Saudi Arabia, Yemen |
| UAE | 18.2° | 18.2° | United Arab Emirates |
| Kuwait | 18° | 17.5° | Kuwait |
| Qatar | 18° | 90 min after Maghrib | Qatar |
| Gulf region | 19.5° | 90 min after Maghrib | Bahrain, Oman |
| Egyptian Survey Authority | 19.5° | 17.5° | Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon |
| Karachi | 18° | 18° | Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka |
| Muslim World League | 18° | 17° | Europe, the Philippines and elsewhere |
In Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan most mosques follow the Hanafi Asr, so it is chosen there by default. You can change both settings, and your choice is remembered on this device.
The Qibla direction
The Qibla is the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah. We work out the shortest path over the globe from your city to the Kaaba and show it as an angle from true north. A phone compass points to magnetic north, which can differ by a few degrees, so keep the phone flat and away from metal.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the times differ from my mosque by a minute or two?
Official calendars round times and some add a minute or two of caution. Follow your local mosque or your country's official calendar for the call to prayer.
Why is Isha later in Ramadan in Saudi Arabia?
The Umm al-Qura calendar sets Isha 90 minutes after Maghrib, and 120 minutes during Ramadan.
Does it work without the internet?
Yes. Once the page has loaded, every time is calculated on your device.
What happens in cities far from the equator?
In summer the sun may not go deep enough below the horizon for Fajr and Isha. We then use a share of the night, as most calendars in Europe do, and say so under the times.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
This page was translated from Arabic. If something is unclear or wrong, please tell us.