Qibla · Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Qibla direction in Jolo
To face the Kaaba in Jolo, turn to 290.7° measured clockwise from true north, which is west (20.7° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 8,851 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Jolo should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Jolo as a needle at 290.7°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 291°. 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 Jolo
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 20.7° towards north: the result is the bearing of 290.7°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 21° 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 Jolo, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Jolo 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 Jolo to Mecca points to 281.1° (west), 9.7° away from the correct 290.7°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 53 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 290.7° is the direction in which the shortest route from 6.0522° N, 121.0022° 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 Jolo to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 8,851 km from Jolo as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 8,860 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 10 h 55 min, although most pilgrims from Jolo connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Jolo run 5 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Jolo rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Jolo
On 107 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Jolo while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in August (31 days); for example, on 15 April 2027 it happens at 12:36 local time.
On 151 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 07:40.
| 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 | — | 07:40 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 08:47 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 09:46 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 10:40 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 11:43 |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:36 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 13:42 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 14:49 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | — | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 16:47 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 14:42 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 13:36 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 12:21 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 11:21 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 10:13 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 09:12 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 07:57 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 06:50 |
| 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 Jolo: at 17:18 and 17:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Jolo compared with other cities
Compared with Manila, 951 km away, the Qibla in Jolo is turned 1.7° further clockwise (290.7° against 289.0°), and Mecca is 326 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Zamboanga City (152 km), prays towards 290.6°, a difference of 0.1°.
Across the 80 cities in the Philippines on this site, the Qibla ranges from 288.1° in Laoag to 290.9° in General Santos, a spread of 2.8°. The difference is small, yet each city should still use its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Philippines.
Qibla in cities near Jolo
- Zamboanga City290.6° · 152 km
- Pagadian290.6° · 333 km
- Cotabato City290.7° · 381 km
- Budta290.8° · 401 km
- Tacurong290.8° · 412 km
- Bayawan290.3° · 418 km
Qibla in Jolo: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Jolo?
It is 290.7° from true north, which is west: 20.7° north of west.
How far is Jolo from Mecca?
8,851 km in a straight line over the globe, and 8,860 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Jolo?
On 107 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 Jolo not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 281.1°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Jolo at 290.7°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 290.7° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.