Columbus Prayer Times
Columbus, OH · Eastern Time · ISNA method
Columbus, OH
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Ohio's Muslim Hub
Columbus is home to one of the most diverse Muslim communities in the Midwest, anchored by Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin — among the largest mosques in the United States. The city's Somali population is the largest in Ohio, concentrated along Morse Road on the north side. Ohio State University hosts one of the largest Muslim Students Associations in the country. Columbus's Muslim community spans Somali, South Asian, Arab, African American, Afghan, and convert communities — a breadth that reflects the city's rise as one of America's fastest-growing metros.
Qibla from Columbus
52° NE
Face northeast toward the North Atlantic route to Mecca. GPS Qibla compass →
Columbus Muslim Communities
🕌 Noor Islamic Cultural Center — A Mosque Built for Thousands
Noor Islamic Cultural Center (NICC) in Dublin, Ohio opened in 2010 as one of the largest Islamic facilities in the United States. Built on 14 acres through nearly two decades of community fundraising, the center features a main prayer hall accommodating several thousand worshippers, Al-Nur Academy (K–12 Islamic school serving hundreds of students), community event halls, athletic and recreational facilities, and a social services wing providing food pantry, ESL classes, and immigration legal aid. Noor's architecture reflects its multicultural mission — Somali, South Asian, Arab, African American, and convert communities worship under one roof with Jumu'ah khutbahs in Arabic and English.
Eid prayers at Noor draw tens of thousands from across central Ohio, with overflow accommodated at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and nearby arenas. The mosque has also become a civic anchor: its social services wing serves Columbus residents regardless of faith, and Noor has engaged city and state government on issues from refugee resettlement to civil liberties. Noor's success reflects the ambition and organizational capacity of Columbus's Muslim community — a community that built one of America's most impressive mosques in a city better known for football than minarets.
🌍 Somali Columbus — Morse Road & the North Side
Columbus's Somali community is the largest in Ohio and ranks among the largest in the United States — estimated at 45,000–70,000 across the metropolitan area. Concentrated along Morse Road and Karl Road on the north side, the community has built a vibrant East African commercial corridor: Somali halal restaurants, butcher shops, qaaxo (community tea houses), Somali-language bookshops, and remittance services define the area sometimes called "Little Mogadishu." Somali refugee resettlement in Columbus began in the early 1990s through federal programs and accelerated dramatically through the 2000s, with secondary migration from other US cities attracted by Columbus's affordability and established networks.
The community has produced city council members, state legislators, and prominent professionals across medicine, law, education, and technology. Second and third-generation Somali Columbusites maintain strong Islamic identity while integrating into Ohio civic and professional life. Multiple Somali-run mosques — including Abubakar As-Siddiq Islamic Center — offer Jumu'ah in Somali alongside Arabic. Columbus has also received Afghan refugees post-2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, adding a newer community layer to the city's already-diverse Muslim landscape.
🎓 Ohio State University Muslim Students
Ohio State University, with over 60,000 students on its Columbus campus, hosts one of the largest Muslim Students Associations in the country. OSU MSA leads weekly Jumu'ah prayers in the Ohio Union, Ramadan iftars drawing hundreds, Islamic Awareness Week, and halaqas throughout the academic year. The Interfaith House provides a dedicated prayer space. The OSU Muslim community is genuinely international — students from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Somalia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and across the Muslim world study and conduct research at Ohio State, creating a microcosm of global Islam on Columbus's west side.
Muslim faculty and graduate researchers are present across every college — from the Wexner Medical Center to the Moritz College of Law to engineering and the sciences. The University District and Short North neighborhoods adjacent to OSU have halal restaurants, Middle Eastern grocery stores, and Muslim-owned businesses. Columbus State Community College and Franklin University also have Muslim student communities. The broader South Asian and Arab professional Muslim population in Columbus — drawn by healthcare systems, technology companies, and state government — connects to and supplements the university Muslim community throughout the city.
✊ African American Muslim Legacy
Columbus has a significant African American Muslim population with deep roots in both the Nation of Islam and the Sunni tradition of Imam Warith Deen Mohammed. Following the transition of NOI membership to mainstream Sunni Islam in the mid-1970s, African American Muslim mosques across Columbus's east and south sides built congregations that have served the community for decades. These mosques — including Masjid Omar Ibn El-Khattab and others — provide not only religious services but community support networks, youth mentorship, Quranic education, and economic empowerment programming.
Columbus's African American Muslim community intersects with the city's civil rights and social justice history. Muslim-owned businesses, community schools operating within mosque complexes, and organizations working on prisoner reentry, affordable housing, and entrepreneurship reflect the holistic Islamic commitment to community wellbeing. Many African American Muslims in Columbus serve as bridges between immigrant and indigenous Muslim communities — playing a connecting and stabilizing role in a diverse Muslim landscape that spans five continents of origin.
Columbus Prayer Times by Month
39.96°N · ISNA method · Eastern Time (EST Nov–Mar / EDT Mar–Nov)
| Month | Fajr | Dhuhr | Asr | Maghrib | Isha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:22 AM | 12:15 PM | 2:58 PM | 5:02 PM | 6:28 PM |
| February | 6:02 AM | 12:17 PM | 3:30 PM | 5:37 PM | 7:03 PM |
| March | 5:24 AM | 12:12 PM | 4:02 PM | 7:06 PM | 8:32 PM |
| April | 4:44 AM | 12:04 PM | 4:31 PM | 7:40 PM | 9:06 PM |
| May | 4:14 AM | 11:57 AM | 4:53 PM | 8:10 PM | 9:40 PM |
| June | 4:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 5:07 PM | 8:30 PM | 10:04 PM |
| July | 4:13 AM | 12:08 PM | 5:04 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:56 PM |
| August | 4:46 AM | 12:04 PM | 4:48 PM | 7:57 PM | 9:21 PM |
| September | 5:22 AM | 11:49 AM | 4:19 PM | 7:16 PM | 8:38 PM |
| October | 5:57 AM | 11:37 AM | 3:48 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:58 PM |
| November | 5:40 AM | 11:42 AM | 3:06 PM | 5:10 PM | 6:34 PM |
| December | 6:10 AM | 12:00 PM | 2:53 PM | 4:53 PM | 6:17 PM |
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Fajr in Columbus OH today?▼
Fajr in Columbus ranges from about 4:00 AM in late June to 6:22 AM in December. At 39.96°N on Eastern Time, Columbus shares a similar schedule to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Times are calculated using ISNA method (15° solar depression), which Noor Islamic Cultural Center and most Columbus-area mosques follow. Suburban locations in Dublin, Westerville, Gahanna, and Hilliard vary by ±2 minutes.
What is Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin Ohio?▼
Noor Islamic Cultural Center (NICC) in Dublin, Ohio is one of the largest mosques in the United States, capable of accommodating thousands of worshippers. Opened in 2010 after nearly two decades of planning and fundraising by the Columbus Muslim community, Noor features a large prayer hall, Al-Nur Academy (K–12 Islamic school serving hundreds of students), community center with athletic facilities, and a social services wing providing food pantry, ESL classes, and immigration legal aid. Noor's Eid prayers draw tens of thousands from across central Ohio, requiring overflow at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and nearby venues. The mosque serves Somali, South Asian, Arab, African American, and convert communities under one roof.
Where is the Somali community in Columbus Ohio?▼
Columbus has the largest Somali community in Ohio — estimated at 45,000 to 70,000 across the metro — and one of the largest in the United States. The community is concentrated on the north side: Morse Road, North High Street, and Karl Road corridors are lined with Somali halal restaurants, grocery stores, money transfer shops, and clothing boutiques — an area sometimes called 'Little Mogadishu.' Somali refugee resettlement began in the early 1990s and accelerated through the 2000s. The community has produced city council members, state legislators, and prominent professionals. Second and third-generation Somali Columbusites enter law, medicine, technology, and public service while maintaining strong Islamic identity.
Is there a Muslim community at Ohio State University?▼
Yes — the Ohio State University Muslim Students Association (OSU MSA) is one of the largest MSAs in the country, reflecting OSU's enrollment of over 60,000. OSU MSA hosts weekly Jumu'ah prayers in the Ohio Union, Ramadan iftars drawing hundreds, Islamic Awareness Week, and halaqas throughout the academic year. The Interfaith House provides a dedicated prayer space. Muslim students come from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Somalia, Indonesia, and across the Muslim world, making OSU's Muslim community genuinely international. The Short North and University District neighborhoods have halal restaurants and Middle Eastern groceries serving the campus.
What direction is Qibla from Columbus Ohio?▼
From Columbus, the Qibla points approximately 54–55° from true north — northeast. The great-circle route crosses the North Atlantic, passes over Europe and Turkey, and descends into the Arabian Peninsula. Columbus mosques orient prayer halls to the northeast. Use our GPS Qibla compass at prayertimesnearme.com/qibla for an exact bearing from your location in Columbus or suburbs like Dublin, Westerville, Gahanna, Hilliard, or Reynoldsburg.