Qibla · Banaadir
Qibla direction in Mogadishu
To face the Kaaba in Mogadishu, turn to 344.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is north (15.1° west of north). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 2,237 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Mogadishu should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Mogadishu as a needle at 344.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 345°. 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 Mogadishu
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards north and move a further 15.1° towards west: the result is the bearing of 344.9°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at north 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 Mogadishu, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu to Mecca points to 344.5°, only 0.4° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 344.9° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 344.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 2.0371° N, 45.3438° 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 Mogadishu to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 2,237 km from Mogadishu as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 2,569 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 3 h 08 min, although most pilgrims from Mogadishu connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Mogadishu
On 176 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Mogadishu while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 1 April 2027 it happens at 12:05 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 January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 11:34.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 11:34 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 11:42 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 11:51 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 11:57 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 12:01 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 12:03 |
| 1 April 2027 | 12:05 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:07 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 12:10 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 12:14 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 12:19 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:24 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 12:27 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 12:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 12:16 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 12:06 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 11:55 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 11:43 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 11:33 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 11:24 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 11:20 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 11:21 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 11:25 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Mogadishu: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Mogadishu compared with other cities
The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Merca (73 km), prays towards 346.6°, a difference of 1.7°.
Across the 10 cities in Somalia on this site, the Qibla ranges from 313.0° in El Dibir to 353.2° in Kismayo, a spread of 40.2°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Somalia.
Qibla in cities near Mogadishu
Qibla in Mogadishu: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Mogadishu?
It is 344.9° from true north, which is north: 15.1° west of north.
How far is Mogadishu from Mecca?
2,237 km in a straight line over the globe, and 2,569 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Mogadishu?
On 176 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 Somalia?
No. It ranges from 313.0° to 353.2° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 344.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.