Frequently Asked
Questions

Masjids.Live is a free service that plays the azan (call to prayer) and streams live mosque audio on your smart speakers. It works on Alexa, Google Nest, and 90+ devices.

You can use pre-recorded azan from 13+ reciters, live stream from 550+ mosques, or combine both — for example, a live stream for Fajr and a reciter for other prayers.

Yes, completely free. No subscriptions, no premium tiers, no ads. We accept optional donations to help cover server costs.

Most azan apps play audio on your phone. Masjids.Live plays on your smart speakers automatically at prayer time — no phone involved.

We also offer live mosque streaming (not just pre-recorded azan), 8 dimensions of customization per prayer (including duration limits and multi-device broadcast), and support for 90+ device models across 3 protocols.

No separate account needed. You connect your existing Amazon or Google account to link your smart speakers. We store your name and email for identification only — never shared with third parties.

Say "Alexa, enable Masjids Live" or visit our dashboard at masjids.live/dashboard. One-time setup, then the azan plays automatically every day at prayer time.

Check that:

1. The Masjids Live skill is enabled in your Alexa app
2. Your Echo is online and connected to WiFi
3. Do Not Disturb is turned off
4. Volume is turned up

If issues persist, visit /support and we'll help troubleshoot.

Yes. You can target different speakers for different prayers — for example, Fajr on your bedroom Echo and Dhuhr on the kitchen one. Each prayer can be routed independently.

Yes. Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, and Fire TV Edition smart TVs all support Masjids.Live via the Alexa skill platform.

Open masjids.live/dashboard in your browser. The app will discover Cast devices on your network automatically. Select your speaker and configure your prayer preferences.

Our cloud handles the scheduling, so once configured you don't need your phone nearby. However, initial Cast device discovery does require your phone to be on the same network as your speaker.

Yes. Nvidia Shield has Chromecast built-in, so it works natively via the Google Cast protocol — no extra setup required beyond the initial dashboard configuration.

We use established calculation methods (ISNA, MWL, Umm Al-Qura, and others) with automatic adjustments for Daylight Saving Time and your location. Times update daily on the server — no manual routines that can break.

Yes. Each prayer can be offset by minutes earlier or later from the calculated time. This is useful for local mosque adjustments or personal preference.

We support: ISNA, MWL (Muslim World League), Umm Al-Qura (Mecca), Egyptian, Karachi, Tehran, Gulf, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore, UOIF (France), Diyanet (Turkey), Moonsighting Committee, and more. If your preferred method isn't listed, contact us.

Instead of a pre-recorded azan, you hear the actual live audio from a real mosque — the real imam, real adhan, real khutbah. It plays on your smart speaker at prayer time, just as if you were there.

550+ mosques worldwide and growing. You can also submit your mosque to be added to the directory.

You can set a fallback for each prayer: play a pre-recorded azan, skip entirely, or just receive a notification. The fallback is configured per-prayer in your dashboard.

Check these in order:

1. Skill enabled? Open Alexa app → Skills → search "Masjids Live" → confirm it says "Disable Skill" (meaning it's enabled)
2. Volume up? Say "Alexa, volume 5" to rule out muted speakers
3. Do Not Disturb off? Alexa app → Devices → your Echo → Do Not Disturb → Off
4. WiFi connected? Say "Alexa, are you connected?" — if she responds, WiFi is fine
5. Dashboard configured? Visit masjids.live/dashboard and confirm your mosque/reciter is selected

If all checks pass and it still doesn't play, try disabling and re-enabling the skill, then reconfigure from the dashboard.

This means Alexa can't find or launch the skill. Try:

1. Say "Alexa, open Masjids Live" (not "Masjid Live" or "Masjids dot Live")
2. If that fails, open the Alexa web portal and search for the skill manually
3. Disable the skill, wait 30 seconds, then re-enable it
4. Check your Alexa app is set to the correct region (the skill is available globally)

Masjids.Live uses the AudioPlayer API which has no time limit. If azan is getting cut off, it's likely:

1. An Alexa Routine is interfering — check your Routines and remove any that trigger audio at prayer time
2. Another skill or alarm is interrupting — check scheduled alarms/timers
3. WiFi drop — if streaming live mosque audio, a WiFi disconnect will stop playback

If you're using another azan skill that uses SSML, that has a hard 240-second limit. Masjids.Live does not have this limitation.

Echo Show devices display a media player screen during azan playback via AudioPlayer. This is normal Alexa behavior — the screen shows the audio source and playback controls.

If you see a different screen or the azan plays without the media UI, the audio may be coming from a different source (e.g., an Alexa Routine). Check your dashboard and verify Masjids.Live is the configured source.

Check these in order:

1. Same WiFi? Your phone and Nest speaker must be on the same network for initial discovery
2. Cast device selected? Open masjids.live/dashboard and confirm your Cast device is selected in settings
3. Speaker online? Open Google Home app and check your speaker's status
4. Browser supports Cast? Use Chrome or Edge — Safari and Firefox don't support the Cast SDK
5. Firewall/VPN? Some VPNs and firewalls block Cast discovery. Try disabling temporarily

After initial setup, the cloud handles scheduling — your phone doesn't need to stay connected.

If your speaker activates (you see the LED light up) but produces no sound:

1. Volume — say "Hey Google, volume 6" or adjust in Google Home app
2. Stream offline — if you selected a live mosque stream, that mosque may be offline. The dashboard shows LIVE/OFFLINE status
3. Audio format — some older Chromecast devices have issues with certain audio formats. Try switching to a different reciter in the dashboard

The Cast button requires:

1. Chrome or Edge browser — Cast SDK doesn't work on Safari, Firefox, or Brave
2. HTTPS connection — Cast requires a secure connection (our site always uses HTTPS)
3. Cast device on same network — the browser must see your speaker on the local network
4. No ad blockers — some extensions block the Cast SDK scripts. Try incognito mode

On mobile, the Cast button works in Chrome for Android. On iOS, Cast works through the Google Home app integration.

Nvidia Shield has Chromecast built-in, so it works via the Google Cast protocol:

1. Open masjids.live/dashboard in Chrome on your phone or computer
2. Click the Cast button — your Shield will appear as a Cast device
3. Select it and configure your prayer preferences
4. Done — azan will cast to your Shield (and play through your TV/soundbar)

Note: The Shield will wake your TV when the azan plays. If you prefer audio-only, consider a Nest Mini for that room instead.

Fire TV devices will turn on the TV screen when the azan plays because Alexa's AudioPlayer activates the display. This is normal Fire TV behavior.

Workarounds:

1. Use an Echo Dot or Echo Pop in that room instead (audio-only, screen stays off)
2. Set your TV to auto-sleep after a short period
3. If you have a Fire TV Cube, you can use it as an audio-only device by turning off HDMI-CEC in settings

Bluetooth playback works through our web app on your phone/tablet. Unlike Alexa and Google Cast, it requires your phone to be connected:

1. Phone Bluetooth on? Make sure Bluetooth is enabled and paired with your speaker
2. Web app open? The PWA must be running (can be in background) for scheduled playback
3. Phone not in Do Not Disturb? DND can silence audio output on some phones
4. Battery saver? Battery optimization can kill background apps — exclude the Masjids.Live PWA

For the most reliable experience, we recommend Alexa or Google Cast devices since they don't require your phone to be connected.

Sonos speakers with Alexa support (Sonos One, Era, Move, Beam, Arc) work through the Alexa skill:

1. Enable Alexa on your Sonos speaker via the Sonos app
2. Enable the Masjids Live skill in the Alexa app
3. Configure your preferences on the dashboard
4. The azan plays through your Sonos at prayer time via Alexa

Sonos speakers without Alexa (e.g., older Play:1) can still receive audio via Bluetooth from your phone running the web app.

Yes, depending on your TV:

Samsung Smart TV: If it has Alexa built-in, works via the Alexa skill. If it has Chromecast built-in, works via Cast.
LG webOS: Works via Chromecast built-in (Cast protocol).
Sony Android TV / Google TV: Works via Chromecast built-in.
Toshiba Fire TV Edition: Works via the Alexa skill.

Note: TVs will turn on their display when the azan plays. For audio-only, use a dedicated speaker like Echo Dot or Nest Mini.

Prayer times depend on your location and calculation method:

1. Check your location — visit the dashboard and confirm your city is set correctly
2. Check calculation method — different methods (ISNA, MWL, Umm Al-Qura) give different times. Choose the one your local mosque uses
3. DST adjustment — our server handles Daylight Saving Time automatically. If times shifted by exactly 1 hour, clear your browser cache and reload
4. High latitude — if you're above 48°N, some calculation methods may produce unusual times. Try the Moonsighting Committee or ISNA method

Live streams depend on both our servers and the mosque's stream source:

1. Check the mosque status — if it shows "OFFLINE" in the dashboard, the mosque's stream is down (not our side)
2. Your internet speed — live streams need a stable connection. Try switching to 5GHz WiFi
3. Set a fallback — in your dashboard, set a pre-recorded reciter as fallback. If the live stream fails, the fallback plays instead
4. Peak times — streams may be slower during Jumu'ah when many people connect. This is rare but possible

When you connect your Amazon or Google account, we store your name, email, device IDs, and your preferences (mosque, reciter, prayer settings). This data is used solely to operate your azan service and is never shared with third parties. See our full privacy policy for details.

The project is not open source, but our privacy practices are fully transparent. You can review our full privacy policy for complete details on what we store and why.