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The 5 daily Muslim prayers: a full, up-to-date guide
The five daily prayers are one of the foundational pillars of Islam. Every Muslim must perform these prayers at precise times that vary with the position of the sun and with where you are.
The Fajr prayer is performed before sunrise, in that quiet time when night gives way to day. It marks the beginning of the spiritual day. Dhuhr follows around midday, when the sun reaches its zenith. That midday prayer reminds us to pause in our activities.
Asr is prayed in the afternoon, generally between 3 and 5 pm depending on the season. The shadows lengthen and it is time to reconnect with Allah. Maghrib comes just after sunset. That short but important prayer closes the working day.
Finally, Isha is performed once night has fully fallen. It is the last prayer before rest. The times of these five prayers change daily and depend on your city. In summer the days are longer and the prayers spread further apart.
To know the exact times in your area, you need a prayer timetable matched to your location. Many people also use an app or a website that works out these times automatically. Before praying, it is essential to determine the direction of Mecca.
Keeping to these prayer times calls for some organisation, but it gives shape to a believer's day. Each prayer becomes a moment of reflection and of spiritual connection, wherever you happen to be. To deepen your practice, you can also recite supplications after each prayer.
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What time is the Maghrib prayer?
The Maghrib prayer begins just after sunset, once the sun's disc has fully dropped below the horizon. Its time therefore changes every day and depends on your city: later in summer and earlier in winter. To know the exact time of Maghrib today where you are, turn on geolocation on this page: the time appears automatically along with the other four prayers.
How are prayer times calculated?
The times depend on the position of the sun: dawn for Fajr, past the zenith for Dhuhr, the length of the shadow for Asr, sunset for Maghrib and the disappearance of twilight for Isha. Fajr and Isha vary with the solar angle used by each calculation method (Muslim World League, Umm al-Qura, ISNA and so on). The site automatically selects the method commonly used in your country, which may explain slight differences from some mosques.
When does the time for each prayer begin and end?
Fajr runs from true dawn to sunrise; Dhuhr, from the sun passing the zenith until Asr begins; Asr, until sunset; Maghrib, from sunset until the red glow fades; Isha, until the middle of the night according to most scholars. The start of Asr differs between the schools (shadow equal to the object, or double for the Hanafi school).
Why do prayer times change every day?
Because the times of sunrise and sunset move through the year with the seasons, and differ from one city to another with latitude and longitude. In summer the days grow longer and the prayers spread out; in winter they draw closer together. That is why a prayer timetable matched to your location is essential, and why this page recalculates the times every day.
How do I turn on adhan reminders on this page?
Allow geolocation to show the times for your city, the Hijri date and the countdown to the next prayer. A switch beside each prayer then lets you turn the adhan reminder on or off. Before praying, check the direction of the qibla and, if you need to, look again at how to pray.