Qibla direction in Dar es Salaam

How to face the Qibla in Dar es Salaam

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards north and move a further 1.1° towards east: the result is the bearing of 1.1°. The direction is close to due north, which makes it easy to remember.

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 Dar es Salaam, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam to Mecca points to 1.1°, only 0.0° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 1.1° bearing remains the exact one.

The value of 1.1° is the direction in which the shortest route from 6.8235° S, 39.2695° 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 Dar es Salaam to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 3,141 km from Dar es Salaam as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 3,480 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 4 h 12 min, although most pilgrims from Dar es Salaam connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Dar es Salaam

On 221 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Dar es Salaam 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 15 March 2027 it happens at 12:32 local time.

On 143 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 12:28.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Dar es Salaam: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.

Dar es Salaam compared with other cities

Compared with Dodoma, 397 km away, the Qibla in Dar es Salaam is turned 7.1° further anticlockwise (1.1° against 8.2°), and Mecca is 41 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Kibaha (39 km), prays towards 1.8°, a difference of 0.7°.

Among the 34 cities in Tanzania on this site, Dar es Salaam has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 359.4° in Mtwara. Across the country the direction varies by 358.3°.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Tanzania.

Qibla in cities near Dar es Salaam

• Kibaha1.8° · 39 km
• Zanzibar1.3° · 74 km
• Morogoro4.3° · 178 km
• Tanga1.5° · 196 km
• Handeni3.7° · 208 km
• Ifakara5.9° · 320 km