Qibla · Oriental
Qibla direction in Oujda
To face the Kaaba in Oujda, turn to 98.7° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (8.7° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,317 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Oujda should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Oujda as a needle at 98.7°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 99°. 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 Oujda
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 8.7° towards south: the result is the bearing of 98.7°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 9° 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 Oujda, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Oujda 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 Oujda to Mecca points to 109.9° (east), 11.2° away from the correct 98.7°. 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 98.7° is the direction in which the shortest route from 34.6814° N, 1.9086° 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 Oujda to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,317 km from Oujda as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,141 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 35 min, although most pilgrims from Oujda connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Oujda 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 Oujda rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Oujda
On 213 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Oujda 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 15 March 2027 it happens at 07:05 local time.
On 138 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 18:12.
| 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 | 07:05 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 07:37 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 08:03 | 18:12 |
| 1 May 2027 | 08:33 | 17:36 |
| 15 May 2027 | 08:58 | 17:10 |
| 1 June 2027 | 09:23 | 16:48 |
| 15 June 2027 | 09:36 | 16:41 |
| 1 July 2027 | 09:38 | 16:46 |
| 15 July 2027 | 09:27 | 17:01 |
| 1 August 2027 | 09:02 | 17:27 |
| 15 August 2027 | 08:34 | 17:51 |
| 1 September 2027 | 07:55 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 07:20 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 06:40 | — |
| 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 Oujda: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Oujda compared with other cities
Compared with Rabat, 458 km away, the Qibla in Oujda is turned 4.1° further clockwise (98.7° against 94.6°), and Mecca is 440 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Berkane (46 km), prays towards 98.7°, the same bearing to the tenth of a degree.
Among the 34 cities in Morocco on this site, Oujda has the largest Qibla bearing; the smallest is 87.7° in Guelmim. Across the country the direction varies by 11.0°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Morocco.
Qibla in cities near Oujda
Qibla in Oujda: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Oujda?
It is 98.7° from true north, which is east: 8.7° south of east.
How far is Oujda from Mecca?
4,317 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,141 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Oujda?
On 213 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 Oujda not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 109.9°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Oujda at 98.7°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 98.7° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.