Guides

Prayer Time Guides

Clear, practical explanations of Islamic prayer — how the times work, the calculation methods, the Qibla and more. For daily timetables, browse prayer times by city.

The Five Daily Prayers in Islam, ExplainedA clear guide to the five daily prayers — Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha — including the time window and meaning of each.
How Are Islamic Prayer Times Calculated?How prayer times are worked out from the sun's position — dawn and dusk twilight angles, solar noon, shadow length and sunset — and why they differ by place and date.
Prayer Time Calculation Methods ComparedThe main prayer-time calculation methods — Muslim World League, ISNA, Umm al-Qura, Egyptian, Karachi and Kemenag — their Fajr/Isha angles and who uses them.
How to Find the Qibla DirectionWhat the Qibla is and three reliable ways to find it — using a compass, the sun, or an app — so you can face the Kaaba in Mecca for prayer.
Fajr and Isha at High Latitudes: The Twilight ProblemWhy Fajr and Isha are hard to define in far-northern and far-southern cities during summer, and the methods used to estimate them.
Suhoor, Imsak and Iftar: Ramadan Fasting Times ExplainedHow the fasting day works in Ramadan — when Suhoor ends, what Imsak means, and exactly when Iftar begins — and how to read them from a prayer timetable.
How to Perform Salah (The Daily Prayer), Step by StepA clear, beginner-friendly walkthrough of how to pray one unit (rak'ah) of salah — from the opening takbir to the closing salam — and how many units each prayer has.
Wudu (Ablution) Step by Step, and What Breaks ItA simple step-by-step guide to performing wudu — the ritual washing before prayer — plus what invalidates it and when you need to renew it.
The Islamic (Hijri) Calendar ExplainedHow the Hijri lunar calendar works, why Islamic dates move about 11 days earlier each year, and how it relates to Ramadan and prayer timetables.
Prayer While Travelling: Shortening and CombiningThe travel concessions in Islam — shortening four-unit prayers (qasr) and combining prayers (jam') — explained simply, and how to keep track of times on the move.
Imsak vs Fajr: What's the Difference?Why some timetables show an Imsak time a few minutes before Fajr, what each one actually marks, and which one starts the fast.
When Each Prayer Starts and Ends: The Five Time WindowsEvery prayer has a window that opens and closes at a precise solar moment. Here is exactly when each of the five begins and ends, and why the times shift day to day.
Times When Prayer Is Discouraged (Makruh Times)Three short windows each day when offering voluntary prayer is discouraged — at sunrise, at midday and at sunset — what they are, why, and which prayers are exceptions.
Sunnah and Nafl: The Voluntary Prayers Around the FiveBeyond the five obligatory prayers are the regular Sunnah units and voluntary (nafl) prayers. Here is what accompanies each prayer and why they matter.
Witr: The Night's Closing PrayerWitr is the odd-numbered prayer offered after Isha and before dawn. Here is its time, how many units it can be, and why the schools differ on its status.
Tahajjud: The Night PrayerTahajjud is the voluntary prayer offered in the depth of night after sleep. Here is its time, how it is prayed, and why the last third of the night is so valued.
Duha: The Forenoon PrayerDuha is the voluntary mid-morning prayer offered after the sun has risen. Here is its time window, how many units, and its place among the voluntary prayers.
Jumu'ah: The Friday Congregational PrayerJumu'ah replaces the Friday midday prayer with a sermon and a two-unit congregational prayer. Here is who it is due upon, its time, and how it is performed.
Making Up Missed Prayers (Qada)What to do when a prayer is missed through sleep, forgetfulness or otherwise: how make-up (qada) prayers work, their order, and where the schools differ.
The Adhan and Iqama ExplainedThe call to prayer (adhan) and the second, shorter call (iqama) that begins it. What each says, who gives it, and how to respond.
Salat al-Istikhara: The Prayer for GuidanceIstikhara is a short prayer for seeking God's guidance when facing a decision. Here is when to pray it, how it is done, and what to expect afterward.
Salat al-Eid: The Two Festival PrayersThe Eid prayer is a special congregational prayer on the mornings of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Here is its time, how it differs from the daily prayers, and how it is performed.
What Invalidates the PrayerA clear list of the things that break a salah in progress — and the things that break the ablution behind it — so you know when a prayer must be restarted.
Tayammum: Dry Ablution When Water Is UnavailableWhen water cannot be used, Islam permits a dry purification called tayammum. Here is when it applies, how it is performed, and what nullifies it.
Salat al-Janazah: The Funeral PrayerThe funeral prayer is a short standing prayer offered for a deceased Muslim. Here is its communal obligation, how it is performed, and when it is prayed.
Sujood al-Sahw: The Prostration of ForgetfulnessWhen a mistake or uncertainty creeps into a prayer, two extra prostrations can set it right. Here is what triggers Sujood al-Sahw and how to perform it.