# Last third of the night and Islamic midnight

The night is measured from Maghrib (sunset) to Fajr the next morning and divided into three equal parts. The last third of the night begins two-thirds of the way through and ends at Fajr. Islamic midnight is the halfway point. Both are different clock times every night and in every place, because the length of the night changes with latitude and season.

Worked example — London, 21 December, Muslim World League method:

1. Maghrib: 15:53
2. Fajr the next morning: 06:00
3. Length of the night: 14 h 7 min
4. One third: 4 h 42 min
5. Islamic midnight (Maghrib + half the night): 22:57
6. Last third begins (Maghrib + two thirds): 01:18

The other reckoning in use measures the night from sunset to sunrise. On the same night that gives 16 h 11 min, Islamic midnight at 23:59 and the last third from 02:40. This site computes both and does not say which applies to a particular act of worship.

## By city: the longest and shortest nights

Maghrib to Fajr, local time, each city’s own calculation method. * = Fajr placed by the midnight rule because the sun does not reach the Fajr angle.

| City | 21 December midnight | 21 December last third | 21 June midnight | 21 June last third |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 22:57 | 01:18 | 23:13* | 23:49* |
| Manchester | 23:02 | 01:25 | 23:27* | 00:01* |
| Toronto | 23:33 | 01:49 | 00:25 | 01:32 |
| New York | 23:14 | 01:27 | 00:08 | 01:20 |
| Karachi | 23:50 | 01:50 | 23:49 | 01:17 |
| Delhi | 23:38 | 01:40 | 23:37 | 01:01 |
| Dhaka | 23:16 | 01:16 | 23:16 | 00:45 |
| Kuala Lumpur | 00:30 | 02:16 | 00:33 | 02:16 |
| Jakarta | 23:08 | 00:49 | 23:13 | 01:01 |
| Dubai | 23:33 | 01:33 | 23:32 | 00:59 |
| Lagos | 00:08 | 01:58 | 00:10 | 01:52 |
| Sydney | 00:01 | 01:20 | 23:13 | 01:19 |

## Common questions

**What is the last third of the night?**

It is the final third of the time between Maghrib, at sunset, and Fajr the next morning. The night is measured from one to the other and split into three equal parts; the last third starts two-thirds of the way through and ends at Fajr. Because the length of the night changes with the season, so does the time it starts — in London it begins around 01:18 on 21 December but around 23:49 on 21 June.

**How do I calculate the last third of the night?**

Take the time of Maghrib and the time of Fajr the following morning, and work out how long the night between them is. Divide that by three, then add two of those thirds to Maghrib. In London on 21 December, Maghrib is 15:53 and Fajr is 06:00: the night lasts 14 h 7 min, one third is 4 h 42 min, and the last third begins at 01:18.

**What time is Islamic midnight?**

Islamic midnight is the midpoint of the night — halfway between Maghrib and Fajr. It is a different clock time every night and in every place. In London it falls at 22:57 on 21 December and at 23:13 on 21 June. The calculator on this page gives it for any location and date.

**Is Islamic midnight the same as 12 am?**

No. 12:00 midnight is a convention of the clock; Islamic midnight is the middle of the actual night, which depends on when the sun sets and when dawn begins. It is usually some way from 12:00, and in places with daylight saving it is often well before or after it.

**Does the night start at Maghrib or at Isha?**

In both reckonings shown on this page the night starts at sunset, which is Maghrib in nearly every calculation method. The two reckonings differ at the other end: one measures the night to Fajr, the other to sunrise. Which applies to a particular act of worship is a question for a scholar; this page computes both and labels which one it is showing.

**When is tahajjud time?**

Tahajjud is the voluntary night prayer, and this site does not issue rulings on when it may be prayed. What it can give you is the clock times people ask for when planning it: Isha, Islamic midnight, the start of the last third of the night, and Fajr, for your own location and date. For the ruling itself, ask a qualified scholar or your local mosque.

**Why is the last third of the night so short in London in summer?**

Because the summer night there is short, and around midsummer the sun never sinks far enough for Fajr to have an astronomical time at all. Timetables then place Fajr at the middle of the night instead, so a night measured to that Fajr lasts only 3 h 41 min on 21 June. Measured from sunset to sunrise the same night lasts 7 h 21 min, and the last third begins at 02:16. The calculator lets you switch between the two.

## Related

- Calculator for any location and date: https://quranonlineread.com/prayer-times/last-third-of-the-night/
- Prayer times by city: https://quranonlineread.com/prayer-times/
- How prayer times are calculated: https://quranonlineread.com/learn/how-prayer-times-are-calculated/

## About this page

Clock times only. This site issues no rulings, including on when tahajjud may be prayed.
Published by: QuranOnline
Canonical page: https://quranonlineread.com/prayer-times/last-third-of-the-night/