Heures de Prière

The Five Daily Prayers

The five daily prayers (Salah) are among the most important pillars of Islam. They are distributed throughout the day based on precise astronomical calculations related to the sun's position, latitude, longitude, and the chosen calculation method.

The Five Prayers

• Fajr — Before sunrise, begins at true dawn (Fajr al-Sadiq)
• Dhuhr — At solar noon (when the sun crosses the meridian)
• Asr — Afternoon, when shadow equals object height (Shafi'i) or twice (Hanafi)
• Maghrib — Immediately after sunset
• Isha — When red twilight disappears from the horizon

Calculation Methods

Fajr and Isha times vary based on the angle used by different Islamic organizations. Umm Al-Qura uses 18.5°, the Egyptian Authority uses 19.5°, and ISNA North America uses 15°.