How prayer times are calculated — and why your masjid may differ

The five daily prayers are linked to the position of the sun. Apps and calendars turn these signs into clock times using astronomy and a few agreed conventions.

The five times

• Fajr begins at true dawn, when light first spreads across the horizon. Calculators place this when the sun is a set angle below the horizon — 18° in the method most used in India.
• Dhuhr begins just after the sun passes its highest point at midday.
• Asr begins when an object’s shadow reaches a set length. The Hanafi school uses twice the object’s length; the Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools use once its length, so their Asr is earlier.
• Maghrib begins at sunset.
• Isha begins when twilight has gone — again a set angle, 18° in the common Indian method.

Why your masjid may show different times

• Different methods. Some calendars use other angles for Fajr and Isha, which can move these times by several minutes.
• Safety margins. Many masjids add a few minutes to be sure a time has begun.
• Jamaat time. The congregation usually prays some time after the start time, so the Jamaat time on the board is later than the time the prayer begins.
• Location. A difference of a few kilometres within a city changes times by a minute or so.

Sukon’s prayer times use the University of Islamic Sciences, Karachi method (Fajr and Isha at 18°), widely followed in India, and let you choose the Hanafi or Shafi’i Asr. When in doubt, follow your local masjid — praying with the congregation matters more than a minute on a clock.