How to find the Qibla
The Qibla is the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca. Muslims everywhere face it in prayer, which unites them in one direction.
1. Use your phone
Open our Qibla finder on your phone, choose your location, and tap Start live compass. Hold the phone flat and turn until the screen turns green.
2. Use a regular compass
The Qibla page shows a number of degrees, for example 119° in London. Hold a compass flat, turn until the needle points to North (0°), then turn clockwise until you reach that number.
3. Use the sun
Twice a year, the sun is directly above the Kaaba:
- around 27–28 May at 12:18 Mecca time (09:18 GMT)
- around 15–16 July at 12:27 Mecca time (09:27 GMT)
At that moment, anywhere the sun is visible, the Qibla is toward the sun. A stick standing straight up will cast a shadow pointing directly away from the Qibla.
4. Ask locally
Mosques, Muslim neighbours, and many hotels in Muslim countries mark the Qibla. Some hotel rooms have a small arrow on the ceiling or in a drawer.
Why is it not a straight line on a map?
The Earth is round, so the shortest path to Mecca is a curve on a flat map. That is why the Qibla from North America is north-east, not south-east as a flat map might suggest. Our tool uses this shortest (great-circle) direction.
Don’t worry about small errors. If you do your honest best to find the Qibla and it turns out you were slightly off, scholars agree your prayer is valid. On a moving train, plane or ship, face the Qibla when you begin if you can, and do not worry if the vehicle turns.