Qibla Direction Finder
The Qibla Direction Finder calculates the exact compass bearing to face for Salah from anywhere on Earth, along with your great-circle distance to Makkah.
Runs entirely in your browser. No account, no app install, no location data ever leaves your device.
Find My Qibla Direction ↓
Get Your Qibla Direction
| Qibla Bearing | — |
| Compass Direction | — |
| Distance to Makkah | — |
What Is a Qibla Direction Finder?
A Qibla Direction Finder is a tool that tells you the exact compass bearing to face during Salah — the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah from your current location. Rather than guessing based on a rough map, this Qibla Direction Finder uses your real coordinates and a spherical bearing formula to compute the shortest path along the Earth’s surface to the Kaaba.
Because the Qibla bearing changes with every location on the globe, a live, coordinate-based finder is far more reliable than a generic “face east” rule of thumb — especially outside the Middle East, where the correct direction is rarely intuitive.
How This Qibla Direction Finder Works
- Locate you. Tap “Use My Location” (or enter latitude/longitude manually) so the tool knows your exact starting point.
- Apply the bearing formula. The engine computes the initial great-circle bearing from your coordinates to the Kaaba (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E) using standard spherical trigonometry.
- Normalize to true north. The result is expressed as degrees clockwise from true north (0–360°), with a compass-point label (e.g. “Northeast”).
- Calculate distance. A haversine great-circle formula gives your straight-line distance to Makkah in kilometers and miles.
- Optional live mode. If you enable it, your phone’s heading sensor rotates the compass dial in real time so the Kaaba icon shows exactly where to turn.
What Should a Qibla Direction Finder Include?
- Location input — automatic (geolocation) and manual, so it works even if permission is denied
- A true-north bearing in degrees, not just a vague compass-point label
- Distance to Makkah, so results feel concrete and verifiable
- A clear note that the bearing is from true north, not magnetic north
- An optional live-compass mode for phones with a heading sensor
- A way to save or print the result for offline reference
Worked Example
Here’s what the Qibla Direction Finder produces for a few major cities:
| City | Qibla Bearing | Direction | Distance to Makkah |
|---|---|---|---|
| London, UK | 119.0° | Southeast | ~4,794 km |
| New York, USA | 58.5° | Northeast | ~10,306 km |
| Lahore, Pakistan | ~256° | West-Southwest | ~3,400 km |
Your own result will differ slightly based on your exact coordinates.
Who Uses a Qibla Direction Finder?
Daily Worshippers
Confirming orientation in a new room, office, or hotel before Salah.
Travelers
New country, new bearing — no need to hunt for a local mosque’s mihrab.
New Muslims
A clear, visual way to learn what “facing the Qibla” actually means.
Mosque Builders & Architects
A quick reference bearing before commissioning a formal survey.
Best Practices for Trusting a Qibla Bearing
Any Qibla calculator — including this one — gives a mathematically precise bearing from true north, not magnetic north. If you’re using a physical compass to align yourself, you must correct for your local magnetic declination, which can be anywhere from near-zero to 15° or more depending on where you live. For the full geometry behind the great-circle formula used here, see the Qibla reference entry, and where precision matters most — a new mosque or permanent mihrab — always confirm with a proper site survey.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing true north with magnetic north when using a physical compass alongside this tool
- Assuming the Qibla is always roughly “east” — from most of the Americas it’s actually northeast
- Using a flat-map straight line instead of the great-circle bearing, which can be badly wrong at long distances
- Forgetting to re-check the bearing after traveling to a new city or country
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Qibla Direction Finder and how accurate is it?
A Qibla Direction Finder calculates the exact compass bearing to the Kaaba from your location using the great-circle bearing formula. The mathematical result is accurate to a fraction of a degree; any real-world error comes from GPS precision or compass calibration, not the calculation itself.
Does this tool track or store my location?
No. Your coordinates are used only inside your browser to run the calculation and are never sent to a server or stored anywhere.
Is the bearing from true north or magnetic north?
The calculated bearing is from true north. If you use a physical magnetic compass, you’ll need to adjust for your local magnetic declination to match it exactly.
Why does the live compass need a permission prompt on iPhone?
iOS requires explicit user permission before a website can access motion and orientation sensors. Tapping “Enable Live Compass” triggers that one-time prompt; Android generally doesn’t require it.
Is this tool AI-powered?
No — this Qibla Direction Finder runs a deterministic, rule-based spherical trigonometry engine locally in your browser. There is no AI model and no API key involved. A secure backend service could be connected in the future for additional features.
Can I use this while traveling?
Yes. Tap “Use My Location” again after arriving anywhere new, and the bearing and distance recalculate instantly.
Related Reading
Always Know Which Way to Face
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