Qibla direction in Al-Ula
161.07° from true north · south · 608 km to the Kaaba
In short
The qibla from Al-Ula is 161.07° from true north, towards the south. Simply face south and turn 19° to the left. The Kaaba is about 608 km away. Without a compass, use the sun: on 28 May 2027 at 12:18 PM GMT+3 it stands directly above the Kaaba, so face the sun.
161.07°
Gold arc = 19° from south to the qibla
Three ways to face the qibla from Al-Ula
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1. Phone compass
Open a compass app, move the phone in a figure of 8 to calibrate, keep it away from metal, then turn until the compass reads 161°.
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2. Start from south
Face south, then turn 19° to the left. A right angle is 90°, so 19° is about a quarter of a right angle.
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3. The sun's shadow
Twice a year the sun is directly above the Kaaba. At that moment the shadow of any upright object points directly away from the qibla.
Sun over the Kaaba, 2027
- · 12:18 PM GMT+3
- · 12:27 PM GMT+3
Keeping the compass accurate
- Remove magnetic cases and keep the phone away from laptops, speakers and steel frames.
- Hold the phone flat. A compass points to magnetic north, while the degrees on this page are measured from true north, so the reading can differ slightly.
- Compare with the direction of the rows in a nearby mosque.
Qibla direction in nearby cities
Frequently asked questions
What is the qibla direction from Al-Ula in degrees?
161.07° from true north, measured clockwise — towards the south.
How can I find the qibla without a compass?
Face south and turn 19° to the left. More precisely, when the sun is directly above the Kaaba the qibla is the direction towards the sun.
When is the sun over the Kaaba in 2027, in Al-Ula time?
28 May 2027 at 12:18 PM GMT+3 and 16 July 2027 at 12:27 PM GMT+3.
What is the difference between true north and compass north?
True north points to the geographic North Pole. A compass needle points to the magnetic pole, which is in a slightly different place, so a compass reading can differ from the degrees on this page.
Do I need to share my location to see the qibla?
No. The qibla on this page is calculated from the coordinates of the centre of Al-Ula, so you only need to pick a city.
Sources & method
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Kaaba coordinates · 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E
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Al-Ula coordinates · 26.6085; 37.9232 (city centre) · GeoNames (geonames.org), CC BY 4.0
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Formula · Great-circle azimuth from true north