Qibla · Casablanca-Settat
Qibla direction in Mohammedia
To face the Kaaba in Mohammedia, turn to 93.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (3.9° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,805 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Mohammedia should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Mohammedia as a needle at 93.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 94°. 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 Mohammedia
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 3.9° towards south: the result is the bearing of 93.9°. The direction is close to due east, which makes it easy to remember.
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 Mohammedia, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Mohammedia 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 Mohammedia to Mecca points to 106.4° (east), 12.5° away from the correct 93.9°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 31 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 93.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 33.6861° N, 7.3830° 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 Mohammedia to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,805 km from Mohammedia as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,640 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 09 min, although most pilgrims from Mohammedia connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Mohammedia run 3 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Mohammedia rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Mohammedia
On 190 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Mohammedia while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 1 April 2027 it happens at 07:29 local time.
On 158 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 May (31 days), for instance on 15 April 2027 at 17:58.
| 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 | — | — |
| 1 March 2027 | — | — |
| 15 March 2027 | — | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 07:29 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 07:57 | 17:58 |
| 1 May 2027 | 08:29 | 17:20 |
| 15 May 2027 | 08:56 | 16:51 |
| 1 June 2027 | 09:24 | 16:27 |
| 15 June 2027 | 09:38 | 16:19 |
| 1 July 2027 | 09:39 | 16:24 |
| 15 July 2027 | 09:28 | 16:40 |
| 1 August 2027 | 09:00 | 17:09 |
| 15 August 2027 | 08:30 | 17:35 |
| 1 September 2027 | 07:48 | 18:08 |
| 15 September 2027 | 07:11 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | — | — |
| 15 October 2027 | — | — |
| 1 November 2027 | — | — |
| 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 Mohammedia: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Mohammedia compared with other cities
Compared with Rabat, 63 km away, the Qibla in Mohammedia is turned 0.7° further anticlockwise (93.9° against 94.6°), and Mecca is 48 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Casablanca (24 km), prays towards 93.7°, a difference of 0.2°.
Across the 34 cities in Morocco on this site, the Qibla ranges from 87.7° in Guelmim to 98.7° in Oujda, a spread of 11.0°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Morocco.
Qibla in cities near Mohammedia
- Casablanca93.7° · 24 km
- Bouskoura93.5° · 36 km
- Dar Bouazza93.5° · 44 km
- Berrechid93.4° · 50 km
- Rabat94.6° · 63 km
- Settat93.1° · 79 km
Qibla in Mohammedia: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Mohammedia?
It is 93.9° from true north, which is east: 3.9° south of east.
How far is Mohammedia from Mecca?
4,805 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,640 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Mohammedia?
On 190 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 Mohammedia not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 106.4°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Mohammedia at 93.9°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 93.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.