Qibla · Turkistan Oblast
Qibla direction in Turkestan
To face the Kaaba in Turkestan, turn to 236.3° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-west (33.7° south of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 3,579 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Turkestan should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Turkestan as a needle at 236.3°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 236°. 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 Turkestan
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 33.7° towards south: the result is the bearing of 236.3°. 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 Turkestan.
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 Turkestan, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Turkestan 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 Turkestan to Mecca points to 227.4° (south-west), 8.9° away from the correct 236.3°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 11 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 236.3° is the direction in which the shortest route from 43.2946° N, 68.2569° 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 Turkestan to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 3,579 km from Turkestan as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 3,344 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 4 h 43 min, although most pilgrims from Turkestan connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Turkestan 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 Turkestan rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Turkestan
On 315 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Turkestan 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 16:38 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Turkestan 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 | 16:38 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 16:24 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 16:06 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 15:46 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 15:20 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 15:00 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:40 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 14:26 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 14:16 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 14:14 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 14:18 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 14:26 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 14:39 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:51 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 15:05 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 15:16 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 15:30 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 15:42 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 15:59 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 16:14 | — |
| 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 Turkestan: at 14:18 and 14:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Turkestan compared with other cities
Compared with Astana, 909 km away, the Qibla in Turkestan is turned 4.8° further clockwise (236.3° against 231.5°), and Mecca is 713 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Shymkent (155 km), prays towards 239.4°, a difference of 3.1°.
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 Turkestan
Qibla in Turkestan: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Turkestan?
It is 236.3° from true north, which is south-west: 33.7° south of west.
How far is Turkestan from Mecca?
3,579 km in a straight line over the globe, and 3,344 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Turkestan?
On 315 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 Turkestan not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 227.4°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Turkestan at 236.3°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 236.3° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.