Qibla direction
Work out the precise direction of Mecca from anywhere in the world. Great-circle method — the standard adopted by every Muslim astronomical body.
What is the Qibla?
The Qibla (قبلة) is the direction of the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building at the heart of the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Every Muslim must face the Qibla during the five daily prayers, as commanded in the revelation:
“So turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque. And wherever you are, turn your faces toward it.”
— Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqara (2), verse 144
How the Qibla is calculated
Every Muslim astronomical authority (notably ISNA in North America and the Muslim World League) uses the great-circle bearing method to calculate the Qibla. It gives the shortest path across the surface of the Earth between your location and the Kaaba:
bearing = atan2( sin(Δλ) · cos(φ₂), cos(φ₁) · sin(φ₂) − sin(φ₁) · cos(φ₂) · cos(Δλ) )
Where φ₁, λ₁ are your latitude and longitude, φ₂ and λ₂ those of the Kaaba (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E), and Δλ = λ₂ − λ₁.
Qibla direction from major cities
| City | Angle | Direction | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 119.2° | South-East | 4,496 km |
| Marseille | 116.3° | South-East | 4,002 km |
| Lyon | 118.6° | South-East | 4,166 km |
| Lille | 121.7° | South-East | 4,552 km |
| Toulouse | 112.4° | East | 4,304 km |
| Bordeaux | 111.8° | East | 4,505 km |
| Strasbourg | 125.3° | South-East | 4,144 km |
| Brussels | 123.5° | South-East | 4,489 km |
| Geneva | 120.7° | South-East | 4,102 km |
| Montreal | 58.7° | North-East | 9,998 km |
What if you are unsure?
The classical scholars (Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn al-Qayyim, An-Nawawi) agree: if you made your best effort (ijtihad) to determine the Qibla, your prayer remains valid even if you later learn you were slightly off. This is the principle of the believer's certainty: Allah judges intention (niyya) and sincere effort, not technical precision.