Qibla · Al Butnan
Qibla direction in Tobruk
To face the Kaaba in Tobruk, turn to 123.1° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-east (33.1° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 1,968 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Tobruk should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Tobruk as a needle at 123.1°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 123°. 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 Tobruk
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 33.1° towards south: the result is the bearing of 123.1°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “east” would be off by more than 30°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Tobruk.
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 Tobruk, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Tobruk 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 Tobruk to Mecca points to 127.0° (south-east), 3.9° away from the correct 123.1°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 1 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 123.1° is the direction in which the shortest route from 32.0896° N, 23.9539° 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 Tobruk to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 1,968 km from Tobruk as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 1,749 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 2 h 49 min, although most pilgrims from Tobruk connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Tobruk run 1 hour behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Tobruk rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Tobruk
On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Tobruk 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 08:10 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Tobruk 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 | 08:10 | — |
| 15 January 2027 | 08:25 | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 08:49 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 09:09 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 09:29 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 09:48 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 10:10 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 10:28 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:48 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 11:04 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 11:22 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 11:31 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 11:33 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:11 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:51 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 10:22 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 09:55 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 09:25 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 08:59 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 08:31 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 08:14 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | 08:02 | — |
| 15 December 2027 | 08:00 | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Tobruk: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Tobruk compared with other cities
Compared with Tripoli, Libya, 1,013 km away, the Qibla in Tobruk is turned 14.0° further clockwise (123.1° against 109.2°), and Mecca is 948 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Darnah (145 km), prays towards 122.3°, a difference of 0.8°.
Among the 17 cities in Libya on this site, Tobruk has the largest Qibla bearing; the smallest is 98.1° in Sabha. Across the country the direction varies by 25.0°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Libya.
Qibla in cities near Tobruk
Qibla in Tobruk: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Tobruk?
It is 123.1° from true north, which is south-east: 33.1° south of east.
How far is Tobruk from Mecca?
1,968 km in a straight line over the globe, and 1,749 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Tobruk?
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.
Why is the Qibla in Tobruk not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 127.0°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Tobruk at 123.1°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 123.1° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.