Qibla · Saint-Louis Region
Qibla direction in Saint-Louis
To face the Kaaba in Saint-Louis, turn to 74.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (15.1° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 5,931 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Saint-Louis should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Saint-Louis as a needle at 74.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 75°. 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 Saint-Louis
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 15.1° towards north: the result is the bearing of 74.9°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 15° 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 Saint-Louis, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Saint-Louis 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 Saint-Louis to Mecca points to 84.2° (east), 9.3° away from the correct 74.9°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 27 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 74.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 16.0179° N, 16.4896° W 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 Saint-Louis to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 5,931 km from Saint-Louis as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 5,890 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 7 h 29 min, although most pilgrims from Saint-Louis connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Saint-Louis run 3 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Saint-Louis rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Saint-Louis
On 55 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Saint-Louis while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (27 days); for example, on 15 May 2027 it happens at 07:58 local time.
On 162 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 18:38.
| 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 | — | 18:38 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 17:37 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 16:38 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 15:26 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 14:27 |
| 1 May 2027 | — | 13:17 |
| 15 May 2027 | 07:58 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | — | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 09:33 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 07:52 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | — | 13:39 |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 14:44 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 15:34 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 16:31 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 17:23 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | — |
| 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 Saint-Louis: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Saint-Louis compared with other cities
Compared with Dakar, 179 km away, the Qibla in Saint-Louis is turned 1.0° further clockwise (74.9° against 73.9°), and Mecca is 138 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Louga (53 km), prays towards 74.7°, a difference of 0.3°.
Among the 13 cities in Senegal on this site, Saint-Louis has the largest Qibla bearing; the smallest is 72.5° in Ziguinchor. Across the country the direction varies by 2.4°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Senegal.
Qibla in cities near Saint-Louis
Qibla in Saint-Louis: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Saint-Louis?
It is 74.9° from true north, which is east: 15.1° north of east.
How far is Saint-Louis from Mecca?
5,931 km in a straight line over the globe, and 5,890 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Saint-Louis?
On 55 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 Saint-Louis not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 84.2°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Saint-Louis at 74.9°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 74.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.