Qibla direction in Ganja

How to face the Qibla in Ganja

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards south and move a further 18.0° towards west: the result is the bearing of 198.0°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at south would leave you about 18° 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 Ganja, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Ganja 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

On a flat (Mercator) map, the straight line from Ganja to Mecca points to 196.1°, only 1.9° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 198.0° bearing remains the exact one.

The value of 198.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 40.6816° N, 46.3613° 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 Ganja to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 2,228 km from Ganja as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 1,909 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 3 h 07 min, although most pilgrims from Ganja connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Ganja run 1 hour ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Ganja rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Ganja

On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Ganja while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in January (31 days); for example, on 1 January 2027 it happens at 14:09 local time.

The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Ganja during daylight, so the shadow method does not apply here; the left-hand column is the one to use.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Ganja: at 13:18 and 13:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.

Ganja compared with other cities

Compared with Baku, 300 km away, the Qibla in Ganja is turned 9.3° further anticlockwise (198.0° against 207.3°), and Mecca is 84 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Mingachevir (60 km), prays towards 199.8°, a difference of 1.8°.

Among the 5 cities in Azerbaijan on this site, Ganja has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 207.3° in Baku. Across the country the direction varies by 9.3°.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Azerbaijan.

Qibla in cities near Ganja

• Mingachevir199.8° · 60 km
• Yevlakh200.1° · 67 km
• Sumqayit206.5° · 279 km
• Baku207.3° · 300 km