Qibla · Central Luzon
Qibla direction in Gapan
To face the Kaaba in Gapan, turn to 288.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is west (18.9° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 8,496 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Gapan should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Gapan as a needle at 288.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 289°. 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 Gapan
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 18.9° towards north: the result is the bearing of 288.9°. 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 Gapan, 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
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Gapan to Mecca points to 274.5° (west), 14.3° away from the correct 288.9°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 87 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 288.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 15.3072° N, 120.9464° 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 Gapan to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 8,496 km from Gapan as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 8,453 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 10 h 30 min, although most pilgrims from Gapan connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Gapan 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 Gapan rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Gapan
On 100 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Gapan 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 12:40 local time.
On 179 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 07:37.
| 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 | — | — |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 07:37 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 08:27 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 09:14 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 10:09 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 10:55 |
| 1 May 2027 | — | 11:50 |
| 15 May 2027 | 12:40 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 13:42 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 14:22 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 14:19 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 13:39 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 12:39 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | — | 11:47 |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 10:43 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 09:49 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 08:48 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 07:55 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 06:51 |
| 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 Gapan: at 17:18 and 17:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Gapan compared with other cities
The Qibla here is practically the same as in Manila (289.0°), and Mecca is 29 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Cabanatuan City (20 km), prays towards 288.8°, the same bearing to the tenth of a degree.
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 Gapan
- Cabanatuan City288.8° · 20 km
- Concepcion288.8° · 31 km
- Baliuag288.9° · 40 km
- San Fernando City288.9° · 41 km
- Tarlac City288.8° · 42 km
- Angeles City288.8° · 43 km
Qibla in Gapan: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Gapan?
It is 288.9° from true north, which is west: 18.9° north of west.
How far is Gapan from Mecca?
8,496 km in a straight line over the globe, and 8,453 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Gapan?
On 100 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 Gapan not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 274.5°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Gapan at 288.9°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 288.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.