Qibla · Karaganda Region
Qibla direction in Temirtau
To face the Kaaba in Temirtau, turn to 234.5° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-west (35.5° south of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,302 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Temirtau should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Temirtau as a needle at 234.5°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 234°. 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 Temirtau
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 35.5° towards south: the result is the bearing of 234.5°. 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 Temirtau.
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 Temirtau, 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
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Temirtau to Mecca points to 222.6° (south-west), 11.9° away from the correct 234.5°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 22 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 234.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 50.0520° N, 72.9550° 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 Temirtau to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,302 km from Temirtau as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,038 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 34 min, although most pilgrims from Temirtau connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Temirtau 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 Temirtau rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Temirtau
On 297 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Temirtau 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 1 February 2027 it happens at 16:13 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Temirtau 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 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 16:13 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 16:02 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 15:47 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 15:31 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 15:09 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 14:52 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:36 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 14:24 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 14:17 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 14:16 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 14:20 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 14:26 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 14:37 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:46 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 14:56 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 15:04 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 15:14 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 15:23 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 15:36 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 15:48 | — |
| 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 Temirtau: at 14:18 and 14:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Temirtau compared with other cities
Compared with Astana, 165 km away, the Qibla in Temirtau is turned 3.0° further clockwise (234.5° against 231.5°), and Mecca is 9 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Karaganda (30 km), prays towards 234.9°, a difference of 0.4°.
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 Temirtau
Qibla in Temirtau: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Temirtau?
It is 234.5° from true north, which is south-west: 35.5° south of west.
How far is Temirtau from Mecca?
4,302 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,038 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Temirtau?
On 297 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 Temirtau not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 222.6°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Temirtau at 234.5°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 234.5° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.