Which prayer calculation method to use

Twilight is the name given to the light that is observed after sunset and before sunrise. At this point the sun is below the horizon. What are Shafi and Hanafi?

These are the 2 schools of thoughts for determining the start of Asar prayer times These 2 schools of thoughts use different criteria to determine the start of Asar prayer. They do not affect the timings of the other prayers.

Shafi: The start of Asar is when the shadow of any vertical object exceeds the length of an object Hanafi: The start of Asar is when the shadow of any vertical object exceeds twice the length of an object Usually Hanafi Asar time is approximately 1 hour later than Shafi Asar prayer time.

How are the times of the prayers determined? The times of the prayer are determined by the position of the sun, i. However for countries above 48 degrees including Britain , Fajr and Isha timings require some estimation as the twilight may persist between sunset and sunrise for certain months of the year.

In these months the sun does not go below the horizon by a sufficient amount and so there is no true night. What are the definitions of the 5 prayer times?

Muslims pray 5 times a day. The times of each prayer vary from place to place and from day to day. It is vital that Muslims perform these prayers at the correct time The 5 prayers are described below: Fajr: Starts at dawn or morning twilight Ends just before sunrise Zohar: Starts at approximately 5 minutes after Zawaal Ends at start of Asar time Asar: The start of Asar is dependant upon the length of the shadow that is cast by an object.

Different schools use different criteria. Ends just before sunset Maghrib: Starts at sunset Ends at the start of Isha i. How can I get prayer times on my mobile phone? For instructions in creating a bookmark please consult your user guide or manual for your device. Alternatively, feel free to contact us , giving as much details as you possibly can regarding the device you are using such as the manufacturer and model and we will assist you as much as is possible.

Importance Both prayer and fasting are pillars of Islam and therefore care must be taken to ensure they are performed properly. Definitions of Twilight and Solar Altitude People are naturally interested in the amount of light that exists in the sky before and after sunset.

Latitude: Several observation reports indicate that the further away from the equator a location is, the more variance there will be. Altitude: Regions throughout the earth have different altitudes, and this affects the observation for twilight.

Most calculations assume zero feet above sea level, resulting in inaccuracies. Even the time for sunset, which is much more deterministic than twilight, can be different in the same city depending on whether a person is on a hill or in a valley.

Obstructions: Many people live in areas where hills or mountains block a clear view of the horizon. This results in significantly different timings for those who cannot get a clear view of the horizon without traveling a great distance. Whether or not this should be taken into consideration is a matter or disagreement among Muslims scholars. Observer: It has been noted that inexperienced observers generally tend to see the light on the horizon later since their eyes are not used to it and it is often not clear to them what to expect and what to look for.

This will naturally skew the observations that are reported. This would be extremely difficult for people living in cities where there are several obstructions and light pollution since it would need to be done several times throughout the year and would still vary drastically depending on the location of observation. This method would also be near-impossible for certain people who are unable to observe the horizon in their circumstances.

Use the definition of Astronomical Dawn for Fajr prayer calculation. However, this results in a conflict for the start of fasting. Create two separate times for the start of Fajr and the start of fasting.

For example, using 18 degrees for the start of fasting and 12 degrees for the start of Fajr prayer. This method is problematic for two reasons.

One, the time for the beginning of fasting and Fajr prayer is the same. Two, these two times could vary by as much as one or two hours in some regions, resulting in confusion and difficulty for people.

Choose an approximate time for each region, or for all regions, knowing that it is not entirely precise, and inform people to adjust based on their own casual local observations. Such an adjustment is expected to be rare because most people living in cities cannot easily view dawn from the locations they would normally pray at. When in doubt follow your trusted local scholar or institution for the adjustments they have made. This is the opinion that I follow and advocate for.

Conclusion Since most people live in cities today, there are many factors which prevent them from correctly observing dawn to determine the start of Fajr prayer. Acknowledgments After thanking Allah, I would like to thank Dr. Most countries adhere to one of the above methods, and they then tune the timings further, by adding a few minutes here and there, based on criteria that may seem completely arbitrary. Usually this difference can be anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes.

You should probably use the method associated with the issuing authority closest to where you are based. This is because they have probably computed the angles, etc. However, at all times, you should really be using common sense to do what makes most sense and feels right. After all, you have to offer the prayers, not the authority that came up with the method.

Let's walk through an example of tuning the timings.