Prayer Times

Praying five times a day is one of Islam's pillars. But at what time exactly, I wondered recently, as I noticed the calls to prayer began at slightly different times over the days. In a museum I found this short text explaining how the times are traditionally determined:

"Morning prayers begin with the first light on the horizon. Noon prayers begin when the sun is vertically in the sky. Afternoon prayers begin when an object and its shadow are of equal size. Evening prayers are a few minutes after sunset; night prayers begin when the sky is no longer red."

But I guess it can also be calculated somehow. Anyway, in newspapers you will also find the exact times everyday.

If you want to read a bit more about a visit to a mosque during the first days of my stay in Dubai, go here.