Why UK prayer times differ between timetables
By HalalCalculator · Published 6 October 2026 · Updated 7 October 2026 · Educational guidance
Prayer schedules depend on location, date and calculation settings. Two tools using the same city can display different times because they use different conventions. A sensible comparison starts by checking those settings.
Fajr and Isha methods
Calculation methods commonly differ in their twilight angles or interval rules. Northern locations can also require high-latitude adjustments when twilight behaves differently in summer. A generated timetable should identify its method and should not be presented as a universal local mosque schedule.
The Asr setting
The Hanafi Asr setting differs from the standard setting commonly used by other Sunni schools. Choose the setting that matches the guidance you follow. Changing it affects Asr rather than simply shifting every prayer by the same number of minutes.
Timezone and daylight saving
Check that the returned timezone matches the location and that you selected the correct date. UK daylight saving changes can make a copied timetable especially confusing. Our tool displays the returned timezone and date with the timings.
Use your local mosque for congregational times
Calculated start times are different from Iqamah or Jama’ah times. The time of the congregation must come from the mosque itself. AlAdhan supplies the calculated data in our tool; verify local practice with your mosque.
A method-comparison checklist
| Setting | What to compare |
|---|---|
| Location | Selected city and coordinates |
| Date and timezone | Location-local date; UK daylight saving |
| Fajr and Isha method | Angles, interval rules and authority |
| Asr | Standard or Hanafi calculation |
| High latitude | Angle based, middle of night or one seventh |
| Timetable type | Prayer start or mosque congregation time |
A useful comparison exercise
Select the same city and date in the worldwide prayer tool. Compare Muslim World League with another locally relevant method, leaving the Asr school unchanged. Then change only the Asr school. Separating these changes makes it easier to see which setting affects the displayed schedule.
London and regional timetables
London Unified is a published London timetable, not a generic worldwide angle preset. This site currently links to the published source rather than importing its data. Similarly, the UAE Gulf preset is labelled as a calculated approximation, and the Basque federation option requires locally verified inputs. A label alone should never imply that an official authority supplied a timetable.
What a disagreement does not prove
A difference between two calculated times does not, by itself, prove which schedule your community follows. Read the methodology and parameter table, then compare with your mosque’s published timetable. The Qibla bearing tool answers a separate orientation question; it does not validate prayer-time settings.
Common questions
Why can Fajr and Isha differ between apps?
Check twilight angles, fixed intervals, high-latitude adjustments, coordinates, date and timezone. A matching city name alone does not establish matching calculation settings.
Are the results mosque congregation times?
No. They are calculated prayer start times. Obtain Iqamah or Jama’ah times directly from the mosque.
Put the plan into practice
Use the related tool with your own verified inputs, then keep a record of the result and its assumptions.
Open the toolSources and further reading
Read the reference guidance. See our editorial standards and review status. Our article is an original educational summary, not a scholarly ruling. Where a rule depends on your circumstances, confirm it with a qualified adviser.