If you've ever searched "what time is Fajr today", you've probably noticed that different websites give slightly different answers. That's not a bug — it's how Fajr works. Fajr begins at true dawn (when the first light spreads across the horizon), and that moment depends on three things: your exact latitude and longitude, the date, and the calculation method used to define dawn.
Why does Fajr time change every day?
The Earth's tilt means the sun's path shifts slightly each day. In most places Fajr moves by one or two minutes daily — earlier as summer approaches, later toward winter. Over a month, that adds up to a difference of half an hour or more. A time you memorised last week is already wrong this week.
Why do apps and websites disagree about Fajr?
Two reasons:
- Location precision. Many websites give you the time for the centre of your city. If you live on the outskirts, your true dawn can differ by several minutes.
- Calculation method. Fajr is defined by how far the sun sits below the horizon. Diyanet (Turkey) uses 18°, other authorities use 15°–19.5°. Different angle, different time. (More on this in our Diyanet prayer times guide.)
So the reliable answer to "what time is Fajr today?" is: a calculation done for your exact coordinates, today's date, and a method you trust.
How to always know your exact Fajr time
Do it with Vaktim (free, iPhone)
- Install Vaktim and allow location access once. Your location never leaves your phone.
- Vaktim calculates Fajr — plus sunrise, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha — on your device using the Diyanet method, for your exact coordinates.
- Open the Home tab any morning: today's Fajr is right at the top, with a live countdown to the next prayer.
- Add a Lock Screen widget so tomorrow's Fajr is visible without even unlocking your phone.
Because everything is computed locally, it works with no internet — on a plane, camping, anywhere.
Download Vaktim FreeUntil when can I pray Fajr?
Fajr can be prayed from true dawn until sunrise. This is why Vaktim shows sunrise in your daily timetable even though it is not a prayer — it marks the end of the Fajr window. The countdown on the Home screen makes it easy to see how much time you have left.
What if my mosque's timetable is slightly different?
Local mosques sometimes add safety margins to their timetables. Vaktim lets you adjust each prayer individually by up to ±30 minutes in Settings, so your app can match your mosque exactly — and the adjustment carries through to notifications and widgets automatically.
Struggling to actually get up at dawn? Read our guide on how to wake up for Fajr.