Iftar is the meal that breaks the daily fast in Ramadan. Iftar TIME is the moment the fast ends — at Maghrib, when the sun's upper edge disappears below the horizon. The Sunnah is to break the fast immediately at Maghrib, traditionally with dates and water, then pray Maghrib, then eat a fuller meal.

How is Iftar time calculated?

Iftar time = Maghrib time = the apparent sunset for your exact location. Calculation accounts for: (1) atmospheric refraction (~34 arcminutes — the sun appears slightly above its true geometric position), (2) the angular size of the sun (~16 arcminutes — we use the upper edge, not the center), and (3) your elevation above sea level. Standard apps use a sun depression of 0.833° below horizon as the practical definition of sunset.

Why does Iftar time differ between cities even on the same day?

Because sunset depends on latitude, longitude, and time of year. Cities further west have later sunsets (the sun moves east-to-west). Cities at higher latitudes have dramatically different summer/winter sunset times. Even within one metro area, suburbs east of the city center see sunset 1–2 minutes earlier than western suburbs.

Do Shia Muslims break fast at the same time as Sunnis?

Slightly later. Most Shia scholars require waiting until the sun is fully 4.5° below the horizon — confirming true sunset rather than just the disappearance of the disk. This delays Iftar by about 12–15 minutes after Sunni Maghrib. The reasoning is to ensure the entire daylight period has clearly ended before breaking the fast.

What do you say when breaking your fast?

The recommended dua is: 'Allahumma laka sumtu wa ʿalā rizqika aftartu' — 'O Allah, for You I fasted, and with Your provision I break my fast.' Also narrated: 'Dhahaba aẓ-ẓamaʾu wabtallat-il-ʿurūqu wa thabata-l-ajru in shāʾ Allāh' — 'Thirst is gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is established if Allah wills.' Both are authentic. Begin with 'Bismillah' and traditionally eat an odd number of dates and drink water before the main meal.

Can I eat while the Adhan for Maghrib is being called?

Yes. The fast ends at Maghrib itself (sunset), which is the START of the Adhan, not the end. As soon as the muezzin says 'Allahu Akbar' (or the prayer time app shows Maghrib), you may break your fast — even before he finishes the Adhan. Many Muslims drink water during the Adhan and start eating dates immediately. Praying Maghrib comes AFTER the initial break, not before.

Iftar Time Today: How Sunset Is Calculated and Why It Varies

Iftar is the moment that 1.8 billion Muslims wait for every evening of Ramadan — the breaking of the fast at sunset. Unlike Fajr and Isha (which depend on scholarly interpretation of twilight angles), Iftar time is anchored to a single observable astronomical event: the sun's upper edge dipping below the horizon at your exact location. But even this "simple" definition involves atmospheric refraction, sun size, elevation correction, and a centuries-old Sunni–Shia difference of opinion. This guide unpacks all of it.

What is Iftar?

Iftar (إفطار) is the meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan. The fast begins at Imsak (just before Fajr) and ends at Maghrib — the call to the sunset prayer. Iftar time IS Maghrib time. They are the same moment.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "People will continue to be in good as long as they hasten to break the fast." (Bukhari 1957, Muslim 1098). The Sunnah is to break the fast immediately when Maghrib is called — not delay it. Then pray Maghrib, then continue with the larger meal.

How Iftar time is calculated

The naive definition — "when the sun is at the horizon" — is correct in spirit but wrong in practice. Three corrections matter:

1. Atmospheric refraction

Earth's atmosphere bends light. When the sun appears to be at the horizon, its true geometric position is actually about 34 arcminutes (≈0.57°) below the horizon. By the time you can no longer see it, the sun has already physically set. This is why standards include refraction in the calculation.

2. Angular size of the sun

The sun's disk is about 32 arcminutes wide. Sunset is defined as when the upper limb(top edge) disappears — not the center. That's another 16 arcminutes earlier than the center crossing.

3. Practical convention

Combining refraction (~34') and upper-limb (~16'), the practical convention is: the sun's geometric center is 0.833° below the horizon. This is the sunset angle used by NOAA, USNO, the adhan.js library, and every major Islamic prayer time app.

4. Elevation correction (optional)

If you're on top of a mountain or skyscraper, the horizon is geometrically lower than it would be at sea level — so you see the sun for longer. Some apps add an elevation correction. For most people at urban altitudes this is <1 minute and usually ignored. For high-altitude cities like Bogotá (8,600 ft) or Aspen, it can shift Iftar by 2–3 minutes.

Sunni vs Shia: a 12-minute difference

Sunni jurisprudence accepts Maghrib at sunset (the 0.833° definition above). Most Shia scholars require waiting until the sun is fully 4.5° below the horizon — to ensure the entire daylight period has clearly ended. In practice this means Shia Iftar is roughly 12–15 minutes later than Sunni Iftar in temperate latitudes.

The two communities pray Maghrib at different moments accordingly. This is the most visible practical difference between Sunni and Shia daily worship, and during Ramadan it shows up at every Iftar.

Why Iftar time differs city-to-city

On any given day in Ramadan, the global Iftar time spans roughly 24 hours — because sunset rolls around the planet from east to west. But even within one country or metro area, differences add up:

Longitude: The sun moves at 4 minutes per degree of longitude. San Francisco (122°W) breaks fast ~12 minutes later than Las Vegas (115°W), even though both are in the same time zone in summer.
Latitude:Higher latitudes have more dramatic summer/winter variation. London's Iftar varies from 3:55 PM (Dec 21) to 9:21 PM (Jun 21) — a 5.5-hour swing. Mecca varies only ~1 hour year-round.
Within a metro: Eastern suburbs see sunset 1–2 minutes before western suburbs. New York City alone has a ~2-minute east-to-west spread between eastern Queens and western Manhattan.

The Sunnah of breaking the fast

The sequence taught by the Prophet ﷺ:

The moment Maghrib is called — drink a few sips of water and eat an odd number of dates (3, 5, or 7 is traditional). Say "Bismillah" first.
Recite the Iftar dua: "Allahumma laka sumtu wa ʿalā rizqika aftartu"— "O Allah, for You I fasted, and with Your provision I break my fast."
Pray Maghribimmediately (it's a short 3-rak'ah prayer).
Then eat the full meal. Iftar is a celebrated communal time — extended family, friends, and mosque iftars are all part of the tradition.
Pray Isha + Tarawih after Iftar (and a short rest).

Aisha (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ would break his fast with fresh dates before praying. If fresh dates weren't available, dried dates. If those weren't available, water (Tirmidhi 696, classed sahih).

Get your exact Iftar time

For your live Iftar time today, use the Ramadan 2026 Live Tool (auto-detects your location and shows Iftar + Suhoor with countdown) or check prayer times for your specific city. Maghrib on any city page IS your Iftar time.

Frequently asked questions

What is Iftar time?: Iftar is the meal that breaks the daily fast in Ramadan. Iftar TIME is the moment the fast ends — at Maghrib, when the sun's upper edge disappears below the horizon. The Sunnah is to break the fast immediately at Maghrib, traditionally with dates and water, then pray Maghrib, then eat a fuller meal.
How is Iftar time calculated?: Iftar time = Maghrib time = the apparent sunset for your exact location. Calculation accounts for: (1) atmospheric refraction (~34 arcminutes — the sun appears slightly above its true geometric position), (2) the angular size of the sun (~16 arcminutes — we use the upper edge, not the center), and (3) your elevation above sea level. Standard apps use a sun depression of 0.833° below horizon as the practical definition of sunset.
Why does Iftar time differ between cities even on the same day?: Because sunset depends on latitude, longitude, and time of year. Cities further west have later sunsets (the sun moves east-to-west). Cities at higher latitudes have dramatically different summer/winter sunset times. Even within one metro area, suburbs east of the city center see sunset 1–2 minutes earlier than western suburbs.
Do Shia Muslims break fast at the same time as Sunnis?: Slightly later. Most Shia scholars require waiting until the sun is fully 4.5° below the horizon — confirming true sunset rather than just the disappearance of the disk. This delays Iftar by about 12–15 minutes after Sunni Maghrib. The reasoning is to ensure the entire daylight period has clearly ended before breaking the fast.
What do you say when breaking your fast?: The recommended dua is: 'Allahumma laka sumtu wa ʿalā rizqika aftartu' — 'O Allah, for You I fasted, and with Your provision I break my fast.' Also narrated: 'Dhahaba aẓ-ẓamaʾu wabtallat-il-ʿurūqu wa thabata-l-ajru in shāʾ Allāh' — 'Thirst is gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is established if Allah wills.' Both are authentic. Begin with 'Bismillah' and traditionally eat an odd number of dates and drink water before the main meal.
Can I eat while the Adhan for Maghrib is being called?: Yes. The fast ends at Maghrib itself (sunset), which is the START of the Adhan, not the end. As soon as the muezzin says 'Allahu Akbar' (or the prayer time app shows Maghrib), you may break your fast — even before he finishes the Adhan. Many Muslims drink water during the Adhan and start eating dates immediately. Praying Maghrib comes AFTER the initial break, not before.