Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers about calculation accuracy, settings, reminders and privacy.
How are prayer times calculated on NextSalahClock?
Astronomically, from the sun's position over your city's coordinates: Fajr/Isha from twilight depression angles, Dhuhr from solar noon, Asr from shadow length, Sunrise/Maghrib from the sun at the horizon (0.833° refraction). The math is performed by the open-source Adhan JS engine. See “How prayer times are calculated” for details.
Which calculation method should I choose?
The one your local mosque follows. NextSalahClock applies the most common national convention automatically (e.g. Umm al-Qura in Saudi Arabia, ISNA in the US, Karachi in Pakistan/India/Bangladesh, Diyanet in Türkiye), and you can override it in Settings at any time. Your choice is remembered on this device.
What is the difference between Standard and Hanafi Asr?
Asr begins when an object's shadow reaches a multiple of its height. The Standard opinion (Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali) uses ×1; Hanafi uses ×2, so Hanafi Asr starts later. Toggle it in Settings → Asr juristic method.
Why do my mosque's printed times differ slightly?
Printed calendars usually publish congregational (iqamah) times or include safety margins/rounding. NextSalahClock shows calculated prayer start times. Use Settings → Manual adjustments to nudge each prayer by minutes until it matches your mosque exactly.
Does the site handle daylight saving time?
Yes. Every city is tied to its official IANA timezone (e.g. Europe/London, America/New_York), and DST transitions are applied automatically by the IANA database, including Asia/Gaza's unusual transition rules. The countdown is anchored to absolute timestamps, so it stays correct through clock changes, midnight and sleeping tabs.
What happens at extreme latitudes where twilight never ends?
In far northern or southern locations, there are dates when the sun never reaches the twilight angle, so no exact Fajr or Isha exists astronomically. NextSalahClock applies the latitude-recommended approximation (one-seventh of the night, middle of the night, or twilight-angle portion) and tells you when it's doing so. It never invents a value silently.
Do browser reminders keep working if I close the page?
No, and we won't pretend otherwise. Without an installed app or a server-side push service, browser notifications can only fire while the tab is open. That's why we also offer an .ics calendar download: import it into your calendar app for reminders that work with the page closed. (Push/PWA reminders are on the roadmap.)
Is the Qibla direction shown from true north or magnetic north?
True north, computed as the great-circle bearing from your coordinates to the Kaaba. Phone compasses read magnetic north; your local magnetic declination can differ by several degrees, so for precision use the numeric bearing with a map or a declination-adjusted compass.
Are Ramadan dates on the site confirmed?
No. They are algorithmic predictions (Umm al-Qura calendar). The start and end of Ramadan are set by local moon-sighting authorities and can shift by a day. Our Ramadan timetable is clearly labelled as predicted, so always confirm with your local mosque.
Do you store my location or track me?
No. Location is only read when you press “Use my location”, and it's used once to find your nearest city. Preferences and saved cities live in your browser's localStorage. There are no accounts and no analytics tied to your identity. See the Privacy Policy.
Can I embed prayer times on my own website?
Yes. The free widget generator produces a lightweight iframe you can paste anywhere. It updates itself daily and needs no API key.
Which languages are supported?
The interface currently ships in English only. The codebase is structured for future multilingual support (including right-to-left Arabic), but we won't claim a translation until it's genuinely complete.