Namaz TimesQibla direction
How the Qibla direction is worked out from your city, what a bearing in degrees means, how to find it with a compass or the sun, and common mistakes.
The Qibla is the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah, which Muslims face in prayer. From any place on Earth it is the direction of the shortest path (the great circle) to the Kaaba, which lies at about 21.4225° north, 39.8262° east.
What the number means
The Qibla is given as a bearing: an angle measured clockwise from true north. North is 0°, east 90°, south 180°, west 270°. From most of India the Qibla is a little north of west, about 265° to 285°; from the west of Europe it is south-east; from the Americas it is north-east; from East Asia it is west-north-west. Every city page of this site shows the bearing and the distance to the Kaaba for that city.
Finding it with a compass
A magnetic compass points to magnetic north, which is not true north. The difference, called declination, can be from nearly zero to over 20 degrees depending on where you are and the year. Look up the declination for your city, then add or subtract it as the compass or the map instructs. Keep the compass away from iron, magnets and phones when you read it.
Finding it with the sun
Twice a year, around 27 or 28 May and 15 or 16 July, the sun is exactly overhead the Kaaba at midday in Makkah, which is a moment when the shadow of any upright pole in the daylight half of the world points directly away from the Kaaba. The exact times are published each year by astronomers; check an observatory or a local mosque for the minute.
Common mistakes
- Using a straight line on a flat map. On a world map the straight line is not the shortest path; use the bearing.
- Trusting a phone compass that has not been calibrated, or reading it indoors next to metal.
- Believing the Qibla for a city in the Americas is east because Makkah looks east on the map. The shortest path goes over the north.
When in doubt, your local mosque has a mark for the Qibla; follow it. See the list of cities for the bearing at your place.
This page explains general practice in plain words. It is not a religious ruling. Schools of thought and local communities differ in details; for your own practice, ask a trusted teacher or your local mosque.
Questions people ask
Is the Qibla the same as west in India?
It is close to west but not exactly: usually between about 265 and 285 degrees.
Which is more accurate, a phone app or this page?
The bearing here is the exact great-circle calculation. The weak point is always the compass, not the calculation.