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Islamic Praying Time Calculation

By

Mohammed Ehmidat
eng_ehmadat@hotmail.com

2016

In Islam, there are five main times for praying per day, these times are ( Fajir, Dohar, Aser, Maghrib
and Isha).These times depends on solar position in the sky. Solar position in the sky is varies from day
to day and from location to location. Hence, the praying times depending on the solar geometry and
on the geographical location (longitude and latitude).
To understand this section, definitions of some terms related to solar geometry has been introduced.
Figure shows these terms:

Figure (1.1) : Definition of latitude, hour angle, zenith angle and solar declination[]
Local Latitude () : Is the angle between a line from the center of the earth to site of interest and
equatorial plane.
Zenith Angle () : The angle between the suns rays and the vertical.
Hour Angle (w): The angle between the sun projection on the equatorial plane at a given time and
the sun projection on the same plane at solar noon.
Declination (): It is the angle between the sun-earth center line and the projection of this line on
the equatorial plane. Declinations north of the equator are positive and those souths are negative.
The base for praying calculations is to know the zenith angle for each praying, the zenith angle is
approximately 90 degree at sunrise and sunset. Therefore, the Fajir time and Isha time will be at
zenith angle equal 108 degree since these times are comes when the center of the sun under the
horizon line by 18 degree, figure shows the zenith angle for Fajir and Isha times.

Figure (1.2): Zenith angle at different positions

Praying Time calculation


The starting point of the calculations is to calculate the Dohr time, where the remaining times will be
calculated depending on it.
All the equations are taken from [1] and [2].
Dohr Time calculation:
The Dohr time starts when the sun disk rich the middle point at meridian, where the meridian are
lines connected the tow pols of the earth.
Dohr time = 12 + longitude difference (h) (EOT/60) (h)

(1.1)

Where:
Longitude: the earth is divided into time zones; the width of each time zone is 15 degree. For each
time zone has standard longitude. All the location that located on one time zone have longitude
equal to the standard longitude for this time zone. This assumption will lead to difference between
the local time for the location and the standard time. This difference called longitude difference and
its calculated by:
longitude difference (h) = (Standard longitude local longitude)/15
Standard Longitude = 15*time zone

(1.2)
(1.3)

EOT (equation of time): For simplicity, its supposed that the sun moves constantly in the sky, this
sun is called Mean Sun and the time related to this sun is called Mean Solar Time. Since the earth
moves in elliptical orbit and its obliquity (axial tilt), the sun moves in variable speed, this sun is called
Apparent Sun and the time related to this sun is called Apparent Solar Time.
Then, the EOT is the time that needed for the Apparent sun to reach the mean sun or the opposite.
The EOT can be calculated by equation presented in the appendix.
Aser Time Calculation
According to Shafee method, the Aser time at one location starts when the length of a pillar shadow
equal to the length of that pillar plus the pillar shadow length at meridian at that location (e.g at
Dohr time).
Aser calculated by:
Zenith angle for Aser according to Shafee method:
= 90 1 (1 + cot())

(1.4)

According to Hanfi method, the Aser time at one location starts when the length of a pillar shadow
equal tow time the length of that pillar plus the pillar shadow length at meridian at that location (e.g
at Dohr time).
= 90 1 (2 + cot())
= 1 (sin() () + cos() cos())

(1.5)

Where:
: (Its sign positive at northern hemisphere and negative at south)

: , this calculated by an equation in the appendix.


Since the sun appears in the sky higher than its actual position because of the atmospheric
refraction, as seen in the figure

Figure (1.3): Atmospheric refraction


Therefore, the value of refraction should be calculated at the zenith angle .

1
tan(+

(1.6)

7.31
)
+4.4

Where:
:
:

= 90 | |

(1.7)

There are some factors that effects the refraction value such as the temperature and the pressure.
However, for simplicity these will not takes into consideration at this project.
The final zenith angle at Aser time become:

= | | + 60

(1.8)

The term 60 is to convert R from arcminute to degree.


Now, by inserting the Aser zenith angle into the following equation, the hour angle will be calculated
and then converted to time:

( ) =

cos( )sin sin()

Where :
: .
Then, the hour angle will be converted to time:

cos()cos()

(1.9)

180
)

15

(1.10)

Then, this time will be added to Dohr time to get the Aser time prying.
= +

180
(
)

(1.11)

Fajir Time Calculation:


As its mentioned before, the Fajir time starts when the center of sun under the horizon by 15 degree
( see figure).
Therefore, the zenith angle of the fajir given by:
Fajir = 90 + 18

(1.12)

The angle will be inserted into equation (1.9) to get the hour angle of Fajir and then it will be
converted to time using equation (1.10) :
Finally, Fajir time given by:

180)

(1.13)

Maghrib Time Calculation:


The maghrib time starts when the higher edge of the sun disappears under the western horizon.
Zenith angle of Maghrib is given by:
16

34

magrheb = 90 + 60 + 60 0.0024 = 90.8309

(1.14)

As its mentioned, the zenith angle is the angle between a line from suns center and the vertical, the
sunrise and sunset is when the higher edge of the sun disappear, therefore, the diameter of the sun
should be taken into consideration. The diameter of the sun is 32 arcminutes and will be converted
to degree (one degree equal 60 arcminute). Hence, the term

16
60

is the sun radius in degree.

34

The term 60 is the refraction at horizon, where the term 0.0024 is the horizontal parallax (The above
equations assumes that the observer position is in the center of the earth, therefore to move the
observer from the center of the earth to its surface will change the position of the sun by 0.0024
degree, this is called horizontal parallax).
As before, the zenith angle of Maghrib will be inserted into equation (1.9) to get the hour angle. The
hour angle will be converted to time using equation (1.10)
Then, Maghreb time given by:
= +

180
(
)

15

(1.15)

Isha Time Calculation:


As its mentioned before, the Isha time starts when the center of sun under the horizon by 15 degree
( see figure).
Therefore, the zenith angle of the Isha given by:
Isha = 90 + 18

(1.16)

The angle will be inserted into equation (1.9) to get the hour angle of Isha and then it will be
converted to time using equation (1.10)

Finally, Isha time given by:


= +

180
(
)

(1.17)

Calculation for Sunrise and Sunset:

=
= +
solarnoon =

(1.19)

7204longitudeEOT(min)+TimeZoon/60
1440

(1.18)

+ 12

(1.20)

isthehouranglewhenthezenithangleequalto90.8309whichcalcualtedfromeqution(1.9)

Appendices:
The Equation of Time

) 2 (J
) + 4 (J
) (2I
)
180
180
180
180

180
0.5 2 (4I
) 1.25 2 sin (2J
)) 4
180
180

(min. ) = (U sin (2I

Where:
U: Vary y
= (

.
2

180)2

I: Geom Mean Long. Sun (deg)


= (280.46646 + (36000.76983 + 0.0003032), 360)
J: Geom Mean Anomaly Sun (deg)
= 357.52911 + (35999.05029 0.0001537)
K: Eccent Earth Orbit
= 0.016708634 (0.000042037 + 0.0000001267 )
JC: Julian Century
=

2451545
3652

= + 2415018.5 + /24

(125.04 1934.13 ))
(deg. ) = MOE + 0.00256cos(
180

MOE: Mean oblique Ecliptic (deg.)


= 23 +

26 +

21.448 (46.815 + (0.00059 0.001813))


60
60

The declination
= sin1(sin (

180
) sin(
))
180
180

(deg. )
= 0.00569 0.00478 sin((125.04 1934.136 )
(. ) = +

)
180


) (1.914602 (0.004817 + 0.000014 ))
180

+ sin (2
) (0.019993 0.000101) + sin (3
) 0.000289
180
180

= sin (

References
[1] M.Shawkat. . Islamic Crescents Observation Project (ICOP). P.O. Box
41353, Abu Dhabi, UAE. 2007.
[2] National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA Solar Calculations.xls.

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