Qibla finder, the direction of the Kaaba from you

The qibla is the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah, which Muslims face in every prayer. Allah says: "So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you are, turn your faces toward it."¹

The shortest route over the globe

The direction is the start of the shortest path over the curved Earth from you to the Kaaba, called a great circle. On a flat map this path looks curved. That is why the qibla from New York is northeast, about 58°, even though Makkah is south of New York on most maps. The shortest route crosses the Atlantic towards Europe and then bends down to Arabia.

True north and magnetic north

The degrees are measured from true north, the direction of the North Pole. A compass needle points to magnetic north, which can be many degrees away. In New York it is about 12° west of true north, and in London about 1° east. This tool takes that difference, the magnetic declination, from the World Magnetic Model 2025 for your exact spot, and shows the bearing to use with an ordinary compass.

How to calibrate your phone's compass

• Move away from metal, magnets, speakers and laptop cases.
• Hold the phone flat and wave it slowly in a figure 8 a few times.
• On Android, check Google Maps: if it asks you to calibrate, follow its steps.
• On iPhone, turn on Settings, Privacy and Security, Location Services, System Services, Compass Calibration.

Qibla finder not working?

• iPhone and iPad: Safari asks for permission to use Motion and Orientation when you press Start. If you said no, close the tab and open it again, or allow it in Settings, Safari.
• Android: use Chrome or Samsung Internet. Some cheaper phones have no compass sensor; use the degrees or the map instead.
• Desktop computers have no compass. Use the degrees with a compass, or the map.
• Location blocked: pick your city from the list, or type your coordinates.

How exact do you need to be?

Finding the qibla without a compass

• The mihrab of a local masjid shows the qibla. Use it to line up a landmark you can see from home.
• The sun is directly above the Kaaba twice a year, around 28 May at 12:18 pm and 16 July at 12:27 pm Makkah time. At those moments, a stick's shadow points directly away from the qibla anywhere the sun is up.
• Ask people who live nearby and pray regularly.

Qibla direction from major cities

1. Quran 2:144, translation by Sahih International.
2. Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, Bab Shurut al-Salah, on istiqbal al-qiblah. The other madhhabs' positions are summarised from their standard manuals.
3. Kaaba coordinates 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Magnetic declination: NOAA and British Geological Survey, World Magnetic Model 2025.

Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar.