Qibla · Surt
Qibla direction in Sirte
To face the Kaaba in Sirte, turn to 109.6° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (19.6° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 2,552 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Sirte should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Sirte as a needle at 109.6°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 110°. 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 Sirte
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 19.6° towards south: the result is the bearing of 109.6°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 20° 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 Sirte, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Sirte 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 Sirte to Mecca points to 115.2° (south-east), 5.6° away from the correct 109.6°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 4 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 109.6° is the direction in which the shortest route from 31.2089° N, 16.5887° 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 Sirte to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 2,552 km from Sirte as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 2,379 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 3 h 30 min, although most pilgrims from Sirte connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Sirte 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 Sirte rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Sirte
On 265 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Sirte 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 08:14 local time.
On 77 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 15 May 2027 at 19:17.
| 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 | 08:14 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 08:42 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 09:09 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 09:40 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 10:06 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:35 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:59 | 19:17 |
| 1 June 2027 | 11:23 | 18:56 |
| 15 June 2027 | 11:36 | 18:49 |
| 1 July 2027 | 11:37 | 18:54 |
| 15 July 2027 | 11:27 | 19:08 |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:03 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:36 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 09:58 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 09:24 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 08:44 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 08:11 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 07:34 | — |
| 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 Sirte: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Sirte compared with other cities
The Qibla here is practically the same as in Tripoli, Libya (109.2°), and Mecca is 364 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Misratah (192 km), prays towards 110.3°, a difference of 0.7°.
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 Sirte
Qibla in Sirte: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Sirte?
It is 109.6° from true north, which is east: 19.6° south of east.
How far is Sirte from Mecca?
2,552 km in a straight line over the globe, and 2,379 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Sirte?
On 265 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 Sirte not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 115.2°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Sirte at 109.6°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 109.6° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.