Qibla · Niassa Province
Qibla direction in Lichinga
To face the Kaaba in Lichinga, turn to 7.5° measured clockwise from true north, which is north (7.5° east of north). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 3,895 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Lichinga should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Lichinga as a needle at 7.5°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 7°. 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 Lichinga
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards north and move a further 7.5° towards east: the result is the bearing of 7.5°. 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 Lichinga, 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 Lichinga to Mecca points to 7.4°, only 0.1° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 7.5° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 7.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 13.3128° S, 35.2406° 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 Lichinga to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 3,895 km from Lichinga as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,228 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 05 min, although most pilgrims from Lichinga connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Lichinga 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 Lichinga rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Lichinga
On 257 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Lichinga while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 15 February 2027 it happens at 11:53 local time.
On 108 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 January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 11:48.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 11:48 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 11:53 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 11:55 |
| 15 February 2027 | 11:53 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 11:48 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 11:42 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 11:34 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 11:21 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 11:19 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 11:18 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 11:20 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 11:24 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:29 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 11:29 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 11:28 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 11:26 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 11:24 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 11:22 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 11:23 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 11:26 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 11:33 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 11:40 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Lichinga: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Lichinga compared with other cities
Compared with Maputo, 1,434 km away, the Qibla in Lichinga is turned 1.6° further anticlockwise (7.5° against 9.1°), and Mecca is 1,432 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Mandimba (124 km), prays towards 6.6°, a difference of 0.8°.
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 Lichinga
Qibla in Lichinga: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Lichinga?
It is 7.5° from true north, which is north: 7.5° east of north.
How far is Lichinga from Mecca?
3,895 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,228 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Lichinga?
On 257 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.
Is the Qibla the same everywhere in Mozambique?
No. It ranges from 0.9° to 359.9° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 7.5° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.