Qibla · Maradi Region
Qibla direction in Maradi
To face the Kaaba in Maradi, turn to 71.1° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (18.9° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 3,573 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Maradi should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Maradi as a needle at 71.1°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 71°. 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 Maradi
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 18.9° towards north: the result is the bearing of 71.1°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 19° 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 Maradi, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Maradi 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 Maradi to Mecca points to 75.7° (east), 4.6° away from the correct 71.1°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 5 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 71.1° is the direction in which the shortest route from 13.5000° N, 7.1017° 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 Maradi to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 3,573 km from Maradi as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 3,618 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 4 h 42 min, although most pilgrims from Maradi connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Maradi run 2 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Maradi rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Maradi
On 93 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Maradi 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 May 2027 it happens at 12:09 local time.
On 172 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 March (31 days), for instance on 1 February 2027 at 18:06.
| 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 | — | 18:06 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 17:09 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 16:13 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 15:17 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 14:09 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 13:13 |
| 1 May 2027 | 12:09 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 11:12 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 07:33 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 07:26 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:36 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 12:30 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 13:29 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 14:16 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 15:09 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 15:57 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 17:02 |
| 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 Maradi: at 10:18 and 10:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Maradi compared with other cities
Compared with Niamey, 540 km away, the Qibla in Maradi is turned 1.1° further anticlockwise (71.1° against 72.2°), and Mecca is 512 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Zinder (207 km), prays towards 71.0°, a difference of 0.1°.
Across the 6 cities in Niger on this site, the Qibla ranges from 71.0° in Zinder to 79.4° in Arlit, a spread of 8.4°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Niger.
Qibla in cities near Maradi
Qibla in Maradi: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Maradi?
It is 71.1° from true north, which is east: 18.9° north of east.
How far is Maradi from Mecca?
3,573 km in a straight line over the globe, and 3,618 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Maradi?
On 93 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 Maradi not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 75.7°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Maradi at 71.1°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 71.1° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.