Three entries, three purposes
A calculated prayer start describes the opening of a prayer period under the selected method. Adhan is the call to prayer associated with that start. Iqamah announces the congregation about to begin, and a mosque may schedule that congregation later.
A column labelled “begins” and another labelled “jama‘ah” therefore answer different questions. The first helps you identify the adopted start; the second tells you when that mosque's congregation is scheduled. SalahTable calculates starts and does not publish a mosque's live iqamah schedule.
Examples from publishers
East London Mosque's timetable separates “Begins” and “Jamā‘ah” columns and explains its Friday entry. Masjid Manhattan's website also separates its daily Salat table from its Iqamah instructions. Their formats illustrate why comparing different columns can give a misleading impression of calculation error. Check the current publisher page before attending.
A worked reading example
If a hypothetical table says “Dhuhr begins 12:10” and “Dhuhr congregation 1:15”, the 65-minute gap is a schedule difference. It does not establish that either calculation is 65 minutes wrong. These are illustrative values, not today's timetable for a particular mosque.
Friday is a separate schedule
Do not assume a calculated Dhuhr start is the time of a Friday khutbah or a particular Jumu‘ah congregation. A mosque may publish more than one service. Use its own announcement and distinguish the sermon time from the congregation time.
When comparing an app with a mosque
- Match the local date and location.
- Compare the app's start with the mosque's start column.
- Check the calculation method and Asr convention.
- Read the mosque's separate congregation instructions.
Our dated comparisons identify the source and sampled prayer starts. The app-versus-mosque guide covers remaining differences. For religious questions about an individual prayer, consult a qualified teacher.