How it works
Facing the Qibla (the direction of the Sacred Mosque and the Kaaba in Makkah) is a prerequisite for the validity of Islamic prayer. Because the Earth is an oblate sphere rather than a flat map, the shortest line to Makkah follows a Great Circle arc rather than a straight rhumb line on a flat Mercator map. This astronomical calculator computes the exact initial bearing (azimuth) in degrees from True North, the 8-point compass direction, and the great-circle distance in kilometers.
Reference Table: Qibla Bearing & Distance to Makkah for Major Cities
The table below lists the clockwise angle from True North (0°), the general compass quadrant, and the direct geodesic distance to the Kaaba:
| City | Qibla Angle from North | Compass Direction | Distance to the Kaaba |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo (Egypt) | 136.19° | Southeast (SE) | 1,283 km |
| Alexandria (Egypt) | 135.53° | Southeast (SE) | 1,465 km |
| Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) | 243.92° | Southwest (SW) | 791 km |
| Dammam (Saudi Arabia) | 246.30° | West-Southwest (SW) | 1,196 km |
| Madinah (Saudi Arabia) | 176.94° | Almost Due South (S) | 339 km |
| Dubai (UAE) | 258.42° | West-Southwest (W) | 1,613 km |
| Kuwait City (Kuwait) | 224.85° | Southwest (SW) | 1,203 km |
| Amman (Jordan) | 160.69° | South-Southeast (SE) | 1,231 km |
| Rabat (Morocco) | 94.64° | Almost Due East (E) | 4,757 km |
| London (United Kingdom) | 118.99° | East-Southeast (SE) | 4,794 km |
| New York (United States) | 58.48° | Northeast (NE) | 10,306 km |
Spherical Trigonometry Formula for Qibla Azimuth
Given your location’s latitude φ1 and longitude λ1, the Kaaba’s coordinates φ2 = 21.4225° N and λ2 = 39.8262° E, and the longitude difference Δλ = λ2 − λ1, the initial bearing θ is computed by:
tan(θ) = sin(Δλ) ÷ [ cos(φ1)·tan(φ2) − sin(φ1)·cos(Δλ) ]
- In Cairo, the Qibla bearing is 136.19°. Hold your compass flat away from metal objects, align the needle with North (0°), and turn clockwise to 136° (halfway between East 90° and South 180°).
- In London, the Qibla bearing is 118.99° (about 29° south of due East), at a direct distance of 4,794 km from the Kaaba.
Why Is the Qibla in North America Toward the Northeast (58.5°)?
Many travelers in New York, Toronto, or Chicago are surprised that the astronomical Qibla points Northeast (~58°) even though Makkah is at a lower latitude on a flat wall map. On a 3D globe, the shortest flight path (Great Circle) from New York to Makkah curves northeastward over the North Atlantic and Europe before descending toward the Arabian Peninsula.
Check the five daily prayer times for your city in the /en/prayer-times-calculator, view today’s Hijri calendar date on /en/todays-date, and convert any date between calendars using the /en/hijri-converter.