Prayer Time Calculator
Prayer Time Calculator
A Prayer Time Calculator is a tool (app, website, widget) that shows Muslims the exact times for the five daily prayers, based on the location and date. It also includes times for optional prayers like sunrise, and sometimes Iftar / Suhoor during Ramadan.
How It Works
To calculate prayer times correctly, several things are needed:
- Location (Latitude & Longitude)
- Knowing your geographic location precisely (city or GPS) is essential because prayer times depend heavily on where you are on Earth.
- Date (and Time Zone)
- The date (day, month, year) matters because the sun’s position changes through the year. Timezone ensures the calculated times match your local clock.
- Astronomical Calculations
- The sun’s position above or beneath the horizon, declination, solar angle, etc. are used.
- Calculations for Fajr and Isha involve the angle of the sun below the horizon (often 15°, 18°, etc.).
- The time for Asr depends on the length of an object’s shadow: for most Sunni schools (Shafi‘i, Maliki, Hanbali), Asr begins when the shadow equals the object’s height; the Hanafi school uses when the shadow equals twice the object’s height.
- Calculation Methods / Conventions
- There are different accepted methods around the world for how to calculate Fajr and Isha (angle based).
- Some use fixed twilight angles (e.g. MWL, ISNA, Karachi, Umm al-Qura, etc.).
- In places with very high latitudes (where twilight might persist), special rules are used.
- Adjustment / Local Convention
- Sometimes local mosques or authorities adjust prayer times slightly (by a few minutes) to match observation, comfort, or tradition.
- Also adjustments may consider atmospheric conditions, elevation, etc.
Why It’s Important
- Ensures Salah (prayer) is performed at correct times; doing a prayer too early or too late (after its prescribed time) invalidates or weakens its value.
- Helps in observing daily routines, planning day, especially during Ramadan.
- Helpful for people traveling, living in remote/high latitude areas.
Key Features of a Good Prayer Time Calculator
Here are what makes a calculator reliable and useful:
- Location detection (automatic or manual)
- Choice of calculation method (allow user to select, e.g. Hanafi vs Shafi, MWL vs Umm al-Qura etc.)
- Time adjustment options (add/subtract minutes if needed)
- Display of all prayers: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, plus Sunrise or optional ones.
- Notification / reminder / Adhan features.
- Good UI design: clear layout, accurate display, works offline possibly.