Qibla Direction Calculator
Calculate qibla direction easily with our free tool. Get practical results, tips, and comparisons for everyday decisions.
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Formula
The Qibla direction is calculated using the great circle bearing formula. It computes the initial bearing along the shortest path on Earth's surface from your location to the Kaaba (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E). The result is a compass bearing in degrees measured clockwise from true north. Distance is calculated using the Haversine formula.
Last reviewed: December 2025
Worked Examples
Example 1: Qibla from Kabul, Afghanistan
Example 2: Qibla from New York, USA
Background & Theory
The Qibla Direction Calculator applies the following established principles and formulas. Islamic financial and religious calculations operate within a framework that integrates theological principles with precise mathematical methodology. Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires payment of 2.5% of qualifying wealth held above the nisab threshold for a complete lunar year. The nisab is pegged to the value of 85 grams of gold or 595 grams of silver, whichever provides the lower threshold, and must be recalculated against current market prices. Qualifying wealth includes cash, savings, business inventory, and investment assets, but excludes primary residence, personal-use items, and tools of trade. Hijri calendar conversion is essential for determining Ramadan dates, Zakat anniversaries, and contract terms expressed in lunar months. The Hijri calendar contains 12 lunar months totalling approximately 354.37 days, making it roughly 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. Converting between calendars requires accounting for the accumulated drift: since the Hijri epoch of 622 CE (the Prophet's migration from Mecca to Medina), the difference compounds annually. Qibla direction calculation employs spherical trigonometry to determine the great-circle bearing from any point on Earth toward the Kaaba in Mecca (coordinates 21.4225°N, 39.8262°E). The formula accounts for the curvature of the Earth, meaning the bearing from New York to Mecca is approximately northeast rather than the intuitive eastward direction seen on flat maps. Prayer times are determined by solar angles: Fajr begins when the sun is 15-18 degrees below the horizon before dawn; Dhuhr at solar noon; Asr when shadow length equals object height plus its shadow at noon; Maghrib at sunset; and Isha when twilight disappears. These calculations vary by latitude and season, requiring location-specific algorithms. Islamic finance prohibits riba (interest), requiring profit-sharing structures such as Mudarabah (capital provider and entrepreneur share profits at a pre-agreed ratio) and Musharakah (joint venture with proportional profit and loss sharing).
History
The history behind the Qibla Direction Calculator traces back through the following developments. Islamic civilisation made foundational contributions to mathematics and astronomy that underpin many of the calculation methods still used today. Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, working at the House of Wisdom in Baghdad in the 9th century, authored Al-Kitab al-mukhtasar fi hisab al-jabr wal-muqabala, the work from whose title the word algebra derives. His systematic approach to equation solving provided tools directly applicable to financial and calendar calculations. Al-Biruni in the 11th century developed sophisticated methods for calculating geographic coordinates and direction, including early formulations of what became the qibla calculation. The Hijri calendar was formally established by Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab in 638 CE, fixing the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE as the epoch. This calendar standardised religious observances across the expanding Muslim world. Islamic inheritance law (Faraid) was codified from Quranic verses and Hadith during the early Islamic period, establishing precise fractional shares for defined classes of heirs. The complexity of multi-heir scenarios drove development of sophisticated fraction arithmetic among early Islamic jurists and mathematicians. The Ottoman Empire administered Zakat as a state function for centuries, integrating it with broader fiscal policy until the empire's dissolution after World War I. The 20th century saw Islamic finance principles largely dormant in formal banking until the resurgence of Islamic banking in Egypt (Mit Ghamr Savings Bank, 1963) and the Gulf states following the 1973 oil boom provided capital for institution-building. The Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), established in Bahrain in 1991, and the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), established in Kuala Lumpur in 2002, created the standards infrastructure for modern Islamic finance. The global Islamic finance industry has grown to approximately three trillion US dollars in assets, spanning banking, takaful insurance, sukuk bonds, and Islamic funds across over 80 countries.
Key Features
- Calculate Zakat obligations on cash, savings, gold, silver, and business inventory by comparing total wealth against the nisab threshold and applying the 2.5% annual rate.
- Convert dates bidirectionally between Hijri (Islamic lunar) and Gregorian calendars, handling month boundary variations with both calculated and observed moon sighting options.
- Compute the Qibla direction (bearing) from any GPS coordinate to Mecca using great-circle calculations, with both compass bearing and map visualization.
- Calculate Islamic prayer times (Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha) for any location and date using sun angle methods from major juristic schools (Hanafi, Shafi'i, MWL, ISNA).
- Compute Mudarabah and Musharakah profit-sharing ratios between capital provider and working partner, with scenarios for different profit splits and loss allocation rules.
- Compare the effective cost of halal financing structures (Murabaha, Ijara, Diminishing Musharakah) against conventional interest-bearing loans for equivalent purchase amounts.
- Distribute an estate under Faraid Islamic inheritance law by entering heirs and their relationships, then calculating each heir's prescribed fractional share of the net estate.
- Estimate the likely start date of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr by calculating the expected new lunar crescent visibility from a given location and historical sighting criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Formula
Qibla Bearing = atan2(sin(ΔLng) × cos(lat_K), cos(lat) × sin(lat_K) − sin(lat) × cos(lat_K) × cos(ΔLng))
The Qibla direction is calculated using the great circle bearing formula. It computes the initial bearing along the shortest path on Earth's surface from your location to the Kaaba (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E). The result is a compass bearing in degrees measured clockwise from true north. Distance is calculated using the Haversine formula.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Qibla from Kabul, Afghanistan
Problem: Find the Qibla direction from Kabul (34.5553°N, 69.2075°E) to the Kaaba in Mecca.
Solution: dLng = 39.8262° - 69.2075° = -29.3813°\ny = sin(-29.3813°) × cos(21.4225°) = -0.4570\nx = cos(34.5553°) × sin(21.4225°) - sin(34.5553°) × cos(21.4225°) × cos(-29.3813°) = -0.2270\nbearing = atan2(-0.4570, -0.2270) ≈ 243.6° (WSW)\nDistance ≈ 3,420 km
Result: Qibla: ~243.6° (WSW) | Distance: ~3,420 km
Example 2: Qibla from New York, USA
Problem: Find the Qibla direction from New York (40.7128°N, 74.0060°W).
Solution: Using great circle formula with Kaaba at 21.4225°N, 39.8262°E\nThe great circle path goes northeast across the Atlantic\nbearing ≈ 58.5° (ENE)\nDistance ≈ 10,870 km
Result: Qibla: ~58.5° (ENE) | Distance: ~10,870 km
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Qibla and why is it important in Islam?
The Qibla is the direction that Muslims face during their daily prayers (Salah), pointing toward the Kaaba in Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It was established by divine command in the Quran (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:144) when the direction of prayer was changed from Jerusalem to Mecca. Facing the Qibla is a mandatory requirement for the validity of prayer in Islam, and it symbolizes the unity of the Muslim Ummah worldwide as all Muslims face the same point during worship. The Qibla direction varies depending on the observer's geographic location and is calculated using spherical trigonometry to find the shortest arc on Earth's surface toward the Kaaba.
How is the Qibla direction calculated mathematically?
The Qibla direction is calculated using the great circle bearing formula from spherical trigonometry. Given the observer's latitude and longitude and the Kaaba's coordinates (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E), the formula computes the initial bearing of the shortest path on the Earth's surface between the two points. The key equation is: bearing = atan2(sin(dLng) × cos(lat2), cos(lat1) × sin(lat2) − sin(lat1) × cos(lat2) × cos(dLng)), where dLng is the difference in longitude. This gives the compass bearing in degrees from true north, measured clockwise. The result is the direction one should face for prayer.
What is the difference between Qibla direction and magnetic north?
The Qibla bearing calculated by this tool is relative to true north (geographic north pole), not magnetic north. Magnetic north differs from true north due to the Earth's magnetic field not being perfectly aligned with its rotational axis. This difference is called magnetic declination and varies by location and changes over time. If you are using a magnetic compass to find the Qibla, you must adjust for your local magnetic declination. For example, in New York the magnetic declination is approximately 13 degrees west, meaning you would need to subtract 13 degrees from the calculated Qibla bearing when using a compass. Many smartphone compass apps automatically compensate for this.
What should I do if I cannot determine the exact Qibla direction?
Islamic jurisprudence provides accommodations for situations where the exact Qibla direction cannot be determined. If you are in an unfamiliar location without access to a compass or calculator, you should make your best effort (ijtihad) to determine the direction. You can ask local Muslims, look for the direction of a nearby mosque's mihrab, observe the sun's position, or use any available means. If you have exhausted all reasonable options and still cannot determine the Qibla, scholars agree that prayer in any direction is accepted, as Allah says in the Quran: 'To Allah belongs the east and the west. Wherever you turn, there is the face of Allah' (2:115). It is recommended to repeat the prayer if you later discover the correct direction.
How do I interpret the result?
Results are displayed with a label and unit to help you understand the output. Many calculators include a short explanation or classification below the result (for example, a BMI category or risk level). Refer to the worked examples section on this page for real-world context.
What inputs do I need to use Qibla Direction Calculator accurately?
Each field is labelled with the required unit (metric or imperial). Gather your source values before starting — for example, a weight measurement in kilograms, a distance in metres, or a dollar amount — and enter them exactly as measured. The formula section on this page lists every variable and explains what each represents.
References
Reviewed by Daniel Agrici, Founder & Lead Developer · Editorial policy