Makruh Prayer Times: When Do They Start and End?

Makruh times are three short periods around sunrise, the sun’s zenith and sunset. Türkiye’s Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) defines them as times in which performing the prayer is considered makruh (disliked).

When are the makruh times?

According to Diyanet’s High Board of Religious Affairs, the three makruh times in temperate regions are:

The evening makruh time begins when the sun becomes weak enough not to dazzle the eyes.

How are they calculated?

All three depend on times already in your timetable: Sunrise, Dhuhr and Maghrib. For example, if in a city the sun rises at 07:00, Dhuhr begins at 12:30 and Maghrib at 17:20, the makruh times are approximately:

• 07:00 – 07:45
• 12:20 – 12:30
• 16:35 – 17:20

These times are only an example. You can see your own city’s Sunrise, Dhuhr and Maghrib times on the prayer times page.

Why do they differ by city and by day?

Sunrise and sunset change with a city’s location and the season, and the makruh times shift with them. The durations are approximate: the further you are from the equator, the more slanted the sun rises and sets, so the morning and evening makruh times get longer.

Eid prayer time

In Türkiye, the Eid prayer times announced by Diyanet fall after the morning makruh time has ended. That is why the Eid prayer there is held about 45 minutes after sunrise.

For rulings

Which prayers may or may not be performed in these times is a matter of fiqh and differs between schools of thought. For guidance, please consult your local religious authority, or the fatwa of Diyanet’s High Board of Religious Affairs (in Turkish).