Prayer times in UK summer and high latitudes
In UK and northern summers the sun doesn’t sink far enough below the horizon for the usual Fajr and Isha angles, so apps need a high-latitude rule. NearMasjid offers Middle of the night, Seventh of the night and Twilight angle, plus custom Fajr and Isha angles, or the London Unified timetable in London.
The problem
Fajr and Isha are based on the sun being a certain angle below the horizon, such as 18°. Around midsummer in the UK the sun never goes that low, so a pure calculation gives no answer or an extreme one.
The three rules
- Middle of the night: Fajr and Isha are limited to the middle of the night between sunset and sunrise.
- Seventh of the night: Isha is no later than a seventh of the night after sunset, and Fajr no earlier than a seventh before sunrise.
- Twilight angle: the night portion is set in proportion to the twilight angle.
These are the standard rules described by PrayTimes.org.
Set it in NearMasjid
- Open the Prayer tab and tap the gear.
- Tap High latitude rule and choose a rule.
- Optional: set custom Fajr and Isha angles for the summer twilight period.
In London you can use the London Unified timetable instead.
Sensible summer times
Choose a high-latitude rule or custom angles in NearMasjid, or use the London Unified timetable in London.
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Frequently asked questions
Which high-latitude rule is right?
Use the rule your mosque uses. Many UK mosques follow a printed timetable; in London that is often the London Unified timetable.
When does this matter?
Mainly from about May to August, and more the further north you are.