🕌 Prayer Times

About the Five Daily Prayers (Salah)

The five daily prayers (Salah, sometimes spelled salat or namaz) are one of the Five Pillars of Islam — an obligation on every adult Muslim. Each prayer is performed at a specific time tied to the position of the sun, so prayer times change daily and vary by location. QuranCentral calculates accurate times for any city worldwide using the AlAdhan API.

The five daily prayers

• Fajr — the dawn prayer, performed before sunrise.
• Dhuhr — the noon prayer, performed shortly after the sun passes its zenith.
• Asr — the afternoon prayer.
• Maghrib — the sunset prayer, performed just after the sun sets. (This is also the time of Iftar during Ramadan.)
• Isha — the night prayer, performed after twilight has fully ended.

Sunrise (Shuruq) is also displayed, since prayer is prohibited at that exact moment and the time between Fajr and Sunrise is the recommended window for completing Fajr. The Tahajjud (night vigil) is a recommended optional prayer in the last third of the night.

Calculation Methods Explained

Different Islamic authorities use slightly different angle conventions for Fajr and Isha (they all agree on Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib). QuranCentral lets you choose:

• Muslim World League (MWL) — Fajr 18°, Isha 17°. The default for most of the world.
• ISNA — Islamic Society of North America. Used widely in the USA/Canada.
• Umm al-Qura — official in Saudi Arabia.
• Egyptian General Authority — used across Egypt and many African countries.
• University of Islamic Sciences, Karachi — common in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh.
• Diyanet (Turkey), Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore — regional methods.

For Asr time, the Hanafi school uses a slightly later time than the Shafi/Maliki/Hanbali schools — use the "Asr (madhab)" selector to match your madhab.

Prayer Times for Major Cities

The Quick Cities section gives you one-click access to: Mecca, Medina, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Dubai, Abu Dhabi (UAE); Cairo (Egypt); Istanbul (Turkey); Jerusalem (Palestine); Doha (Qatar); Kuwait City; Karachi, Lahore (Pakistan); Jakarta (Indonesia); Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); London (UK); New York, Toronto, Sydney and more. You can also search any city in the world by name.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are prayer times calculated?

Prayer times are calculated based on the sun's position relative to your geographic location. Fajr begins at true dawn, Dhuhr starts at solar noon, Asr begins when an object's shadow equals its length (Shafi) or twice its length (Hanafi), Maghrib starts at sunset, and Isha starts when twilight ends.

Which calculation method should I use?

Use the one your local mosque uses. In Saudi Arabia, use Umm al-Qura. In the USA/Canada, ISNA is most common. In Europe and most of the rest of the world, Muslim World League (MWL) is the default. When in doubt, MWL is a safe choice.

Are these prayer times accurate?

Yes. QuranCentral uses the AlAdhan API which implements the same astronomical calculations used by major mosques and Islamic apps worldwide. Times are computed in real time from your selected location.

What if I'm traveling — can I see times for a different city?

Yes. Type any city name in the search box and click "Find Times". The page also remembers your selection across visits.

Why does Asr have two times in some apps?

The Hanafi school uses a later Asr time than the Shafi, Maliki and Hanbali schools. Use the "Asr (madhab)" selector at the top of this page to switch between the two.

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