Qibla · 'Asir Region
Qibla direction in Sabt Al Alaya
To face the Kaaba in Sabt Al Alaya, turn to 313.0° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-west (43.0° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 303 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Sabt Al Alaya should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Sabt Al Alaya as a needle at 313.0°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 313°. 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 Sabt Al Alaya
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 43.0° towards north: the result is the bearing of 313.0°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “west” would be off by more than 40°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Sabt Al Alaya.
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 Sabt Al Alaya, 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 Sabt Al Alaya to Mecca points to 312.7°, only 0.4° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 313.0° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 313.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 19.5773° N, 41.9636° 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 Sabt Al Alaya to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 303 km from Sabt Al Alaya as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 595 km away. The distance is short enough that many pilgrims from Sabt Al Alaya travel to the Hijaz by road.
Clocks in Sabt Al Alaya run the same time as Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Sabt Al Alaya rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Sabt Al Alaya
On 68 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Sabt Al Alaya while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in June (30 days); for example, on 1 June 2027 it happens at 12:21 local time.
On 296 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 09:21.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 09:21 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 09:36 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 09:59 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 10:18 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 10:36 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 10:54 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 11:14 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 11:31 |
| 1 May 2027 | — | 11:50 |
| 15 May 2027 | — | 12:05 |
| 1 June 2027 | 12:21 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:30 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 12:33 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 12:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | — | 12:12 |
| 15 August 2027 | — | 11:53 |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 11:25 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 11:00 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 10:31 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 10:07 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 09:40 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 09:24 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 09:13 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 09:12 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Sabt Al Alaya: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Sabt Al Alaya compared with other cities
Compared with Riyadh, 750 km away, the Qibla in Sabt Al Alaya is turned 68.9° further clockwise (313.0° against 244.2°), and Mecca is 491 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Bisha (82 km), prays towards 299.2°, a difference of 13.9°.
Across the 27 cities in Saudi Arabia on this site, the Qibla ranges from 96.4° in Jeddah to 330.8° in Jizan, a spread of 234.5°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Saudi Arabia.
Qibla in cities near Sabt Al Alaya
Qibla in Sabt Al Alaya: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Sabt Al Alaya?
It is 313.0° from true north, which is north-west: 43.0° north of west.
How far is Sabt Al Alaya from Mecca?
303 km in a straight line over the globe, and 595 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Sabt Al Alaya?
On 68 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 Saudi Arabia?
No. It ranges from 96.4° to 330.8° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 313.0° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.