Prayer Time Calculation Methods Explained

The method changes Fajr and Isha most

Prayer-time methods generally use the same solar geometry for sunrise, solar noon and sunset. The largest differences usually come from the depression angle used for Fajr and Isha, or from a fixed number of minutes after Maghrib for Isha. The site exposes the selected method beside results so a user can reproduce or compare the calculation instead of seeing an unexplained time.

Methods available on this site

• Muslim World League: Fajr 18°, Isha 17°.
• ISNA: Fajr 15°, Isha 15°.
• Egyptian General Authority: Fajr 19.5°, Isha 17.5°.
• University of Karachi: Fajr 18°, Isha 18°.
• Umm al-Qura, Makkah: Fajr 18.5°; Isha uses a fixed interval after Maghrib, with the longer Ramadan interval handled separately.

Asr is a separate setting

The Hanafi convention uses a shadow factor of two while the standard Shafi‘i, Maliki and Hanbali convention uses a factor of one. That difference affects Asr, not Fajr or Isha. When comparing two timetables, check the method and the Asr convention before assuming one is wrong.

High latitudes

At high latitudes, normal twilight can persist for much of the night or sunrise/sunset may not occur. Adjustment rules are conventions for handling that exceptional situation; they should be labelled as adjustments rather than presented as observed astronomical events.

Method table is a parameter table, not a popularity ranking

Users should be able to see the Fajr angle, Isha angle or interval and the Asr factor without being told that one named organisation is universally “most accurate.” Accuracy depends on the definition being followed and local authority practice.

Local offsets

Some institutions publish adjusted timetables that add or subtract minutes after the base astronomical calculation. Those offsets should be documented separately from the underlying method so the same name is not used for different parameter sets.

Published parameters should be reproducible

A method name is useful only when its numerical settings are known. The site documents the Fajr angle, Isha angle or fixed interval and Asr factor so a result can be independently checked.

Umm al-Qura Ramadan interval

For the Makkah convention, fixed-minute Isha is calculated from Maghrib and the Ramadan-specific interval is kept separate from angle-based high-latitude adjustment logic. Treating the fixed interval as an Isha angle would produce a category error.

No universal accuracy ranking

Different recognised organisations choose different definitions. The comparison page therefore shows differences without declaring one method universally “best.” Users should follow the authority or timetable appropriate to their community.