Qibla · Rio Grande do Norte
Qibla direction in Natal
To face the Kaaba in Natal, turn to 66.7° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-east (23.3° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 8,710 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Natal should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Natal as a needle at 66.7°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 67°. 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 Natal
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 23.3° towards north: the result is the bearing of 66.7°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 23° 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 Natal, 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 Natal to Mecca points to 69.7° (east), 3.0° away from the correct 66.7°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 17 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 66.7° is the direction in which the shortest route from 5.7950° S, 35.2094° 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 Natal to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 8,710 km from Natal as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 8,755 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 10 h 45 min, although most pilgrims from Natal connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Natal 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 Natal rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Natal
On 189 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Natal while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 15 March 2027 it happens at 10:56 local time.
On 149 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 January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 15:21.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 15:21 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 14:37 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 13:36 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 12:43 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 11:49 |
| 15 March 2027 | 10:56 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 09:51 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 08:57 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 07:56 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 07:04 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 06:04 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 06:24 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 07:27 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 08:16 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 09:12 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 09:56 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 10:47 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 11:33 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 12:34 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 13:28 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 14:34 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 15:24 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Natal: at 06:18 and 06:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Natal compared with other cities
Compared with Brasília, 1,777 km away, the Qibla in Natal is turned 2.1° further anticlockwise (66.7° against 68.8°), and Mecca is 1,707 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, João Pessoa (152 km), prays towards 66.4°, a difference of 0.3°.
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 Natal
- João Pessoa66.4° · 152 km
- Campina Grande66.6° · 176 km
- Igarassu66.2° · 229 km
- Mossoró67.2° · 246 km
- Recife66.2° · 254 km
- Vitória de Santo Antão66.3° · 258 km
Qibla in Natal: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Natal?
It is 66.7° from true north, which is north-east: 23.3° north of east.
How far is Natal from Mecca?
8,710 km in a straight line over the globe, and 8,755 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Natal?
On 189 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 Natal not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 69.7°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Natal at 66.7°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 66.7° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.