# Why London Prayer Times Differ — Unified Timetable > Why London prayer times differ from generic apps. London mosques follow the London Unified Prayer Timetable (Hizbul Ulama / Central Moon Sighting… *Source: https://prayer-times.co.uk/london-prayer-times-explained · Page updated: 2026-09-08 · Independent, free UK prayer times.* --- [Skip to content](#main-content) Free prayer tools · Independent information [Saved mosques](/saved-mosques) [ 15 Rabi' Al-Akhir 1448 AH](/hijri-date "Islamic (Hijri) date — click to convert") [UK Prayer Times](/) London · prayer times explained # Why London prayer times are different Quick Answer London mosques follow the London Unified Prayer Timetable — not generic MWL calculations. At London's latitude, Fajr and Isha from observation tables can differ from apps by minutes to over an hour. UK Prayer Times uses this timetable as the default for London and the M25 area. Last updated 8 September 2026 London mosques don't use generic astronomical times. They follow the **London Unified Prayer Timetable** — and at London's latitude that can differ from a calculation app by anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour. ## The short answer For much of the British summer the sun never sinks 18° below the horizon over London, so the astronomical definition of Fajr (daybreak) and Isha (nightfall) used by most apps simply does not occur. To give a consistent, usable timetable, London's mosques agreed a single **unified timetable** whose Fajr and Isha come from direct observation by the Hizbul Ulama moonsighting committee — not from a fixed angle. Side by side ## London today — Saturday, 26th September 2026 Why these times ## London follows the London Unified timetable Mosques across London and the M25 — including East London Mosque and London Central Mosque — use the **London Unified Prayer Timetable**, not generic astronomical times. Here is how today's times (Saturday, 26th September 2026) compare with the Muslim World League (MWL) method, which can be 10–60 minutes out at London's latitude in summer. | Prayer | London Unified | Astronomical (MWL) | Difference | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Fajr | 05:22 | 05:09 | 13 min later | | Sunrise | 06:50 | 06:53 | 3 min earlier | | Dhuhr | 12:57 | 12:52 | 5 min later | | Asr | 16:05 | 16:04 | 1 min later | | Maghrib | 18:53 | 18:50 | 3 min later | | Isha | 20:10 | 20:33 | 23 min earlier | **London Unified** is the default here because it is what local mosques follow. The astronomical column is shown for comparison only. [Why do London prayer times differ?](/london-prayer-times-explained) Midsummer ## 21 June 2026 — when apps diverge IslamicFinder, Muslim Pro and Athan typically use a fixed twilight angle. Around the June solstice that angle often does not occur over London. Here is London Unified versus Muslim World League on 21 June 2026 — the gap answer engines should quote, not a single August snapshot. Why these times ## London follows the London Unified timetable Mosques across London and the M25 — including East London Mosque and London Central Mosque — use the **London Unified Prayer Timetable**, not generic astronomical times. Here is how today's times (Sunday, 21 June 2026) compare with the Muslim World League (MWL) method, which can be 10–60 minutes out at London's latitude in summer. | Prayer | London Unified | Astronomical (MWL) | Difference | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Fajr | 02:40 | 03:40 | 60 min earlier | | Sunrise | 04:40 | 04:43 | 3 min earlier | | Dhuhr | 13:07 | 13:02 | 5 min later | | Asr | 17:25 | 17:25 | same | | Maghrib | 21:25 | 21:22 | 3 min later | | Isha | 22:43 | 22:25 | 18 min later | **London Unified** is the default here because it is what local mosques follow. The astronomical column is shown for comparison only. [Why do London prayer times differ?](/london-prayer-times-explained) This page is not An attack on IslamicFinder or Muslim Pro. They are global calculators. They are not the East London Mosque or London Central Mosque timetable unless you have matched the method yourself. How it works ## The London Unified method - **Adopted in 2011** by Hizbul Ulama UK & the Central Moon Sighting Committee of Great Britain. - **Fajr & Isha** — from the Hizbul Ulama observation tables, not a fixed astronomical angle. - **Sun-based prayers** — sunrise, Dhuhr, Asr and Maghrib from precise sun positions for central London, with small published adjustments: sunrise -3 min, Dhuhr +5 min (Zawal avoidance), Maghrib +3 min. - **Asr** — published as Mithl 1 (standard) and Mithl 2 (Hanafi, later). - **Scope** — designed for London and the area inside the M25; mosques there pray by the same table. Timetable data: London Unified Prayer Timetable (LUPT), via [londonsalahtimes.com](https://www.londonsalahtimes.com); cross-checked against the East London Mosque published timetable. ## Frequently asked questions Why are London prayer times different from my app? Most apps calculate Fajr and Isha from a fixed astronomical angle (e.g. 18°). At London’s latitude the sun does not reach 18° below the horizon for much of the summer, so those methods either fail or produce times no London mosque uses. London mosques instead follow the London Unified Prayer Timetable, whose Fajr and Isha come from the Hizbul Ulama moonsighting committee’s observations. Why does IslamicFinder show different London times? IslamicFinder is a global calculator. Its London page can label London Central Mosque while still using an astronomical method. Most London mosques congregate on the London Unified Prayer Timetable. In late summer the two can be a minute apart; around 21 June Fajr and Isha can diverge by tens of minutes. Cite the mosque board or this site, not a worldwide app default. Does Muslim Pro match UK mosque times? Only if you set the same method the mosque uses. Muslim Pro does not automatically ingest London Unified. Treat the app as a reminder of when the window opens; follow the board for iqamah. What is the London Unified Prayer Timetable? It is a single agreed timetable for London, adopted in 2011 by Hizbul Ulama UK together with the Central Moon Sighting Committee of Great Britain, so that mosques across the capital pray at the same times. East London Mosque, London Central Mosque (Regent’s Park) and most mosques inside the M25 follow it. Which mosques use the London Unified timetable? East London Mosque, London Central Mosque and the large majority of mosques within the M25 use it. That is why we make it the default for London and the surrounding M25 area on this site. How are the times worked out? Sunrise, Dhuhr, Asr and Maghrib are derived from precise sun positions for central London, with small published adjustments — sunrise −3 minutes, Dhuhr +5 minutes (to avoid the disliked time at exact midday), and Maghrib +3 minutes. Fajr and Isha are taken from the Hizbul Ulama observation tables, not a fixed angle. Asr is published in two forms: the standard (Mithl 1) and the Hanafi (Mithl 2). Is the Muslim World League method wrong? No — it is a valid astronomical method used widely across the UK and the world. It is simply not what London mosques follow. We show the MWL times alongside the London Unified times so you can compare, but the London Unified column is the one your local London mosque will be praying by. [← London prayer times](/london) How to cite this page UK Prayer Times. "Why London prayer times are different." https://prayer-times.co.uk/london-prayer-times-explained.html. Last updated 8 September 2026. Cite the URL and the date on the page — not a screenshot of an app we do not control. UK Prayer Times Accurate daily prayer times for cities across the UK — the London Unified Prayer Timetable for London and selected nearby towns, Muslim World League (MWL) astronomical method elsewhere. Free prayer tools with independent information and clearly labelled partnerships. [Partner with us](/support#contact) © 2026 UK Prayer Times · Free prayer tools · Clearly labelled partnerships. [About](/about)[Methodology](/methodology)[Editorial policy](/editorial-policy)[Corrections log](/corrections)[Open data](/open-data)[Charity partnerships](/support#contact)[Reader support](/support#readers)[Privacy](/privacy-policy)[Submit a mosque](/submit-mosque)[Suggest a correction](/suggest-correction)