UAE and Pakistan • Calculated for today
Zawal Time Today in Dubai
Choose your city to see today’s solar noon, which is the middle of the zawal period, and the approximate time when Dhuhr begins. The times are calculated in your browser from the sun’s position.
Zawal Time Today in All Cities
Solar noon is the moment the sun reaches its highest point. Dhuhr begins shortly after it passes. The Dhuhr column is an estimate, so for the obligatory prayer please follow your local mosque or official timetable.
| City | Sunrise | Solar noon (Zawal) | Approx. Dhuhr start |
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Next 14 Days for the Selected City
| Date | Sunrise | Solar noon (Zawal) | Approx. Dhuhr start |
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Times are shown in the local time of each city and may differ from a local mosque timetable by a minute or two.
What Is Zawal Time?
In Arabic, zawal means the sun declining from its highest point in the sky. In daily use, Muslims use the word for the short period around midday, when the sun is at its peak, before Dhuhr begins. Prayer is not started at this exact moment.
‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir reported that the Prophet ﷺ forbade praying at three times: when the sun is rising until it has risen, when the sun is at its highest point until it passes the meridian, and when it is setting (Sahih Muslim 831). The midday period is the second of these.
How Long Is the Zawal Period?
It is very short, only a few minutes. Scholars do not fix an exact number, because the sun’s position cannot be read from a clock to the second. Many people stop voluntary prayers about five to ten minutes before the Dhuhr time on their local timetable to be safe. Once Dhuhr has begun, the zawal period is over and the prayer may be offered.
The length is not the same on every day or in every city, but on this page you can see the solar noon for each place and compare it with the Dhuhr time.
Zawal and Dhuhr: What Is the Difference?
- Solar noon is the astronomical moment when the sun is highest.
- Zawal is the start of the sun’s decline after that moment, and the short period around it when voluntary prayer is avoided.
- Dhuhr is the obligatory midday prayer. Its time begins after the sun has passed the meridian, which is why timetables show it a couple of minutes after solar noon.
Questions Scholars Differ On
Scholars differ on a few practical points, so it is best to ask someone you trust about your own situation:
- Whether praying on Friday at midday is allowed during this period. Some scholars make an exception for Friday, while others do not.
- Which prayers may be offered in the three forbidden times, such as a missed obligatory prayer or a prayer with a reason (for example the greeting of the mosque).
- How much margin to leave before Dhuhr.
Zawal Time FAQs
What is the Zawal time today?
It is around solar noon. Choose your city above to see the time.
Is Zawal the same as Dhuhr?
No. Zawal is the sun’s midday transition, and Dhuhr begins after it has passed.
Can I pray exactly at solar noon?
Avoid starting voluntary prayers at the exact midday moment, and wait until Dhuhr has begun.
Does Zawal time change every day?
Yes. Solar noon moves through the year, so the clock time is not fixed.
Why does this page show an estimated Dhuhr time?
The prayer time depends on the method used by your local authority, so the page shows a close estimate. Use your local timetable for the obligatory prayer.
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