
In Islam prayer time is calculated based on the position of sun: dawn, noon, set etc , I heard different methods to adopt to calculate prayer time when day or night time is too long or too short.
i. Follow the nearest stable country.
ii. Combine prayers : Duhar with Asar and Magrib with Isha .
But I don't feel none of them a proper solution as Islam suggested 5 times prayers to stabilize daily routines of a Muslim and keep in memory of God throughout a day. But Muslims daily prayers is messing up their routines due to imbalance in day and night duration.
The Quran and Hadith explained many things based on the primary audience and the native context of the Prophet. Rules such as Zakat and traveling to Hajj (by camel) are explained similarly to how prayer and fasting times are described. Allah has given us common sense, and the Quran consistently encourages us to think. Therefore, it is our duty to derive rules from their fundamental principles.
We do not have to give wheat as Zakatul Fitr; we can travel to Hajj by flight. In places where the moon cannot be observed, we can calculate dates using our advanced knowledge of astronomy. There are regions where the sun never sets or never rises; this does not contradict the Quran. Instead, we should apply our logic.
Regarding prayer and fasting times, these are interconnected. Prayer times regulate the daily activities of a Muslim and should not disrupt sleep or other aspects of life—it is not meant to be a hardship. Allah never intended for Maghrib, Isha, and Fajr prayers to be performed consecutively within three hours. Some people make Islam harder by following literal interpretations without considering the context.
We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won’t be offended.
Can we adopt the following method to find prayer times where day length is too high or too short ?
The noon time can be calculated from anywhere on Earth; it is the point when the sun is at its zenith. This is the only correct reference point we get from the sun, regardless of the location, whether the person is inside a well or on top of the Burj Khalifa. Therefore, noon time should not be changed or moved based on Makkah or any other stable country.
From the point of noon (N), we can calculate prayer times backward and forward. The duration from noon to sunset is never more than 7 hours across Saudi Arabia. In Makkah, the maximum is 6 hours and 42 minutes. We can use these calculations to determine prayer times accurately.
Max_half_day = 7
Min_half_day = 5
Dhuhr : N , where N is the time immediately after noon.
X = sunset - N
If x > Max_half_day
X = Max_half_day
Else if x Max_half_day
Y = Max_half_day
Else if Y < Min_half_day
Y = Min_half_day
End
Fajr end time = N - Y
This calculation will align with day-today activities of a person. Let me know your opinions and corrections in the calculation.
The attached picture shows an example ideal situation of a place along the equator, where day length is 12 hours.