In this page:
Introduction
The International Astronomical Center (IAC) pays great attention to prayer time calculations, especially in the northern regions where the sign of prayer times disappear in certain days. After consulting many Islamic communities in Europe, and after reviewing the available Prayer Times software and websites, the IAC found out that it is necessary to establish a website specialized in calculating Prayer Times in a precise and accurate manner. Thus, the IAC under the patronage of Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department in Dubai has launched this website in order to calculate the Prayer Times precisely all over the world taking into consideration the various astronomical and Shar’ia criteria.
Features of this Website:
1- This website is supervised by elite class of specialized people in Prayer times. Thus, the website is distinguished by providing Prayer Times in an accurate manner.
2- As for the northern regions when the signs of prayer times disappear or the prayer times are considerably late, the website initially calculates the real Prayer Times of the selected region, and displays them without any amendment, then, it gives the user the choice either to show these real times or to calculate alternative times upon disappearance or very late times, in the contrary to most of websites and applications which replace the real times despite its existence and often in a proper time without notifying the user accordingly.
3- User is not obliged to calculate the Prayer Times using a single method or angle, otherwise, the user is fully free to choose the settings he deems suitable.
4- This website can be used by ordinary person who has no previous experience in calculating Prayer Times, as it can automatically know the user’s location and then calculates the Prayer Times according to initial settings based on what is accredited by most of Islamic countries. Furthermore, it can also be used by expert person as well by providing advanced settings if user wishes to do so.
Main Page (Prayer Times)
At the top of the page, the website displays the city name and the time of the next prayer. Then, there is a table, which displays the prayer times for the current day, week, month, year or any period of time day. This table contains the day, Hijri and Gregorian dates, times for the five prayers in addition to sunrise time. Noting that the Hijri date is calculated based on equations and not based on real crescent visibility or conjunction date. This date can be amended by adding or subtracting up to three days from an icon above the table.
Once (*) is placed next to the day’s name, it means that the times are based on Daylight Saving Time.
In northern regions, prayer signs may disappear in some days as follows:
- The word “Bright” is written in case Fajer or Isha sign disappears in summer season and the sky remains lit all the night.
- The word “Dark” is written in case Fajer or Isha sign disappears and the sky remains dark all the day.
- The word “Up” is written in case no sunrise or sunset occurs all the day where the sun remains over horizon in summer season all the day.
- The word “Down” is written in case no sunrise or sunset occurs all the day where the sun remains under horizon in winter season all the day.
Once the Prayer Time is written between two brackets, this means that the real Prayer Time of this day does not exist and that the showed Prayer Time is an estimated alternative time, usage of these brackets () in case the sign disappears in summer season, these brackets {} in case the sign disappears in winter season, and these brackets <> in case of calculation of Fajer Prayer Time at Astronomical Midnight. In case the # sign is used next to any brackets, this means that the real time is already exists and the alternative time has been put in spite the real time exists based on user’s desire and as the real time is too late. In case the (*) sign is used next to the alternative Prayer Time, this means that the alternative time has been also amended in order to avoid having a gap in the times at the beginning and the end of alternative times usage.
After Prayer Times table, the different settings used to calculate the Prayer Times are showed.
Settings Page
1- Fajer and Isha Angles:
Through this choice, you can determine the angle to calculate the time of Fajer and Isha prayers as follows:
Auto: The website will automatically choose the angle officially accredited by the country where the user resides. This choice is applicable in some Islamic countries only. In case no database exists in the country where the user resides, the website will choose and angle 18 for Fajer and Isha for regions located under latitude 45, or the angle of 18 for Fajer and 17 for Isha for regions located above latitude 45.
Standard: Angle 18 for Fajer and Isha for regions located under latitude 45, or the angle of 18 for Fajer and 17 for Isha for regions located above latitude 45.
Manual: The user shall have the choice to enter the angle he feels suitable for Fajer and Isha provided that it is not less than 6 degrees.
Egyptian General Authority of Survey: The angle 19.5 for Fajer and 17.5 for Isha.
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA): The angle 15 for both; Fajer and Isha.
Muslim World League: The angle 18 for Fajer and 17 for Isha.
Umm Al Qura Calendar: The angle 18.5 for Fajer but Isha will be calculated 90 minutes after sunset except in Ramadan, it will be calculated 120 minutes after sunset.
University of Islamic Studies in Karachi: Angle 18 for both; Fajer and Isha.
Afterwards, names of some countries is shown and Fajer and Isha Prayer Times will be calculated according to the angle accredited in the calendars of these countries.
2- Amendment of Prayer Times:
Through this choice, you can add or subtract minutes from the Prayer Times based on the user’s desire as follows:
3- The Effect of Altitude above Mean Sea Level on Sunrise and Sunset
Through this choice, you can determine the effect of altitude above mean sea level on Sunrise and Sunset. User shall determine either altitude above sea level does not affect sunrise and sunset or altitude affects sunrise and sunset, and we recommend the latter choice. The available options are the following:
4- Refraction Settings
Refraction affects sunrise and sunset times. The refraction value is calculated according to the temperature and barometric pressure as follows:
5- Aser Madhhab
From this option, the user decides the Aser Madhhab, which will be considered to calculate the Aser Prayer Time; it is either Single Shadow, which is used in most of Islamic countries, or Double Shadow which is used in some of Islamic countries.
6- Daylight Saving Time
In case you choose Auto, the system will determine whether the Daylight Saving Time is used at the user's country or not. Thus, the website will automatically calculate the Prayer Times using Daylight Saving Time in case the "Daylight Saving Time" is active in that country during the calculation period of Prayer Times.
7- Hijri Date Correction
Through this choice, you can correct the Hijri Date appears at the main page header and in the Prayer Times table. This date can be corrected by adding or subtracting three days.
8- Output Hour Format
Through this choice, you can determine the output hour format to be whether 12-hour or 24-hour clock format.
Alternative Times Page
In northern regions of Europe, Asia and America, signs of some Prayer Times disappear in summer season, and in the most extreme northern regions, Prayer Times signs disappear in winter season as well. This page enables users to calculate amended or estimated Prayer Times according to one of the different or common methods used in the northern regions.
Initially, the "Alternative Times" choice is deactivated. At the beginning, the website shows the real times without any amendment, correction or estimation. This is to let the user know this fact and not to believe that the showed times are real times as appeared in most of other websites and applications.
However, if user wants to calculate alternative Prayer Times using one of the common methods, he shall enter to this page and activate the "Calculate Alternative Times" choice, then he shall return to the main page to view the alternative times. Initially, it is recommended not change the default choices unless the user is well aware of estimation of Prayer Times when the signs disappear. Below, please find a clarification of the available choices in the Alternative Times Page:
1- Location Box
It is important to determine the location of the user, because determination of the location determines available choices to calculate alternative times at that location, as some choices may give illogical alterative times in a certain location. Thus, the website tries to reduce these probabilities through this choice. Finally, it is the user's responsibility to choose the method proper to his geographical location. Between two brackets, the website puts guidance information to the corresponding location if the angle 18 is used for Fajer and Isha, provided that these areas will differ if another angle is used.
2- Alternative Method in Summer
Alternative Prayer Times can be calculated through many common methods. User shall have the choice to use the method he deems suitable, taking into account that a single method may be suitable for an area may not be suitable for another area, or impossible to be used in a third area. Thus, this program hides some methods in some areas if this method will produce illogical Prayer Times in the user's area. However, it is the user's responsibility to choose the method proper to his geographical location as some methods or settings may result in irrelevant Prayer Times in the user's area.
Portion of Night: Astronomical Night (from sunset to sunrise) is divided into several portions, such as five or seven portions. This choice can also be determined by user from the next field. Let us assume that the user chooses (one seventh of night) and tick (1/7) from the next field, then alternative Isha Prayer Time will be at the end of first 'one seventh' and alternative Fajer Prayer Time will be at the last 'one seventh'. This method may calculate alternative times for Fajer and Isha only and may not calculate alternative times for sunrise and sunset.
Add/Subtract Minutes: The program will calculate alternative Isha Prayer Time by addition of some minutes to sunset, and will calculate alternative Fajer Prayer Time by subtracting the same minutes from sunrise. User shall determine these minutes from the next field; they may be 60, 80 or 90 minutes. This method may calculate alternative times for Fajer and Isha only and may not calculate alternative times for sunrise and sunset.
Another Latitude Relative Estimation: User shall determine another latitude, which will be used for calculation from the next field. Let us assume that the user chooses latitude of 45, then the program will calculate sunset, Isha, Fajer and sunrise for that day at the latitude of 45. Furthermore, it will calculate the portion of Isha to the astronomical night, and the portion of Fajer to the astronomical night. Then, it will apply the same portion to the user's area. This method may calculate alternative times for Fajer and Isha only and may not calculate alternative times for sunrise and sunset.
Another Angle: The program will calculate alternative Fajer and Isha Prayer Times by using another angle for Fajer and Isha determined by user from the next field. This method may calculate alternative times for Fajer and Isha only and may not calculate alternative times for sunrise and sunset.
Portion then Last Day: This method calculates the alternative Isha and Fajer Prayer Times similar to the above mentioned "Portion of Night" method as long as there is a real sunrise and sunset and provided that the duration between sunset and sunrise is more than the value entered in the next field. When the duration between sunset and sunrise becomes less than this value, Fajer, sunrise, sunset and Isha will be fixed according the last day, until the duration between sunset and sunrise is more than the value entered in the next field. This method may calculate alternative times for Fajer, Isha, sunrise and sunset.
Times of another Latitude: When Fajer or Isha times disappear, an alternative time will be calculated according to another latitude entered by user in the next field. When the duration between sunset and sunrise became less than the value entered in the second next field, an alternative Fajer or Isha times will be calculated according to another latitude entered by the user. Please note that the calculated alternative time is not a relative time; it is the same time calculated for the alternative latitude. This method may calculate alternative times for Fajer, Isha, sunrise and sunset.
All above methods lead to a great gap in Prayer Time at the first day the alternative times are applied after the sign disappears. Some users consider this as a disadvantage of the above methods, while others do not see it as a real problem. Below are other methods provided by the program to calculate the alternative times when the sign disappears but do not lead to a great gap in Prayer Time:
Times of Last Day: When Fajer or Isha times disappear, times of last day in which the real time of Fajer and Isha appeared will be fixed, and when the duration between sunset and sunrise became less than the value entered in the next field, the program will fix the last sunset and sunrise times in order to make the duration between sunset and sunrise more than the value entered in the next field. This method may calculate alternative times for Fajer, Isha, sunrise and sunset.
Maximum Times: This method sets maximum times, which should not be exceeded by prayer times. The prayer time will be fixed and set to the time indicated in the next fields if the real prayer time is more than the shown time or if the sign disappears. This method is selected by default by program and it is accredited by this website. It is noteworthy that it is preferable in some regions to amend the maximum values set by the website in order to have the best compliance with that region according to the accredited applicable Shar’ia opinion. This method may calculate alternative times for Fajer, Isha, sunrise and sunset.
Please note that you must not change the location after activation of calculation of alternative times. In case you have changed the location after activation of calculation of alternative times choice, the program will automatically deactivate the calculation of alternative times for the new location. Then, you have to enter to the page of “Alternative Times” again in order to choose a new method to calculate the alternative times.
3- Extra Options:
This section contains extra options that can be used in calculation of alternative times in summer season as follows:
4- Alternative Method in Winter:
In the extreme northern regions, some prayer signs disappear in winter season also. This happens when sunrise, Dhohur, Aser and Maghreb signs disappear, or when some of them disappear while Fajer and Isha signs appear. Through this option, user may calculate alternative prayer times when the signs disappear or when these times became hard to be applied specially in winter season. Below are the methods that can be used to calculate the alternative prayer times:
Regardless of the method chosen to calculate the alternative Prayer Times in winter, the alternative Dhohur is calculated when the sign disappears when the sun passes the meridian below horizon. Also, alternative Aser when the sign disappears is the same as Dhohur.
Cities and Countries Page
From this page, user may search for the city for which Prayer Times are needed by writing its name in the City Field, or by searching for the country in the Country Field, and then the user should click on the flag, afterwards the city can be chosen from the list. Knowing that user may search by Arabic or English languages regardless to the interface language.
Map or Coordinates Page
From this page, you can determine the location to which you want to calculate Prayer Times by clicking the map or by entering the location coordinates. In either case, the user should enter location’s name manually.
Official Times Page
The website can provide the times officially accredited in some countries, so as the times shown in the website are identical to the times stated in the official calendars of these countries, taking into consideration that there might be a difference of one minutes for some times in some days.
Favorite Page
In order to avoid re-entering the data of the location preferred by user, the city name along with its settings may be saved in the Favorite Page. In future, user can just choose the city directly along with its settings rather than re-entering all these data. To activate this feature, you should at first login to the website.
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