Prayer Times in Los Angeles.

Calculation method used in Los Angeles

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) method is the standard across Greater Los Angeles. It uses a 15-degree angle for both Fajr and Isha, which is well-suited to this latitude and produces prayer times consistent with the city's major mosques. The Islamic Center of Southern California on Vermont Avenue, one of the oldest Islamic institutions in the country, uses this method, as does King Fahad Mosque in Culver City and the majority of masjids throughout the San Fernando Valley.

Asr timing in LA typically follows the standard Shafi calculation (shadow length equals object height plus the shadow at noon). Some mosques observe the Hanafi Asr method (shadow length equals twice the object height plus noon shadow), which delays Asr by roughly 45 to 90 minutes. FivePrayer lets you select either Asr rule in settings. A smaller number of Iranian-heritage mosques in West LA use the Tehran Institute of Geophysics method, with 17.7 degrees for Fajr.

Los Angeles Muslim community and mosques

The Muslim population of Greater Los Angeles is among the most ethnically varied in the United States. Arab communities are concentrated in Anaheim and the San Gabriel Valley. Persian and Iranian Muslims are prominent in West LA, Beverly Hills, and Westwood. The South Bay and Inglewood areas have strong Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Somali communities. African-American Muslims have deep roots in South Central through organisations connected to both the Nation of Islam and Sunni revivalist movements.

Major mosques and Islamic centres include the Islamic Center of Southern California (Koreatown), King Fahad Mosque (Culver City), Masjid Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (near USC), Masjid Bilal Islamic Center (South Central), Masjid Al-Rasool (North Hollywood), the Islamic Society of Orange County (Garden Grove), and the Islamic Institute of Orange County (Anaheim). Many of these offer daily congregational prayers, weekend Islamic school, and community iftar during Ramadan.

Qibla direction from Los Angeles

From central Los Angeles, the Qibla bearing toward the Kaaba in Mecca is approximately 23 degrees from true north, pointing almost due north-northeast. This surprises many newcomers who expect Mecca to be due east. The great-circle route from Southern California to Mecca arcs over northern Canada and the Arctic before reaching the Arabian Peninsula. FivePrayer's built-in compass calculates the exact bearing from your GPS coordinates and corrects for local magnetic declination.

Practical guidance for praying in Los Angeles

Commuting in a large city: LA's sprawl means long commutes. FivePrayer's pre-prayer alerts give you advance notice so you can plan to pray before entering gridlock. Many mosques in the Valley and South Bay offer convenient early Isha times for working families.

Jummah in central LA: King Fahad Mosque and Masjid Omar Ibn Al-Khattab both hold multiple Jummah khutbahs to accommodate large congregations. The Islamic Center of Southern California on Vermont Avenue is another popular Friday destination. Arrive early, especially during Ramadan.

Prayer facilities around the city: LAX has multi-faith prayer rooms in all terminals. UCLA, USC, and Cal State LA all maintain Muslim Student Association prayer rooms. The Beverly Center and Westfield Century City malls have quiet areas suitable for prayer.

Timezone and daylight saving: Los Angeles runs on Pacific Standard Time (PST, UTC-8) from November to March and Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC-7) from mid-March to early November. FivePrayer adjusts automatically on both iOS and Android, so you never miss a prayer during the clock change.

FAQ

What time is Fajr in Los Angeles?

Fajr varies by season. In December it falls around 5:50 AM; in June it moves to approximately 4:15 AM. FivePrayer gives you today's exact time based on your precise GPS location in the LA metro area.

Which calculation method is used in Los Angeles mosques?

Most Los Angeles mosques use the ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) method, with 15-degree angles for Fajr and Isha. FivePrayer defaults to ISNA for US locations and matches the schedule of the major LA mosques.

What is the Qibla direction from Los Angeles?

Approximately 23 degrees from true north, or almost due north-northeast. The great-circle route from LA to Mecca passes over northern Canada and the Arctic, so it points north rather than east. Use FivePrayer's compass for the exact bearing from your current location.

Which mosques are in the Los Angeles area?

The Islamic Center of Southern California (Koreatown) and King Fahad Mosque (Culver City) are two of the largest. Masjid Omar Ibn Al-Khattab near USC, Masjid Bilal in South Central, and the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove serve the diverse Muslim population of Greater LA.

What timezone do Los Angeles prayer times use?

Los Angeles is in the Pacific Time Zone: PST (UTC-8) in winter and PDT (UTC-7) during summer daylight saving time. FivePrayer detects your local timezone automatically and always shows the correct local time.