What are the five Muslim prayers?

The five obligatory prayers (salat) are: Fajr (dawn, 2 rakats), Dhuhr (midday, 4 rakats), Asr (afternoon, 4 rakats), Maghrib (sunset, 3 rakats) and Isha (night, 4 rakats). They are the second pillar of Islam.

Why do different calculation methods give different times?

The methods differ mainly in the solar angles used for Fajr (12° to 19.5°) and Isha (14° to 18°, or 90 minutes after Maghrib for Umm al-Qura). These angles represent the position of the sun below the horizon when dawn appears or twilight disappears. The variations reflect different scientific and theological traditions.

Which method should be used in Europe?

The Grande Mosquée de Paris and most mosques in France use the Muslim World League method (MWL, Fajr 18° / Isha 17°). Some North African communities prefer Umm al-Qura. What matters is consistency: follow the method of your local mosque.

Why does the time of Asr differ between madhhabs?

Three madhhabs (Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali) take Asr to begin when an object's shadow equals its height. The Hanafi madhhab places it later, when the shadow equals twice the height. That can create a gap of 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the season and the latitude.

May a prayer be offered early or late?

Praying before the exact time is not valid (the prayer must be repeated). Praying late is permitted but must stay within the window of the next prayer; delaying on purpose is blameworthy. If you miss a prayer (sleep, forgetfulness), make it up as soon as you remember (qada).

How are prayer times actually calculated?

The times are calculated astronomically: the position of the sun (zenith, azimuth) is determined for your latitude and longitude on a given date, then the angles specific to each prayer are applied. These calculations are made available through APIs such as Aladhan, PrayTimes.js and IslamicFinder, all used by BasiraLife.

Prayer times 2026

Prayer times

Everything about the five prayers (salat), the seven recognised calculation methods, the differences between the madhhabs, and how to get accurate times wherever you are in the world.

The five daily prayers

Fajr

الفجر

The dawn prayer, 2 rakats, before sunrise.

Starts: when the light of dawn appears (Fajr Sadiq). Ends: at sunrise.

Dhuhr

الظهر

The midday prayer, 4 rakats, after the sun passes its zenith.

Starts: after the sun passes the zenith (zawal). Ends: when an object's shadow equals its height (Shafi'i) or twice its height (Hanafi).

Asr

العصر

The afternoon prayer, 4 rakats, before sunset.

Starts: after Dhuhr (the moment set by the madhhab). Ends: at sunset.

Maghrib

المغرب

The sunset prayer, 3 rakats, just after the sun sets.

Starts: at actual sunset. Ends: when the redness of twilight disappears (Shafaq).

Isha

العشاء

The night prayer, 4 rakats, after twilight has gone.

Starts: when the red twilight disappears (and the white, per Hanafi). Ends: at midnight (best) or at dawn (permitted).

The seven recognised calculation methods

Each method uses specific solar angles to determine Fajr and Isha. Choose the one recommended by your mosque or by your country's Muslim council.

Method	Fajr angle	Isha angle	Recommended region
Muslim World League (MWL)	18°	17°	Europe, the Far East, the Americas
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)	15°	15°	North America (USA, Canada)
Umm al-Qura	18.5°	90 min after Maghrib	Saudi Arabia (official)
Egyptian General Authority of Survey	19.5°	17.5°	Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan
Karachi (Univ. of Islamic Sciences)	18°	18°	Pakistan, Afghanistan, India
Institute of Geophysics, University of Tehran	17.7°	14°	Iran, part of the Gulf
Shia Ithna-Ashari (Jafari)	16°	14°	Twelver Shia

Our recommendation for Europe: the Muslim World League (MWL) method (18°/17°) is used by the Grande Mosquée de Paris, the Muslim World League and most mosques in Europe. The BasiraLife app supports all seven methods plus custom adjustments.

Asr: the difference between Shafi'i and Hanafi

The four schools of law (madhhabs) agree on the times of Fajr, Dhuhr, Maghrib and Isha. They differ on when Asr begins:

Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali

Asr begins when an object's shadow equals its height plus the length of its shadow at the zenith.

Predominant in North Africa, the Gulf and Indonesia.

Hanafi

Asr begins when the shadow reaches twice the height of the object.

Predominant in Turkey, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

In practice the gap is 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the season and the latitude. Follow your community's madhhab, or ask your imam.

Automatic live prayer times

BasiraLife computes your prayer times in real time from your GPS position, supports all seven methods and every madhhab for Asr, and sends you an adhan notification 10, 15 or 30 minutes before each prayer.

Free live prayer times