When Are the Prayer Times? Start and End of the 5 Daily Prayers
2026-07-186 min read
Quick Answer
The 5 daily prayers are determined by the sun's position in the sky, not the clock: Fajr begins at dawn, Dhuhr when the sun passes its zenith, Asr when shadows lengthen, Maghrib at sunset, and Isha when twilight disappears. Exact times shift a little every day and vary by city — check your prayer times page for today's times.
When Are the 5 Daily Prayers Performed?
Each of the five daily prayers has a time determined by the sun's position in the sky, not the clock. Fajr is prayed at dawn, Dhuhr once the sun passes its zenith, Asr once objects' shadows lengthen, Maghrib at sunset, and Isha once twilight disappears. That's why the clock times shift by a few minutes every day and vary from city to city. The table below summarizes when each time starts and ends.
Prayer Times Table
| Prayer | Starts | Ends (last time) |
|---|---|---|
| Fajr | True dawn (fajr al-sadiq) | Sunrise |
| Dhuhr | Zenith (the sun passing its highest point) | Until Asr begins |
| Asr | When an object's shadow lengthens (by its own length or more) | Sunset |
| Maghrib | Sunset | Disappearance of the twilight glow |
| Isha | Disappearance of twilight | Until Fajr begins |
Note: Exact times change every day and for every city. Check your prayer times page for today's times where you are.
1. Fajr Prayer
Starts: At the time of Fajr (true dawn — the horizontal whitening of the horizon). Ends: When the sun rises.
Fajr's time begins before daylight. It must be finished before sunrise; once the sun rises, its time is over. See until what time can Fajr be prayed for details.
2. Dhuhr Prayer
Starts: After the sun fully passes its highest point (zenith/istiwa), i.e. at the time of zawal. Ends: Lasts until Asr begins.
The brief moment the sun is exactly at its zenith is a disliked time for prayer; Dhuhr is prayed once the sun has started to decline westward, not at that exact instant. Dhuhr's time spans a wide window, from its start until Asr.
3. Asr Prayer
Starts: Once every object's shadow lengthens by its own height (in the Hanafi school, twice its height excluding the original shadow; by the majority view, once its height). Ends: Until sunset.
Delaying Asr until the sun starts turning yellow is disliked; praying it in the middle of its time is best. Once the sun sets, Asr's time is over.
4. Maghrib Prayer
Starts: The moment the sun sets. Ends: Until the red glow on the western horizon (twilight) disappears, i.e. until Isha begins.
Maghrib is the prayer it's sunnah to perform without delay as soon as its time begins. Its window is shorter than the others, so it's recommended to hurry. The answer to "what time is Maghrib?" is simply your city's sunset time.
5. Isha Prayer
Starts: Once twilight (the western red glow) fully disappears. Ends: Until Fajr begins, i.e. until the Fajr prayer's time starts.
Isha's time covers most of the night. It's most virtuous to pray it within the first third of the night; at the latest, it shouldn't be delayed past midnight. Witr is also prayed after Isha (obligatory, wajib, in the Hanafi school).
Why Do the Times Change Every Day?
Because prayer times depend on the sun's movement:
- By season: Days lengthen in summer (earlier Fajr, later Isha); they shorten in winter.
- By city: Times begin earlier in cities further east, later further west.
- By latitude: The summer-winter difference grows the further north you go.
That's why there's no single "fixed time." Always check your own city's calendar for accurate times.
What If I Miss a Prayer?
A prayer whose time has passed is made up (qada) — prayed at the first opportunity. Deliberately failing to pray on time is a sin, but someone who forgets or oversleeps makes it up upon remembering (Bukhari, Mawaqit, 37). The best practice is to pray each prayer within its own time, ideally at the start of it.
Related Pages
- Prayer Times for Your City — Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha times.
- Until What Time Can Fajr Be Prayed? — details on Fajr's time.
- How to Pray Salah? — a basic prayer guide.
- How Is Fajr Prayer Performed? — a rak'ah-by-rak'ah walkthrough.
- Morning Duas — duas to recite after prayer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Maghrib prayer?
Maghrib's time begins the moment the sun sets and lasts until the red glow on the western horizon (twilight) disappears, i.e. until Isha begins. The exact time varies by day and city; check your location's sunset time. It is sunnah to pray Maghrib as soon as its time begins, without delay.
What determines the times of the 5 daily prayers?
Prayer times are determined by the sun's position in the sky, not the clock: dawn (Fajr), the sun's zenith (Dhuhr), shadow length (Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and the disappearance of twilight (Isha). That's why the times shift by a few minutes every day and vary from city to city.
What happens if I can't pray on time?
A prayer whose time has passed is made up (qada) — that is, prayed at the earliest possible opportunity. However, deliberately not praying on time is a sin. The best practice is to pray each prayer within its own time, ideally at the start of it.
Which city do prayer times apply to?
Prayer times differ for every city because sunrise, zenith, and sunset times vary by location. Always check your own city's calendar for accurate times.