Above 400M? Your Buka Puasa Time Is Not The Same As Your Friends At Ground Level

Muslims who are breaking fast on the 76th floor and above at the Peronas Twin Towers can only do so three minutes after the Maghrib call to prayer.

Muslim prayer times could vary depending on various factors, and among them is a person’s position in latitude, and even altitude.

KLCC recently issued a notice following a letter from the Federal Territories mufti office, (Prime Minister’s Department) dated 26 February, 2025, to inform Petronas Twin Towers tenants of revised prayer times.

According to the letter, the Federal Territories Sharia Law Consultation Committee concluded in a meeting that the prayer times for buildings taller than 400 meters will be as follows:

Maghrib: 3 minutes after Azan (call to prayer).
Syuruk (Sunrise): 3 minutes earlier.

The notice also informed that other prayer times will remain the same, and that the changes only affects the 76th floor and above beginning from the first day of Ramadan.

How are Muslim prayer times determined?

Muslim prayer times are determined based on the position of the sun in the sky. The five daily prayers (solat) follow specific timings that are calculated using astronomical principles.

In fact, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, which is 828 meters tall and boasts 163 floors, has three prayer time zones based on the building’s levels.

According to a research paper titled ‘Diversity Of Time Zones At Burj Khalifa In Performing Prayers And Fasting In Skyscrapers’ by authors from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the Burj Khalifa prayer times are:

• Zone 1: Levels 1–80
• Zone 2: Levels 81–150
• Zone 3: Levels above 150

The exact prayer times for Muslims vary daily based on geographical location, season, and calculation method, and since we have technology in our hands now, many Muslims use prayer apps, calendars, or mosque announcements to keep track of prayer times.

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