Qibla direction in Xinyang

How to face the Qibla in Xinyang

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 11.0° towards north: the result is the bearing of 281.0°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 11° 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 Xinyang, 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

This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Xinyang to Mecca points to 260.8° (west), a full 20.2° away from the true Qibla of 281.0° (west). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 122 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Xinyang first heads west, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 281.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 32.1228° N, 114.0656° 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 Xinyang to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 7,328 km from Xinyang as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 7,198 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 9 h 07 min, although most pilgrims from Xinyang connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Xinyang run 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 Xinyang rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Xinyang

On 123 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Xinyang 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 1 May 2027 it happens at 18:07 local time.

On 222 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 May (31 days), for instance on 15 March 2027 at 07:40.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Xinyang: at 17:18 and 17:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.

Xinyang compared with other cities

Compared with Beijing, 891 km away, the Qibla in Xinyang is turned 2.2° further clockwise (281.0° against 278.9°), and Mecca is 57 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Guangshui (56 km), prays towards 281.2°, a difference of 0.2°.

Across the 612 cities in China on this site, the Qibla ranges from 249.0° in Tacheng to 286.5° in Suifenhe, a spread of 37.5°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.

See all cities on the Qibla page for China.

Qibla in cities near Xinyang

• Guangshui281.2° · 56 km
• Suizhou280.9° · 81 km
• Zhumadian280.6° · 96 km
• Zaoyang280.4° · 123 km
• Tanghe280.2° · 132 km
• Xiaogan281.5° · 134 km