Qibla

The direction Muslims face in prayer: toward the Kaaba in Makkah.

Qibla

Direction to the Kaaba in Makkah

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What is Qibla

Qibla is the direction every Muslim turns toward for the five daily prayers, the ritual of wudu, the slaughter of animals for halal consumption, and the burial of the deceased. It points to the Kaaba, the cubic sanctuary at the centre of the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

How this compass works

The bearing is calculated using the great-circle initial bearing formula from your position to the Kaaba (21.4225 N, 39.8262 E). This is the angle, measured clockwise from true north, that a plane would fly on a direct route.
The distance uses the haversine formula on a spherical Earth. Accurate to within about 0.3 percent for our purpose, which is ample.
On mobile, you can opt in to device-orientation tracking: the needle then stays pointing at Makkah in real-world space as you rotate your phone. iOS requires an explicit tap to grant orientation access.

Historical context

For the first sixteen months after the Hijrah, the early Muslim community prayed facing Jerusalem. The Qibla was changed to the Kaaba by divine revelation in Surah al-Baqarah:

“So turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your faces toward it.”
Qur'an 2:144

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