Qibla direction

The Qibla is the direction of the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. From a distance it is not a straight line on a flat map but a great circle bearing, the true shortest path over the surface of the globe. That is why the direction from North America points north east even though Makkah appears to the south east on a flat map.

Practical ways to set the direction

1. Device compass: fastest, needs orientation sensor permission and calibration by tracing a figure of eight.
2. The numeric bearing: if no compass is available, use the degrees shown with a physical compass or a map app.
3. Sun shadow: twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba (around 27 or 28 May and 15 or 16 July). At that moment the shadow of any upright object points exactly away from the Qibla.
4. Local mosque: an established mihrab nearby is an excellent field reference.

Why compasses drift

• Metal objects, magnets and nearby electronics.
• Reinforced concrete buildings and power lines.
• Magnetic declination: the gap between magnetic and true north, which varies by location and is accounted for in accurate calculations.

If you made a reasonable effort and later found a small deviation, your prayer is valid. Away from Makkah the requirement is to face the general direction, not the exact building. Facing an entirely wrong direction despite being able to verify calls for repeating the prayer.

Pair this with prayer times, since time and direction are two linked conditions of a valid prayer.