The times of the five prayers are tied to the position of the sun, and five of the six daily markers are straightforward: sunrise, solar noon, when the shadow of an object reaches a certain length, and sunset are all well-defined. The only marker that requires calculation is the degree of twilight at which Fajr begins and Isha ends.
Different scholarly bodies and regional authorities have settled on slightly different twilight angles. Those small differences — often just a degree or two — produce the variation you see between apps and printed timetables.
Why times differ
Fajr begins at the appearance of the true dawn, and Isha ends when night is fully established. Both are defined by how far the sun is below the horizon — the twilight angle. There is broad agreement on what these transitions look like; the disagreement is over the precise angle that best captures them.
The midday prayer (Dhuhr), the afternoon prayer (Asr) and the sunset prayer (Maghrib) are less affected, since they are anchored to the sun’s position above the horizon. The variation you notice between different timetables is almost always in Fajr and Isha.
The main methods
Several widely used conventions exist, each common in different regions:
| Method | Common region of use |
|---|---|
| Muslim World League (MWL) | Europe and many parts of the world |
| Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) | North America |
| Umm al-Qura University | Saudi Arabia |
| Egyptian General Authority of Survey | Egypt and parts of Africa |
| University of Islamic Sciences, Karachi | Pakistan, India and the region |
There are others, and many countries and cities have their own local convention, often set by the national ministry of religious affairs or the main masjid authority.
High latitudes
At latitudes far north or south — parts of Scandinavia, Canada, the far south of South America — the sun can remain close to the horizon for extended periods in summer, or barely rise in winter. In these cases, the standard twilight-angle calculation may produce very early Fajr times or very late Isha times, sometimes indefinitely.
Scholars have developed several adjustment rules for these situations, most commonly capping prayer times by reference to a lower latitude, or using the nearest day on which the sun behaves normally. Local scholars and masjids in affected regions have usually settled on a practical approach for their community.
Which to choose
The practical guidance is clear: follow the method used by your local masjid or community. Prayer in congregation carries particular reward, and praying together — at the same time — is the spirit of that. The “most accurate” method is the one your community prays by.
The right method is usually the one your community prays by.
If you are new to a place, or your community does not have a settled method, the Muslim World League and ISNA methods are both widely used and accepted, and either is a sound starting point.
Set your prayer time method
Maa’rij lets you choose your calculation method and fine-tune it. Download the app to set the method that fits your community.
Download the app