Qibla direction in Jutiapa

How to face the Qibla in Jutiapa

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 35.0° towards north: the result is the bearing of 55.0°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “east” would be off by more than 30°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Jutiapa.

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 Jutiapa, 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 Jutiapa to Mecca points to 86.7° (east), a full 31.7° away from the true Qibla of 55.0° (north-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 498 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Jutiapa first heads north-east, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 55.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 14.2849° N, 89.8880° 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 Jutiapa to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 13,243 km from Jutiapa as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 13,045 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 16 h 05 min, although most pilgrims from Jutiapa connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Jutiapa run 9 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Jutiapa rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Jutiapa

On 107 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Jutiapa 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 11:51 local time.

On 258 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 15:35.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Jutiapa (03:18 and 03:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 15:29 and 28 November 2027 at 15:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Jutiapa points straight to Mecca.

Jutiapa compared with other cities

Compared with Guatemala City, 78 km away, the Qibla in Jutiapa is turned 0.5° further clockwise (55.0° against 54.5°), and Mecca is 32 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Jalapa (41 km), prays towards 54.8°, a difference of 0.2°.

Across the 14 cities in Guatemala on this site, the Qibla ranges from 53.7° in Coatepeque to 55.1° in Puerto Barrios, a spread of 1.4°. The difference is small, yet each city should still use its own bearing.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Guatemala.

Qibla in cities near Jutiapa

• Jalapa54.8° · 41 km
• Chiquimula55.0° · 68 km
• Guatemala City54.5° · 78 km
• Villa Nueva54.5° · 80 km
• San Juan Sacatepéquez54.4° · 95 km
• Escuintla54.5° · 97 km