Qibla direction in Cuautla

How to face the Qibla in Cuautla

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 43.0° towards north: the result is the bearing of 47.0°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “east” would be off by more than 40°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Cuautla.

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 Cuautla, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque 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

This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Cuautla to Mecca points to 88.9° (east), a full 41.8° away from the true Qibla of 47.0° (north-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 812 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Cuautla first heads north-east, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 47.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 18.8130° N, 98.9551° W 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 Cuautla to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 13,680 km from Cuautla as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 13,435 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 16 h 36 min, although most pilgrims from Cuautla connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Cuautla run 9 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Cuautla rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Cuautla

On 75 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Cuautla while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in June (30 days); for example, on 15 May 2027 it happens at 12:32 local time.

On 290 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 January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 15:32.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Cuautla (03:18 and 03:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 15:29 and 28 November 2027 at 15:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Cuautla points straight to Mecca.

Cuautla compared with other cities

The Qibla here is practically the same as in Mexico City (46.6°), and Mecca is 34 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Cuernavaca (32 km), prays towards 46.8°, a difference of 0.3°.

Across the 99 cities in Mexico on this site, the Qibla ranges from 25.5° in Rosarito to 54.2° in Chetumal, a spread of 28.7°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Mexico.

Qibla in cities near Cuautla

• Cuernavaca46.8° · 32 km
• Xico46.8° · 52 km
• Tlalpan46.6° · 58 km
• Chicoloapan de Juárez46.8° · 67 km
• Mexico City46.6° · 71 km
• Delegación Cuajimalpa de Morelos46.5° · 71 km