Qibla · Maranhão
Qibla direction in Caxias
To face the Kaaba in Caxias, turn to 68.0° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (22.0° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 9,503 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Caxias should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Caxias as a needle at 68.0°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 68°. 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 Caxias
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 22.0° towards north: the result is the bearing of 68.0°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 22° 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 Caxias, 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 Caxias to Mecca points to 72.1° (east), 4.1° away from the correct 68.0°. 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 68.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 4.8589° S, 43.3561° W 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 Caxias to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 9,503 km from Caxias as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 9,523 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 11 h 41 min, although most pilgrims from Caxias connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Caxias run 6 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Caxias rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Caxias
On 162 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Caxias while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in August (31 days); for example, on 15 March 2027 it happens at 11:35 local time.
On 122 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 November (30 days), for instance on 15 January 2027 at 15:49.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 15:49 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 14:30 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 13:31 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 12:33 |
| 15 March 2027 | 11:35 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 10:25 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 09:28 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 08:21 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 07:20 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | — | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | — | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 07:46 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 08:42 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 09:44 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 10:32 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 12:17 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 13:24 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 14:27 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 15:57 |
| 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 Caxias: at 06:18 and 06:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Caxias compared with other cities
Compared with Brasília, 1,313 km away, the Qibla in Caxias is turned 0.8° further anticlockwise (68.0° against 68.8°), and Mecca is 915 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Teresina (67 km), prays towards 67.9°, a difference of 0.1°.
Across the 257 cities in Brazil on this site, the Qibla ranges from 66.1° in Maceió to 74.2° in Uruguaiana, a spread of 8.1°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Brazil.
Qibla in cities near Caxias
Qibla in Caxias: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Caxias?
It is 68.0° from true north, which is east: 22.0° north of east.
How far is Caxias from Mecca?
9,503 km in a straight line over the globe, and 9,523 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Caxias?
On 162 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 Caxias not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 72.1°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Caxias at 68.0°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 68.0° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.