How do I find prayer times in a new city?
The easiest way to find prayer times in a new city is to check the local mosque's timetable or use a prayer app with your location turned on. Prayer times depend on the sun's position where you are, so they change from city to city. Once you're there, always use local times, not the ones from home.
Why prayer times change from place to place
Each prayer is tied to the sun: Fajr at dawn, Dhuhr just after midday, Asr in the afternoon, Maghrib at sunset and Isha after nightfall. The Prophet ﷺ described the start and end of each of these times to his Companions (Sahih Muslim 612). Since sunrise and sunset differ between London and Barcelona, or New York and Chicago, so do the prayer times. Allah says:
Four reliable ways to get the times
- Local mosque timetable. Most mosques post a monthly timetable on their website or social media. This is the best source, because it matches when people in that city actually pray.
- Prayer app. Apps like Muslim Pro, Athan or Pillars calculate times from your GPS. Turn on location so it updates when you land. See Can I trust prayer time apps?
- Websites. Sites such as IslamicFinder let you type in any city and see the full month.
- Ask a local Muslim. A halal shop owner or a Muslim taxi driver will often know the nearest mosque and its times.
Check the settings in your app
Apps use different calculation methods, and results can differ by 10 to 30 minutes, mostly for Fajr and Isha. A few things to check:
- Method: pick the one your local mosques use (for example ISNA in North America, Muslim World League or a local council in Europe).
- Asr: the Hanafi school puts Asr later than the other three schools. Choose the one you follow.
- High latitudes: in places like Scotland or Scandinavia in summer, dawn may barely end. Mosques there follow a set method for Fajr and Isha, so follow their timetable.
Don't forget the qibla and the time zone
When you arrive, check that your phone switched to the local time zone, otherwise your alerts will be hours off. Then find the qibla direction for your hotel room. See Can I use a qibla app to find the prayer direction? and How do I pray in a hotel room?
- Prayer times follow the sun, so they differ in every city.
- The local mosque timetable is the most reliable source.
- Set your app's calculation method and Asr school.
- Check your phone's time zone after landing.
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