Qibla direction in Ilagan

How to face the Qibla in Ilagan

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 18.6° towards north: the result is the bearing of 288.6°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west 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 Ilagan, 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

This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Ilagan to Mecca points to 273.2° (west), a full 15.5° away from the true Qibla of 288.6° (west). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 98 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Ilagan first heads west, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 288.6° is the direction in which the shortest route from 17.1485° N, 121.8892° 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 Ilagan to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 8,526 km from Ilagan as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 8,470 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 10 h 32 min, although most pilgrims from Ilagan connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Ilagan 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 Ilagan rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Ilagan

On 88 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Ilagan while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in July (31 days); for example, on 15 May 2027 it happens at 12:10 local time.

On 189 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 15 February 2027 at 07:26.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Ilagan: at 17:18 and 17:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.

Ilagan compared with other cities

The Qibla here is practically the same as in Manila (289.0°), and Mecca is at the same distance. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Tuguegarao City (55 km), prays towards 288.5°, 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 Ilagan

• Tuguegarao City288.5° · 55 km
• Tabuk, Cordillera, Philippines288.5° · 56 km
• Santiago, Cagayan Valley, Philippines288.7° · 63 km
• Baguio City288.5° · 160 km
• Laoag288.1° · 180 km
• Urdaneta288.6° · 192 km