Qibla Finder — Free Online Qibla Direction Calculator

How to Use the Qibla Finder

1. Enter your latitude: Type your location's latitude in decimal degrees into the Latitude field. Latitude ranges from -90 (South Pole) to +90 (North Pole). For example, New York City is at approximately 40.7128 north. You can find your latitude by searching your city name followed by "coordinates" on any search engine or by using Google Maps.
2. Enter your longitude: Type your location's longitude in decimal degrees into the Longitude field. Longitude ranges from -180 (far west) to +180 (far east). For example, New York City is at approximately -74.0060 (negative because it is west of the Prime Meridian). Longitude combined with latitude uniquely identifies your position on Earth for precise Qibla calculation.
3. Or use automatic location detection: Click the "Use My Location" button to let your device's built-in GPS automatically detect your exact coordinates. Your browser will ask for permission to access your location. Grant the permission and your latitude and longitude will be filled in automatically. This method provides the most accurate coordinates, especially on mobile devices with GPS hardware.
4. Read the Qibla direction: The results panel displays the Qibla bearing in degrees from true north (0-360), the compass direction (e.g., NE for northeast), the distance from your location to the Kaaba in kilometers, and a visual compass indicator showing the direction. To face the Qibla for prayer, use a physical compass or your phone's compass app and align yourself to the indicated bearing.

The compass needle in the results panel visually points in the Qibla direction. Remember that the bearing is measured from true north, so adjust for magnetic declination if using a magnetic compass.

Qibla Direction Formula and How It Works

where:

Variables Explained

• lat1, lat2: The latitudes of your location and the Kaaba (21.4225 N) respectively, converted to radians for trigonometric calculations. Latitude measures the angular distance north or south of the equator.
• dLng: The difference in longitude between the Kaaba (39.8262 E) and your location, converted to radians. This angular difference, combined with the latitudes, determines the bearing along the great-circle path.
• dLat: The difference in latitude between the Kaaba and your location, used in the Haversine distance formula. This measures how far north or south you are relative to the Kaaba.
• R: The mean radius of the Earth, approximately 6,371 kilometers. This constant is used to convert the angular distance from the Haversine formula into a linear distance in kilometers.
• Bearing: The initial compass direction from your location to the Kaaba, measured in degrees clockwise from true north (0 to 360 degrees). This is the direction you should face for prayer.
• Distance: The great-circle (shortest path on the surface of a sphere) distance from your location to the Kaaba in kilometers. This is calculated using the Haversine formula, which accounts for Earth's spherical geometry.

Step-by-Step Example

Calculate the Qibla direction from New York City (40.7128 N, 74.0060 W):

1. Convert coordinates to radians: lat1 = 40.7128 x pi/180, lat2 = 21.4225 x pi/180
2. Calculate longitude difference: dLng = (39.8262 - (-74.0060)) x pi/180 = 113.8322 x pi/180
3. Compute bearing components: y = sin(dLng), x = cos(lat1) x tan(lat2) - sin(lat1) x cos(dLng)
4. Bearing = atan2(y, x) converted to degrees = approximately 58.48 degrees
5. Compass direction: 58.48 degrees falls in the ENE (east-northeast) sector
6. Distance using Haversine: approximately 10,146 km from NYC to the Kaaba

From New York City, the Qibla is approximately 58.5 degrees from true north, which is in the east-northeast direction. This means Muslims in New York face roughly ENE during prayer, and the Kaaba is about 10,146 kilometers away via the great-circle route.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Bilal in London, United Kingdom

Bilal recently moved to London and wants to determine the Qibla direction for his apartment so he can mark a permanent prayer spot. He enters the coordinates for central London (51.5074 N, 0.1278 W):

• Latitude: 51.5074
• Longitude: -0.1278
• Qibla bearing: approximately 119 degrees from true north
• Compass direction: ESE (east-southeast)
• Distance to Kaaba: approximately 4,583 km

Bilal uses a compass app on his phone to find 119 degrees in his living room and places a small marker on the wall. He verifies the direction by checking that it aligns with the southeast corner of his room, which is consistent with the ESE bearing. This permanent marker means he does not need to recalculate the Qibla direction each time he prays.

Example 2: Layla Traveling in Tokyo, Japan

Layla is on a business trip in Tokyo and needs to find the Qibla from her hotel room. She clicks "Use My Location" on her phone and the GPS detects her coordinates (35.6762 N, 139.6503 E):

• Latitude: 35.6762
• Longitude: 139.6503
• Qibla bearing: approximately 293 degrees from true north
• Compass direction: WNW (west-northwest)
• Distance to Kaaba: approximately 8,848 km

From Tokyo, the Qibla is WNW (west-northwest), which might surprise those who expect it to be due west. The great-circle route from Japan to Makkah curves northward over Central Asia, resulting in a bearing closer to WNW than due west. Layla uses her phone compass calibrated for Tokyo's magnetic declination to find 293 degrees and marks the direction in her hotel room for the duration of her stay.

Example 3: Ibrahim in Lagos, Nigeria

Ibrahim wants to verify the Qibla direction at his newly built mosque in Lagos. He enters the coordinates (6.5244 N, 3.3792 E):

• Latitude: 6.5244
• Longitude: 3.3792
• Qibla bearing: approximately 55 degrees from true north
• Compass direction: NE (northeast)
• Distance to Kaaba: approximately 5,003 km

From Lagos, Nigeria, the Qibla is northeast at approximately 55 degrees. Ibrahim uses this precise bearing to align the mihrab (prayer niche) of his mosque, ensuring that the congregation faces the correct direction. He cross-references this calculation with the local Islamic authority's official Qibla direction and finds them in agreement within one degree, confirming the accuracy of the tool.

Example 4: Zara in Sydney, Australia

Zara lives in Sydney and wants to set up a prayer space in her new apartment. She enters Sydney's coordinates (-33.8688 S, 151.2093 E):

• Latitude: -33.8688
• Longitude: 151.2093
• Qibla bearing: approximately 278 degrees from true north
• Compass direction: W (west)
• Distance to Kaaba: approximately 12,035 km

From Sydney, the Qibla direction is almost due west at 278 degrees. Being in the Southern Hemisphere and far east, the great-circle route from Sydney to Makkah goes westward across the Indian Ocean. At over 12,000 km, Sydney is one of the farthest major cities from Makkah. Zara places her prayer mat facing the western wall of her apartment and uses adhesive tape to mark the exact alignment.

Qibla Direction Reference Table

Bearings are approximate and measured from true north. Actual values may vary slightly based on exact coordinates within each city. Use the calculator above for precise results from your specific location.

Tips and Complete Guide

Setting Up a Permanent Prayer Space

Once you determine the Qibla direction using this tool, you can set up a permanent prayer space at home. Use a compass app on your smartphone to find the exact bearing, then place a small marker or sticker on the wall in that direction. Position your prayer mat perpendicular to the wall marker so you face it directly when standing. For newly built mosques or prayer rooms, it is important to determine the Qibla with high precision, and this tool combined with professional verification can ensure the mihrab is correctly oriented. Some Muslims also use a Qibla compass, a specially designed compass with Makkah's direction pre-marked for various regions.

Understanding Compass Calibration

If you are using a physical compass or smartphone compass app to align yourself with the Qibla bearing, ensure your compass is properly calibrated. Smartphone compasses can be affected by nearby magnets, electronic devices, metal structures, and magnetic interference from buildings. To calibrate a smartphone compass, move the phone in a figure-eight pattern several times. For physical compasses, keep them away from metal objects and electronic devices. Remember that our tool calculates the bearing from true north, but magnetic compasses point to magnetic north. The difference (magnetic declination) varies by location and can be significant in some regions. Check the magnetic declination for your area and adjust accordingly.

Qibla Direction While Traveling

When traveling, the Qibla direction changes with your location. Use the "Use My Location" button to quickly find the Qibla at each new destination. In hotels, airplanes, trains, and cruise ships, the direction may need to be recalculated as you move. Many hotels in Muslim-majority countries have Qibla direction arrows on the ceiling or in the nightstand drawer. On commercial flights, some airlines display Qibla direction on the in-flight entertainment system. For road trips, you can check the Qibla before departing and verify it at rest stops. If you are unable to determine the exact direction while traveling, Islamic jurisprudence permits making your best estimate based on available information.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing latitude and longitude order: Latitude comes first and represents north-south position (-90 to +90). Longitude comes second and represents east-west position (-180 to +180). Swapping them produces a completely wrong Qibla direction. Our labeled fields help prevent this error.
• Ignoring magnetic declination: If you use the calculated bearing with a magnetic compass without adjusting for magnetic declination, your prayer direction could be off by several degrees depending on your location. In some places, declination exceeds 20 degrees. Use true north or adjust your compass reading.
• Relying on flat map intuition: Looking at a flat Mercator map and pointing "toward" Makkah gives a rhumb line direction, not the great-circle (shortest path) direction. The great-circle Qibla direction can differ by 30-40 degrees from what a flat map suggests, especially for locations far from Makkah.
• Not recalibrating when moving: If you travel to a new city or even a different part of a large metropolitan area, the Qibla direction changes slightly. Recalculate when you change locations rather than assuming the direction is the same everywhere in a country.
• Poor GPS signal indoors: GPS accuracy decreases inside buildings, which can affect the "Use My Location" feature. If the detected coordinates seem wrong, try using the feature outdoors or near a window, or enter coordinates manually based on your known address.

Frequently Asked Questions