Why prayer times differ from your masjid: calculation methods explained

Which prayers differ, and why

Dhuhr (just after the sun passes its highest point) and Maghrib (sunset) are fixed by astronomy, so methods barely disagree on them. The differences come from three places. First, the twilight angle for Fajr and Isha: a larger angle means an earlier Fajr and a later Isha. Second, the shadow rule for Asr. Third, the rule used at high latitudes, where summer nights are short. On top of that, many masjids add a few minutes as a precaution, which an app can't know about unless you tell it.

The main calculation methods

Angles are the sun's depression below the horizon. Authorities occasionally revise their values, so check with the body itself if you need the exact current figure.

Asr: Standard (Shafi'i) vs Hanafi

Asr begins when an object's shadow reaches a certain length. In the Standard method followed by the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools, that's when the shadow equals the object's length (plus the shadow it had at noon). In the Hanafi method it's when the shadow is twice the object's length. As a result, Hanafi Asr is usually 30 minutes to more than an hour later, depending on the season and your latitude. If only Asr is far off from your masjid, check this setting first.

High-latitude rules

In places like the UK, Scandinavia or Canada, the sun may not sink 18° below the horizon on summer nights, so Fajr and Isha either can't be calculated with the normal angle or land at impractical times. High-latitude rules handle this. Middle of the night uses the midpoint between sunset and sunrise as the limit. One-seventh divides the night into seven parts: Isha after the first seventh, Fajr at the start of the last. Twilight angle uses a share of the night proportional to the angle (for example 18/60 of the night). Local masjids in these regions often publish their own timetable, so compare yours with it.

Matching your masjid, step by step

• Ask your masjid or local Islamic authority which method it uses, or check its printed timetable
• Choose the same method
• If only Asr differs, switch between Standard and Hanafi
• If you live at a high latitude, check the high-latitude rule
• Cover any remaining gap — such as a precautionary margin — with a per-prayer minute adjustment

How Salahday handles it

Salahday supports all 11 methods above and picks your country's usual default automatically. Asr can be Standard (Shafi'i/Maliki/Hanbali) or Hanafi, and the high-latitude rule can be auto, middle of the night, one-seventh or twilight angle. If you're still a few minutes off from your masjid, adjust each prayer by up to ±30 minutes. The Hijri date follows Umm al-Qura and can be shifted by ±2 days to match local moon sighting.

Everything is calculated on your phone, so it works offline. Prayer times are still calculations, so please confirm them with your local masjid.