Qibla · Abai Region
Qibla direction in Semey
To face the Kaaba in Semey, turn to 242.6° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-west (27.4° south of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,766 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Semey should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Semey as a needle at 242.6°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 243°. 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 Semey
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 27.4° towards south: the result is the bearing of 242.6°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 27° 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 Semey, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Semey 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 Semey to Mecca points to 227.8° (south-west), 14.7° away from the correct 242.6°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 37 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 242.6° is the direction in which the shortest route from 50.4206° N, 80.2503° 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 Semey to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,766 km from Semey as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,514 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 06 min, although most pilgrims from Semey connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Semey run 2 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Semey rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Semey
On 263 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Semey while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 15 February 2027 it happens at 16:13 local time.
On 68 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 June (30 days), for instance on 1 June 2027 at 04:25.
| 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 | 16:13 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 15:56 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 15:38 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 15:15 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 14:56 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:38 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 14:25 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 14:16 | 04:25 |
| 15 June 2027 | 14:15 | 04:32 |
| 1 July 2027 | 14:19 | 04:35 |
| 15 July 2027 | 14:26 | 04:32 |
| 1 August 2027 | 14:38 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:48 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 15:00 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 15:10 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 15:22 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 15:32 | — |
| 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 Semey: at 14:18 and 14:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Semey compared with other cities
Compared with Astana, 624 km away, the Qibla in Semey is turned 11.1° further clockwise (242.6° against 231.5°), and Mecca is 473 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Ust-Kamenogorsk (175 km), prays towards 245.5°, a difference of 2.9°.
Across the 23 cities in Kazakhstan on this site, the Qibla ranges from 201.2° in Oral to 246.6° in Almaty, a spread of 45.4°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Kazakhstan.
Qibla in cities near Semey
- Ust-Kamenogorsk245.5° · 175 km
- Pavlodar237.1° · 307 km
- Ekibastuz235.7° · 373 km
- Karaganda234.9° · 514 km
- Temirtau234.5° · 520 km
- Taldykorgan246.1° · 617 km
Qibla in Semey: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Semey?
It is 242.6° from true north, which is south-west: 27.4° south of west.
How far is Semey from Mecca?
4,766 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,514 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Semey?
On 263 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 Semey not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 227.8°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Semey at 242.6°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 242.6° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.