Qibla direction in Xai-Xai

How to face the Qibla in Xai-Xai

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards north and move a further 7.9° towards east: the result is the bearing of 7.9°. The direction is close to due north, 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 Xai-Xai, 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

On a flat (Mercator) map, the straight line from Xai-Xai to Mecca points to 7.4°, only 0.5° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 7.9° bearing remains the exact one.

The value of 7.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 25.0519° S, 33.6442° E 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 Xai-Xai to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 5,211 km from Xai-Xai as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 5,544 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 38 min, although most pilgrims from Xai-Xai connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Xai-Xai run 1 hour behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Xai-Xai rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Xai-Xai

On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Xai-Xai while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in January (31 days); for example, on 1 January 2027 it happens at 11:48 local time.

The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Xai-Xai during daylight, so the shadow method does not apply here; the left-hand column is the one to use.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Xai-Xai: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.

Xai-Xai compared with other cities

Compared with Maputo, 147 km away, the Qibla in Xai-Xai is turned 1.2° further anticlockwise (7.9° against 9.1°), and Mecca is 116 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Maputo (147 km), prays towards 9.1°, a difference of 1.2°.

Across the 16 cities in Mozambique on this site, the Qibla ranges from 0.9° in Nampula to 359.9° in Angoche, a spread of 359.0°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Mozambique.

Qibla in cities near Xai-Xai

• Maputo9.1° · 147 km
• Ressano Garcia9.9° · 171 km
• Maxixe5.9° · 217 km
• Beira7.0° · 592 km
• Chimoio9.0° · 660 km
• Quelimane4.3° · 865 km