Qibla · Kelantan
Qibla direction in Kota Bharu
To face the Kaaba in Kota Bharu, turn to 291.0° measured clockwise from true north, which is west (21.0° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 6,908 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Kota Bharu should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Kota Bharu as a needle at 291.0°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 291°. 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 Kota Bharu
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 21.0° towards north: the result is the bearing of 291.0°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 21° 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 Kota Bharu, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Kota Bharu 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 Kota Bharu to Mecca points to 284.2° (west), 6.8° away from the correct 291.0°. 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 291.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 6.1236° N, 102.2433° 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 Kota Bharu to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 6,908 km from Kota Bharu as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 6,961 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 8 h 38 min, although most pilgrims from Kota Bharu connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Kota Bharu run 5 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Kota Bharu rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Kota Bharu
On 111 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Kota Bharu while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in August (31 days); for example, on 15 April 2027 it happens at 13:50 local time.
On 155 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 March (31 days), for instance on 1 February 2027 at 09:00.
| 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 | — | 09:00 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 10:05 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 11:03 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 11:56 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 12:58 |
| 15 April 2027 | 13:50 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:54 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 15:58 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | — | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 17:33 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 15:52 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:49 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 13:35 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 12:36 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 11:28 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 10:29 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 09:15 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 08:10 |
| 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 Kota Bharu: at 17:18 and 17:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Kota Bharu compared with other cities
Compared with Kuala Lumpur, 337 km away, the Qibla in Kota Bharu is turned 1.5° further anticlockwise (291.0° against 292.5°), and Mecca is 66 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Pasir Puteh (37 km), prays towards 291.2°, a difference of 0.1°.
Across the 40 cities in Malaysia on this site, the Qibla ranges from 290.6° in Kota Kinabalu to 293.0° in Iskandar Puteri, a spread of 2.4°. The difference is small, yet each city should still use its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Malaysia.
Qibla in cities near Kota Bharu
- Pasir Puteh291.2° · 37 km
- Kuala Krai291.3° · 66 km
- Kuala Terengganu291.3° · 133 km
- Alor Star291.2° · 208 km
- Bukit Mertajam291.6° · 214 km
- Ipoh291.9° · 214 km
Qibla in Kota Bharu: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Kota Bharu?
It is 291.0° from true north, which is west: 21.0° north of west.
How far is Kota Bharu from Mecca?
6,908 km in a straight line over the globe, and 6,961 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Kota Bharu?
On 111 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 Kota Bharu not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 284.2°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Kota Bharu at 291.0°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 291.0° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.