I am an Omani student studying in Australia, but I don't know when I should pray. I want to ask you about pray times.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Muslim, who lives in a country where the sun rises and sets but the length of daylight may vary in summer and winter, has to divide the day in a way that allows him to pray the five Prayers at their prescribed fixed times regardless of the length of daylight hours. Allah Says (what means):

• {Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Quran of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.} [Quran 17:78]

• {Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.} [Quran 4:103]

Buraydah reported on the authority of his father that a man came to the Prophet and asked him about the times of the Prayer. Upon this, the Prophet said: “Pray with us these two, meaning two days. When the sun passed the meridian, the Prophet gave command to Bilal to proclaim the Athaan to Prayer, then he commanded him to pronounce the Iqamah for Thuhr Prayer. At the time of the ‘Asr Prayer, he again commanded him to call the Athaan and Iqamah for the ‘Asr Prayer when the sun was high, white and clear. He then commanded him to call the Athaan and then the Iqamah for the Maghrib Prayer when the sun had set. He then commanded him to call the Athaan, and then the Iqamah for ‘Ishaa’ Prayer when the twilight had disappeared. He then commanded him to call the Athaan, and then the Iqamah for the Fajr Prayer, when Fajr (dawn) had appeared. When it was the next day, he commanded him to delay the Thuhr Prayer till the extreme heat had passed and he did so, and he allowed it to be delayed till the extreme heat has passed. He observed the ‘Asr Prayer when the sun was high, delaying it beyond the time he had previously observed it. He observed the Maghrib Prayer before the twilight had vanished; he observed the ‘Ishaa’ Prayer when a third of the night had passed; and he observed the Fajr Prayer when there was clear daylight. The Prophet said: “Where is the man who inquired about the time of the prayer?” The inquirer said: “Messenger of Allah! Here I am. The Prophet said: “The time of your Prayer is within the limits of what you have seen.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The first day the Prophet performed the Prayers at the beginning of their fixed times. The next day he delayed them till just before the end of their time and then performed them and informed the inquirer that the time of the Prayers is whenever one wants between the two times. There are many more Ahadeeth specifying the times of the Prayers.

If you can find out the times of prayers as mentioned above it is better; otherwise, enquire of a knowledgeable person or the Muath-thin or Imam of a mosque in your area, or you may refer to a reliable calendar that presents the times of the Prayers, or you may even use a reliable program in this matter.

Allah knows best.