Prayer Times in Herat, Afghanistan

Praying in Herat

Herat, in western Afghanistan, is one of the great cities of the Silk Road — a 2,500-year-old oasis metropolis of around 600,000 people where Persian, Turkic and Afghan cultures have mingled since Alexander the Great. The Timurid dynasty made it a Renaissance city in the 15th century: the Great Mosque's turquoise tilework, the Musalla minarets, and the citadel (Qala Ikhtyaruddin) are monuments of an age when Herat rivalled Florence for art and learning.

The Jami Masjid of Herat — the Friday Mosque, founded in 1200 and tiled in Timurid blue — is among the most beautiful mosques in Central Asia; its courtyard at Friday prayers, filled with Heratis in traditional dress, is an unforgettable sight. The city's shrines, including the tomb of the poet Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, draw pilgrims from across the region. At 34.3°N on a high plateau, Herat has fierce seasons: summer Fajr near 3:30 AM with Maghrib past 7:30 PM, winter Fajr around 5:45 AM with freezing dawns and Maghrib near 5:10 PM. During Ramadan, Herat's old city — famous for its glasswork and saffron — hosts communal iftars, and the mosque courtyards fill for Taraweeh under the desert stars.

🧭 Qibla Direction from Herat

From Herat, Afghanistan, the Qibla points 242.6° clockwise from true north — facing west-southwest (WSW). This is the great-circle bearing computed from Herat's coordinates (34.3419°, 62.2031°) to the Kaaba in Mecca (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E).

242.6° WSW

Hold your phone flat with a compass app: turn until the needle points 242.6° clockwise from north. Keep metal objects away for an accurate reading.

Herat — key facts

City

Herat, Afghanistan

Coordinates

34.3419° N, 62.2031° E

Timezone

Asia/Kabul

Population

around 600,000 in the city

Notable mosque

Jami Masjid of Herat (Great Mosque, 1200, Timurid tilework)

Landmark

The Herat Citadel and the Musalla minarets

Qibla direction

242.6° (WSW, west-southwest)

Calculation method

Muslim World League (default; changeable above)

Hijri date today

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Calculation method & data source

Times on this page are computed by the Aladhan prayer-times API (free, no key required) for Herat's coordinates (34.3419, 62.2031), using the Muslim World League method (method 3) by default. You can switch to another convention — Karachi, ISNA, Egypt, Makkah, Turkey (Diyanet), Singapore and more — with the dropdown above; your choice is remembered on this device.

Published timetables and local mosques in Herat may differ by a few minutes because they sometimes apply their own adjustments or a different method. When in doubt, follow your local mosque.

FAQs — prayer times in Herat

Which direction is the Qibla from Herat?

From Herat, the Qibla is 242.6° clockwise from true north — facing west-southwest (WSW). It is computed as the great-circle bearing from Herat's coordinates (34.3419°, 62.2031°) to the Kaaba in Mecca (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E).

How old is the Great Mosque of Herat?

The Great Mosque of Herat was originally built by the Ghurids in 1200 and rebuilt under the Timurids in the 15th century — its courtyard is paved with some of the finest Timurid tilework in existence, in deep blues and turquoises. It has survived Mongol invasions, earthquakes and wars, and remains the spiritual heart of western Afghanistan.

What calculation method is used for Herat prayer times?

This page uses the Muslim World League method by default, computed via the free Aladhan API from Herat's coordinates. You can switch to Karachi, ISNA, Egypt, Makkah, Turkey (Diyanet) and other methods with the dropdown above — your choice is saved on your device.

Why do these times differ slightly from my local mosque in Herat?

Mosques sometimes apply their own adjustments — a different calculation method, added safety minutes, or a fixed timetable. A difference of a few minutes is normal; when in doubt, follow your local mosque in Herat.