Why prayer times differ from one app to another

Almost everyone who uses more than one prayer app notices the same thing: the times don’t match. The gap can be 15–20 minutes, most often for Fajr and Isha. Here’s why.

Different twilight angles for Fajr and Isha

Dhuhr, Asr and Maghrib come straight from the Sun’s position, and there is almost no disagreement there. But Fajr and Isha depend on how far below the horizon the Sun is — the twilight angle. Different bodies use different angles:

• 18° — the classic angle used by most global methods
• 15°–17° — some regional methods
• a fixed interval (e.g. 90 minutes after Maghrib) — for latitudes where the Sun doesn’t dip deep enough in summer

The larger the angle, the earlier Fajr and the later Isha.

Calculation method

The app isn’t guessing — it offers you a method (e.g. “Muslim World League”, “Umm al-Qura”, “Egypt”…). Each carries its own set of angles and rules. If two apps use two methods, the times will differ even though both are “correct”.

What to do

1. In your prayer time settings, select the correct location or city.
2. Choose a method that matches your area or the one your local mosque follows.
3. For time-critical worship (fasting, night prayer), cross-check with your local mosque.

In the Jannah app you set all three in a few seconds, and prayer times work offline once loaded.