April 10, 2026

Assalāmu ʿAlaykum wa Raḥmatullāh,
Dear Community,

We are writing to let you know that effective Friday, May 1st, 2026, The Mecca Center will be switching our Fajr timing to the 18th degree of solar depression, rather than ISNA’s current 15th degree. This means our Fajr time will be earlier than what some prayer apps may show by default.

This decision reflects two considerations:

• First, the 18° standard is the dominant position among classical and contemporary Muslim jurists and astronomers and is used by virtually every major calculation authority in the Muslim world. To our knowledge, all Muslim-majority countries base their official timetables on 18° or higher. The 15° method, while a contemporary interpretation, diverges from the standard used across the Muslim world.
• Second, adopting 18° is an act of precaution (iḥtiyāṭ) in our worship, giving us greater confidence especially for the act of fasting.

The masjid will update the prayer timetable on our website and app accordingly. Please follow the masjid app or update your personal prayer app settings; most apps allow you to switch to a calculation method that uses 18° for Fajr or set a custom Fajr angle.

May Allah accept our worship and keep our community united upon good.