After uttering the testification of faith, (Shahaadah), the most basic ritual act of worship is the performance of the five daily prayers, (Salaah).
As with all ritual acts, these prayers are performed in a specific manner demonstrated by the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
“Pray as you see me pray…” [Sahih al Bukhari]
The five prayers are spread out during the day and the precise timings have been specified by Allah:
“Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours.” [Qur’an, 4:103]
As the times are based upon the positioning of the sun, our times have been worked out from data from Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office based upon 18 degrees ( http://astro.ukho.gov.uk).
Fajr – This is the first prayer and its timing begins when the first light appears (beginning of twilight) and ends at sunrise.
Zhuhr – This is the second prayer and its timing begins after the sun starts declining from its zenith and ends at Asr time
Asr – This is the third prayer and there as a difference of opinion regarding its staring time. The majority of scholars hold that it begins at the first Mithl (Mithl1) which occurs when an object is the same size as its shadow. The Hanafi school of thought hold the view that it starts when the shadow is twice its size (Mithl2). We have both timings on our calendar. The end time for Asr is until the sun glows pale before sunset.
Maghrib – This is the fourth prayer and its timing begins when the sun sets and should be prayed as soon as possible although it will be still valid until Esha
Esha – This is the fifth prayer and its timing begins when the redness of twilight (or whiteness for Hanafis) disappears. It should be performed within the first third of the night (or before half of the night for Malikis and Hanbalis).
Frequently asked questions:
Why does your Fajr time start so early?
The time for Fajr enters when the first light appears. This has been taken from the timings published by Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office based upon 17.5 degrees ( http://astro.ukho.gov.uk). During the period of persistent twilight, we have chosen to keep Fajr at the last time that it entered in the period just before it, when the Shari’ah sign for it still existed.
What is meant by Mithl1 (Standard) and Mithl2 (Hanafi) for ‘Asr?
The majority of scholars determine the entrance of ‘Asr as the time when an object is the same height as the shadow. The Hanafi based it upon the time that the shadow is twice the size as the object. We have opted to put both times on our calendar to allow people to follow their own school of thought.
How did you calculate the time for Esha?
The time for Esha are also based upon the disappearance of twilight. However, unlike Fajr, there is some flexibility to bring it closer to Maghrib due to hardship. We have used the Umm-ul Qurraa’ method of keeping Esha 1 hour and 20 minutes after Maghrib in the winter period and 1 hour 10 minutes after Maghrib in the summer period.
Are your Islamic dates accurate?
The Islamic dates are determined by the sighting of the new moon. We use the Umm-ul Qurraa’ calendar which is not necessarily to be relied upon for acts of worship.