Qibla · Rabat-Salé-Kénitra
Qibla direction in Kenitra
To face the Kaaba in Kenitra, turn to 95.0° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (5.0° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,737 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Kenitra should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Kenitra as a needle at 95.0°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 95°. 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 Kenitra
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 5.0° towards south: the result is the bearing of 95.0°. 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 Kenitra, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Kenitra 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 Kenitra to Mecca points to 107.4° (east), 12.4° away from the correct 95.0°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 30 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 95.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 34.2610° N, 6.5802° 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 Kenitra to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,737 km from Kenitra as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,567 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 04 min, although most pilgrims from Kenitra connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Kenitra 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 Kenitra rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Kenitra
On 197 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Kenitra 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 07:32 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 May (31 days), for instance on 15 April 2027 at 18:03.
| 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 | 07:32 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 08:00 | 18:03 |
| 1 May 2027 | 08:31 | 17:27 |
| 15 May 2027 | 08:57 | 16:59 |
| 1 June 2027 | 09:24 | 16:36 |
| 15 June 2027 | 09:37 | 16:28 |
| 1 July 2027 | 09:39 | 16:33 |
| 15 July 2027 | 09:28 | 16:49 |
| 1 August 2027 | 09:01 | 17:16 |
| 15 August 2027 | 08:32 | 17:42 |
| 1 September 2027 | 07:51 | 18:14 |
| 15 September 2027 | 07:15 | — |
| 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 Kenitra: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Kenitra compared with other cities
The Qibla here is practically the same as in Rabat (94.6°), and Mecca is 21 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Rabat (36 km), prays towards 94.6°, a difference of 0.4°.
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 Kenitra
- Rabat94.6° · 36 km
- Sidi Slimane95.5° · 60 km
- Khemisset94.9° · 68 km
- Mohammedia93.9° · 98 km
- Ksar El Kebir96.3° · 103 km
- Meknes95.3° · 104 km
Qibla in Kenitra: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Kenitra?
It is 95.0° from true north, which is east: 5.0° south of east.
How far is Kenitra from Mecca?
4,737 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,567 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Kenitra?
On 197 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 Kenitra not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 107.4°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Kenitra at 95.0°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 95.0° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.