Ramadan Prayer Times: Suhoor, Iftar, and Taraweeh Explained
During Ramadan, the five daily prayers stay the same, but the day is built around fasting from dawn to sunset. Two moments in the prayer timetable become especially important: Fajr, which marks the start of the fast, and Maghrib, which marks the end. Here is how it all fits together.
Suhoor and Fajr
Suhoor is the pre-dawn meal eaten before the fast begins. The fast starts at the beginning of Fajr (dawn), so suhoor must finish before the Fajr time. Many people stop eating a few minutes before Fajr to be safe. Because Fajr is calculated from your location, the suhoor cutoff shifts slightly each day and differs by city.
Iftar and Maghrib
Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast, eaten at Maghrib (sunset). The moment Maghrib time arrives, the fast is broken, traditionally with dates and water, followed by the Maghrib prayer and then the meal. On MosqueIndex, each mosque's Maghrib time is the iftar time for that location.
Taraweeh
Taraweeh are special nightly prayers offered in congregation during Ramadan, after the Isha prayer. They are not one of the five daily prayers, and their timing is set by each mosque, usually starting shortly after Isha. Because taraweeh is a mosque-by-mosque schedule, it is not calculated; check with your local mosque for its start time.
Finding taraweeh near you
Many people look for a mosque holding taraweeh nearby, especially when traveling during Ramadan. Use the directory to find mosques in your city, then confirm the taraweeh schedule directly with the mosque, since start times and whether the full night is offered vary.
A quick Ramadan checklist
- Read your local Fajr time for the suhoor cutoff.
- Read your local Maghrib time for iftar.
- Confirm taraweeh start times with the mosque.
- Remember that calculated times are estimates; the mosque's announced schedule is final.