Qibla · Flemish Region
Qibla direction in Leuven
To face the Kaaba in Leuven, turn to 123.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-east (33.9° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,470 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Leuven should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Leuven as a needle at 123.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 124°. 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 Leuven
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 33.9° towards south: the result is the bearing of 123.9°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “east” would be off by more than 30°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Leuven.
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 Leuven, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque 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 Leuven to Mecca points to 136.8° (south-east), 12.8° away from the correct 123.9°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 26 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 123.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 50.8796° N, 4.7009° 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 Leuven to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,470 km from Leuven as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,181 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 46 min, although most pilgrims from Leuven connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Leuven run 2 hours behind Mecca in winter and 1 hour behind Mecca in summer, because of daylight saving time. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Leuven rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Leuven
On 283 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Leuven 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 08:55 local time.
On 15 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in June (15 days), for instance on 15 June 2027 at 21:24.
| 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 | 08:55 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 09:07 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 09:18 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 09:29 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 10:40 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 10:49 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 11:00 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 11:10 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 11:20 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 11:27 | 21:24 |
| 1 July 2027 | 11:30 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:17 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 11:05 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 10:46 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 10:28 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 10:07 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 09:50 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 08:32 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | — | — |
| 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 Leuven: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Leuven compared with other cities
The Qibla here is practically the same as in Brussels (123.5°), and Mecca is 19 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Brussels (25 km), prays towards 123.5°, a difference of 0.4°.
Across the 8 cities in Belgium on this site, the Qibla ranges from 122.5° in Bruges to 124.7° in Liège, a spread of 2.2°. The difference is small, yet each city should still use its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Belgium.
Qibla in cities near Leuven
Qibla in Leuven: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Leuven?
It is 123.9° from true north, which is south-east: 33.9° south of east.
How far is Leuven from Mecca?
4,470 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,181 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Leuven?
On 283 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 Leuven not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 136.8°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Leuven at 123.9°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 123.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.