Dubai Online offers prayer times for today. Times are updated on a daily basis so bookmark this page as a handy reference guide.
Prayer times are given for Dubai. For prayer times in Abu Dhabi add four minutes.
Prayer Times Today in Dubai
Prayer times for Monday 20th of August 2018 are:
- Fajr - 4:34 am
- Dhuhr - 12:25 pm
- Asr - 3:54 pm
- Maghrib - 6:53 pm
- Isha - 8:10 pm
Muslim Prayers Explained
Islam is the official religion of Dubai and the UAE. All Muslims (followers of Islam) should adhere to practices known as the Five Pillars of Islam:
- Shahadah – professing that there is no god but God and Muhammad is his prophet
- Salat – praying five times every day
- Zakat – paying an alms to the poor and needy
- Sawm – fasting during the holy month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic calendar)
- Hajj – all Muslims should make the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at least once during their lifetime
Salat is performed five times each day; at dawn, midday, in the afternoon, just after sunset, and in the evening.
- Fajr – dawn prayer
- Dhurh (also Zuhr, Duhr, Thuhr) – midday prayer
- Asr – late afternoon prayer
- Maghrib – prayer just after sunset
- Isha – evening prayer
This timetable sets the pattern of the day for a Muslim and connects them to other Muslims around the world. Prescribed prayer times vary throughout the year and are calculated based on the position of the sun.
The call to prayer, adhan (or azan), is recited, by a special crier, the muezzin. Historically, the crier would have recited the call to prayer from the minaret of the mosque. Nowadays, many mosques have loudspeakers mounted on the minaret. The muezzin will use a microphone or play a recording.
Each prayer consists of a number of mandatory rakats (defined movements and words):
- Fajr – 2 rakats
- Dhurh – 4 rakats
- Asr – 4 rakats
- Maghrib – 3 rakats
- Isha – 4 rakats
Muslims can pray in any clean place, not just in a mosque. Most shopping malls in Dubai have dedicated prayer rooms. Prayers may be performed alone, but it is considered best when done with other Muslims.
Muslims must wash themselves before praying (wudu). While praying they must face in the direction of the Kaaba, a cube-shaped building at centre of the Masjid al-Haram (Sacred Mosque) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. From any point around the world, the direction facing the Kaaba is called the Qibla.
Visiting a Mosque – Non-Muslims
There are only a handful of mosques in the UAE that allow non-Muslim visitors. Two that do are the Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Both offer guided tours.