The Qibla direction is the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah, which every Muslim faces during Salah. You can find it in three reliable ways: a compass bearing for your city, a trusted Qibla app, or the sun’s shadow on the few days each year when it lines up with the Kaaba. From most of the United States and Canada, the Qibla points northeast, not southeast as many people assume.
This guide explains each method step by step, so you can pray with confidence at home, at work, in a hotel or outdoors.
Why facing the Qibla matters
Facing the Qibla is a condition for the validity of Salah. Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:144): “So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you are, turn your faces toward it.” The Qibla was originally toward Bait al-Maqdis in Jerusalem. In Sahih al-Bukhari (403), Abdullah ibn Umar describes how worshippers at Masjid Quba turned toward the Kaaba in the middle of Fajr once news of the change reached them.
Islam also teaches ease. Surah Al-Baqarah (2:115) reminds us that the east and the west belong to Allah. Scholars explain that a person who makes a sincere effort to find the Qibla and prays in that direction has fulfilled their duty, even if it later turns out to be slightly off. What matters is a genuine effort, not perfect precision.
Method 1: Use a compass bearing
The Qibla follows the shortest path across the globe (a “great circle”), so the direction depends on where you are. Here are approximate bearings measured clockwise from true north:
| City | Qibla bearing (from true north) | General direction |
|---|---|---|
| New York | about 58° | Northeast |
| Toronto | about 55° | Northeast |
| Chicago | about 49° | Northeast |
| Houston | about 45° | Northeast |
| Los Angeles | about 24° | North-northeast |
| London | about 119° | Southeast |
| Mumbai / Jalna | about 280° | West, slightly north |
- Hold the compass flat, away from metal objects, phones and car engines.
- Find north, then turn clockwise to your city’s bearing.
- Adjust for magnetic declination, the gap between magnetic north and true north. It can be several degrees in parts of the US, and NOAA’s online calculator gives the exact value for your ZIP code.
Why northeast? A flat map makes Makkah look southeast of America, but on a globe the shortest route from North America to Arabia arcs up over the Atlantic toward Europe. A few older communities in the US face southeast, so if your local Masjid uses a different direction, follow its practice when praying there and ask the imam about it respectfully.
Method 2: Use a Qibla app or map tool
- Calibrate first. Phone compasses drift. Move the phone in a figure-eight before each use.
- Check against a landmark. Map-based Qibla tools draw a line from your location to the Kaaba over a satellite image, so you can line it up with a wall, street or building edge.
- Mark your prayer spot. At home or the office, place a small sticker or a prayer mat facing the Qibla so you only need to check once.
Traveling soon? Our guide to praying Salah while traveling covers Qasr and combining prayers, and Muslim travel planning has tips for finding prayer spaces and halal food.
Method 3: Use the sun’s shadow
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba: around May 27–28 at 09:18 UTC and around July 15–16 at 09:27 UTC. At that moment, in places where the sun is up (including India, Africa and Europe), shadows of vertical objects point directly away from the Kaaba, so the Qibla is the opposite direction of the shadow.
For the Americas, the useful moments are when the sun is on the exact opposite side of Earth from the Kaaba. One of these comes this month: around Nov. 27–28 at about 21:09 UTC (about 4:09 p.m. Eastern or 1:09 p.m. Pacific time). At that time, the shadow of a vertical pole points toward the Qibla. The other comes around Jan. 12–13 at about 21:30 UTC. Readings taken at the same clock time a day or two either side are still close.
- Stand a straight stick or plumb line upright on level, sunny ground.
- At the exact time, mark the line of its shadow.
- In the Americas, the shadow points to the Qibla. In India and nearby regions on the May and July dates, face the opposite way.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Qibla direction from the USA?
Northeast for most of the country, ranging from about 24° in Los Angeles to about 58° in New York, measured from true north.
Is my Salah valid if I faced the wrong direction by mistake?
Most scholars say that if you made a sincere effort to find the Qibla and later learn it was off, the prayer is valid. Correct your direction for the next prayer.
How do I find the Qibla on a plane or train?
Face the Qibla at the start of the prayer as best you can. Many scholars allow voluntary prayers in the direction of travel, and for obligatory prayers you can also look at combining them before or after the journey.
Do I need to be exactly precise?
No. Far from Makkah, facing the general direction of the Kaaba is enough for most scholars. Do your best, and Allah knows best.
Sources: Quran 2:144, Sahih al-Bukhari 403; sun-alignment times from published astronomical tables. City bearings are great-circle calculations and are approximate.
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