Qibla · Banghazi
Qibla direction in Benghazi
To face the Kaaba in Benghazi, turn to 116.4° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-east (26.4° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 2,288 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Benghazi should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Benghazi as a needle at 116.4°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 116°. 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 Benghazi
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 26.4° towards south: the result is the bearing of 116.4°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 26° 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 Benghazi, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Benghazi 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 Benghazi to Mecca points to 121.3° (south-east), 4.8° away from the correct 116.4°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 2 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 116.4° is the direction in which the shortest route from 32.1149° N, 20.0686° 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 Benghazi to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 2,288 km from Benghazi as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 2,090 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 3 h 11 min, although most pilgrims from Benghazi connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Benghazi 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 Benghazi rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Benghazi
On 305 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Benghazi 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 08:21 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Benghazi 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 | 08:21 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 08:45 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 09:08 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 09:31 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 09:57 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 10:18 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:42 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 11:02 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 11:22 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 11:33 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 11:35 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:07 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:44 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 10:11 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 09:42 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 09:07 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 08:38 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 08:06 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 07:45 | — |
| 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 Benghazi: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Benghazi compared with other cities
Compared with Tripoli, Libya, 651 km away, the Qibla in Benghazi is turned 7.3° further clockwise (116.4° against 109.2°), and Mecca is 628 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Ajdabiya (152 km), prays towards 113.3°, a difference of 3.1°.
Across the 17 cities in Libya on this site, the Qibla ranges from 98.1° in Sabha to 123.1° in Tobruk, a spread of 25.0°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Libya.
Qibla in cities near Benghazi
Qibla in Benghazi: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Benghazi?
It is 116.4° from true north, which is south-east: 26.4° south of east.
How far is Benghazi from Mecca?
2,288 km in a straight line over the globe, and 2,090 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Benghazi?
On 305 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 Benghazi not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 121.3°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Benghazi at 116.4°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 116.4° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.