Qibla · Northern
Qibla direction in Tamale
To face the Kaaba in Tamale, turn to 68.0° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (22.0° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,544 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Tamale should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Tamale 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 Tamale
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 Tamale, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Tamale 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 Tamale to Mecca points to 72.9° (east), 4.9° 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 7 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 9.4008° N, 0.8393° 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 Tamale to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,544 km from Tamale as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,595 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 51 min, although most pilgrims from Tamale connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Tamale run 3 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Tamale rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Tamale
On 137 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Tamale 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 April 2027 it happens at 12:00 local time.
On 177 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 March (31 days), for instance on 1 February 2027 at 16:41.
| 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 | — | 16:41 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 15:47 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 14:53 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 13:59 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 12:54 |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:00 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:58 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:05 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 09:03 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 06:41 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 06:36 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 09:24 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 10:28 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 11:18 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 12:15 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 13:00 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 13:51 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 14:37 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 15:38 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 16:34 |
| 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 Tamale: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Tamale compared with other cities
Compared with Accra, 433 km away, the Qibla in Tamale is turned 4.2° further clockwise (68.0° against 63.8°), and Mecca is 110 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Kumasi (314 km), prays towards 65.4°, a difference of 2.6°.
Among the 12 cities in Ghana on this site, Tamale has the largest Qibla bearing; the smallest is 63.8° in Takoradze. Across the country the direction varies by 4.2°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Ghana.
Qibla in cities near Tamale
Qibla in Tamale: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Tamale?
It is 68.0° from true north, which is east: 22.0° north of east.
How far is Tamale from Mecca?
4,544 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,595 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Tamale?
On 137 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 Tamale not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 72.9°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Tamale 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.