Qibla · Nineveh Governorate
Qibla direction in 'Ākra
To face the Kaaba in 'Ākra, turn to 194.1° measured clockwise from true north, which is south (14.1° west of south). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 1,747 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in 'Ākra should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of 'Ākra as a needle at 194.1°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 194°. 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 'Ākra
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards south and move a further 14.1° towards west: the result is the bearing of 194.1°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at south 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 'Ākra, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of 'Ākra 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
On a flat (Mercator) map, the straight line from 'Ākra to Mecca points to 193.0°, only 1.1° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 194.1° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 194.1° is the direction in which the shortest route from 36.7336° N, 43.8804° 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 'Ākra to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 1,747 km from 'Ākra as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 1,423 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 2 h 33 min, although most pilgrims from 'Ākra connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in 'Ākra run the same time as Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of 'Ākra rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in 'Ākra
On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of 'Ākra 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 13:01 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of 'Ākra 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 | 13:01 | — |
| 15 January 2027 | 13:05 | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 13:06 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 13:03 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 12:57 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 12:49 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 12:39 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:31 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 12:19 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 12:18 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:19 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 12:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 12:30 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 12:32 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 12:32 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 12:31 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 12:31 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 12:31 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 12:34 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 12:38 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | 12:46 | — |
| 15 December 2027 | 12:53 | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in 'Ākra: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
'Ākra compared with other cities
Compared with Baghdad, 380 km away, the Qibla in 'Ākra is turned 5.9° further anticlockwise (194.1° against 199.9°), and Mecca is 347 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Xebat (54 km), prays towards 193.7°, a difference of 0.3°.
Across the 40 cities in Iraq on this site, the Qibla ranges from 190.9° in Duhok to 224.3° in Al Fāw, a spread of 33.4°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Iraq.
Qibla in cities near 'Ākra
Qibla in 'Ākra: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in 'Ākra?
It is 194.1° from true north, which is south: 14.1° west of south.
How far is 'Ākra from Mecca?
1,747 km in a straight line over the globe, and 1,423 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in 'Ākra?
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 Iraq?
No. It ranges from 190.9° to 224.3° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 194.1° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.