Qibla · Fars
Qibla direction in Shiraz
To face the Kaaba in Shiraz, turn to 237.4° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-west (32.6° south of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 1,565 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Shiraz should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Shiraz as a needle at 237.4°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 237°. 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 Shiraz
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 32.6° towards south: the result is the bearing of 237.4°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “west” would be off by more than 30°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Shiraz.
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 Shiraz, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Shiraz 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 Shiraz to Mecca points to 234.4° (south-west), 2.9° away from the correct 237.4°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is not 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 237.4° is the direction in which the shortest route from 29.6103° N, 52.5311° 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 Shiraz to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 1,565 km from Shiraz as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 1,400 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 2 h 20 min, although most pilgrims from Shiraz connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Shiraz run 0.5 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Shiraz rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Shiraz
On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Shiraz while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in January (31 days); for example, on 1 January 2027 it happens at 16:22 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Shiraz during daylight, so the shadow method does not apply here; the left-hand column is the one to use.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | 16:22 | — |
| 15 January 2027 | 16:18 | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 16:01 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 15:40 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 15:16 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 14:49 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 14:15 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 13:48 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 13:20 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 13:01 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 12:45 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:41 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 12:45 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 12:56 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 13:15 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 13:33 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 13:55 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 14:13 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 14:34 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 14:53 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 15:18 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 15:39 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | 16:01 | — |
| 15 December 2027 | 16:16 | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Shiraz: at 12:48 and 12:57 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Shiraz compared with other cities
Compared with Tehran, 684 km away, the Qibla in Shiraz is turned 18.9° further clockwise (237.4° against 218.5°), and Mecca is 381 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Shahr-e Ṣadrā (21 km), prays towards 236.7°, a difference of 0.7°.
Across the 90 cities in Iran on this site, the Qibla ranges from 195.9° in Khoy to 257.6° in Iranshahr, a spread of 61.7°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Iran.
Qibla in cities near Shiraz
Qibla in Shiraz: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Shiraz?
It is 237.4° from true north, which is south-west: 32.6° south of west.
How far is Shiraz from Mecca?
1,565 km in a straight line over the globe, and 1,400 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Shiraz?
On 365 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.
Is the Qibla the same everywhere in Iran?
No. It ranges from 195.9° to 257.6° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 237.4° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.