Qibla · Herat Province
Qibla direction in Herat
To face the Kaaba in Herat, turn to 242.5° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-west (27.5° south of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 2,617 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Herat should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Herat as a needle at 242.5°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 243°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Herat
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 27.5° towards south: the result is the bearing of 242.5°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 27° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Herat, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Herat is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Herat to Mecca points to 236.7° (south-west), 5.8° away from the correct 242.5°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 4 km longer than the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.
The value of 242.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 34.3482° N, 62.1997° E sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Herat to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 2,617 km from Herat as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 2,441 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 3 h 35 min, although most pilgrims from Herat connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Herat run 1.5 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Herat rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Herat
On 302 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Herat while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 1 February 2027 it happens at 17:01 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Herat during daylight, so the shadow method does not apply here; the left-hand column is the one to use.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 17:01 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 16:41 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 16:16 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 15:49 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 15:15 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 14:48 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:20 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 14:01 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 13:45 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 13:41 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 13:45 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 13:56 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 14:15 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:33 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 14:55 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 15:13 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 15:34 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 15:54 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 16:19 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 16:40 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | — | — |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Herat: at 13:48 and 13:57 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Herat compared with other cities
Compared with Kabul, 640 km away, the Qibla in Herat is turned 8.2° further anticlockwise (242.5° against 250.8°), and Mecca is 595 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Kandahar (447 km), prays towards 252.5°, a difference of 10.0°.
Among the 11 cities in Afghanistan on this site, Herat has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 252.5° in Kandahar. Across the country the direction varies by 10.0°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Afghanistan.
Qibla in cities near Herat
Qibla in Herat: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Herat?
It is 242.5° from true north, which is south-west: 27.5° south of west.
How far is Herat from Mecca?
2,617 km in a straight line over the globe, and 2,441 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Herat?
On 302 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Herat not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 236.7°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Herat at 242.5°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 242.5° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.