Qibla · Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
Qibla direction in Ksar El Kebir
To face the Kaaba in Ksar El Kebir, turn to 96.3° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (6.3° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,683 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Ksar El Kebir should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Ksar El Kebir as a needle at 96.3°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 96°. 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 Ksar El Kebir
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 6.3° towards south: the result is the bearing of 96.3°. 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 Ksar El Kebir, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Ksar El Kebir 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 Ksar El Kebir to Mecca points to 108.7° (east), 12.4° away from the correct 96.3°. 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 96.3° is the direction in which the shortest route from 35.0004° N, 5.9038° 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 Ksar El Kebir to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,683 km from Ksar El Kebir as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,507 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 01 min, although most pilgrims from Ksar El Kebir connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Ksar El Kebir 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 Ksar El Kebir rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Ksar El Kebir
On 203 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Ksar El Kebir 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 07:04 local time.
On 147 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 18:11.
| 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 | 07:04 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 07:36 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 08:03 | 18:11 |
| 1 May 2027 | 08:33 | 17:35 |
| 15 May 2027 | 08:58 | 17:09 |
| 1 June 2027 | 09:23 | 16:46 |
| 15 June 2027 | 09:36 | 16:39 |
| 1 July 2027 | 09:38 | 16:44 |
| 15 July 2027 | 09:27 | 16:59 |
| 1 August 2027 | 09:02 | 17:26 |
| 15 August 2027 | 08:34 | 17:50 |
| 1 September 2027 | 07:55 | 18:21 |
| 15 September 2027 | 07:20 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 06:39 | — |
| 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 Ksar El Kebir: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Ksar El Kebir compared with other cities
Compared with Rabat, 139 km away, the Qibla in Ksar El Kebir is turned 1.7° further clockwise (96.3° against 94.6°), and Mecca is 74 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Larache (31 km), prays towards 96.3°, the same bearing to the tenth of a degree.
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 Ksar El Kebir
Qibla in Ksar El Kebir: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Ksar El Kebir?
It is 96.3° from true north, which is east: 6.3° south of east.
How far is Ksar El Kebir from Mecca?
4,683 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,507 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Ksar El Kebir?
On 203 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 Ksar El Kebir not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 108.7°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Ksar El Kebir at 96.3°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 96.3° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.