Qibla · Jilin
Qibla direction in Jilin City
To face the Kaaba in Jilin City, turn to 283.7° measured clockwise from true north, which is west (13.7° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 8,125 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Jilin City should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Jilin City as a needle at 283.7°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 284°. 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 Jilin City
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 13.7° towards north: the result is the bearing of 283.7°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 14° 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 Jilin City, 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 Jilin City to Mecca points to 252.7° (west), a full 31.0° away from the true Qibla of 283.7° (west). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 280 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Jilin City first heads west, and that is the direction to face.
The value of 283.7° is the direction in which the shortest route from 43.8465° N, 126.5608° 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 Jilin City to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 8,125 km from Jilin City as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 7,920 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 10 h 04 min, although most pilgrims from Jilin City connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Jilin City 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 Jilin City rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Jilin City
On 118 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Jilin City 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 17:47 local time.
On 225 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 06:51.
| 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 | — | — |
| 15 February 2027 | — | — |
| 1 March 2027 | — | — |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 06:51 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 07:13 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 07:30 |
| 1 May 2027 | 17:47 | 07:49 |
| 15 May 2027 | 17:29 | 08:06 |
| 1 June 2027 | 17:15 | 08:23 |
| 15 June 2027 | 17:12 | 08:32 |
| 1 July 2027 | 17:16 | 08:34 |
| 15 July 2027 | 17:26 | 08:29 |
| 1 August 2027 | 17:43 | 08:13 |
| 15 August 2027 | 17:59 | 07:53 |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 07:25 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 06:59 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 06:29 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | — |
| 1 November 2027 | — | — |
| 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 Jilin City: at 17:18 and 17:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Jilin City compared with other cities
Compared with Beijing, 948 km away, the Qibla in Jilin City is turned 4.8° further clockwise (283.7° against 278.9°), and Mecca is 740 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Jishu (56 km), prays towards 283.7°, the same bearing to the tenth of a degree.
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 Jilin City
Qibla in Jilin City: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Jilin City?
It is 283.7° from true north, which is west: 13.7° north of west.
How far is Jilin City from Mecca?
8,125 km in a straight line over the globe, and 7,920 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Jilin City?
On 118 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 Jilin City not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 252.7°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Jilin City at 283.7°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 283.7° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.