Qibla · Centrale
Qibla direction in Sokodé
To face the Kaaba in Sokodé, turn to 67.0° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-east (23.0° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,361 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Sokodé should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Sokodé as a needle at 67.0°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 67°. 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 Sokodé
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 23.0° towards north: the result is the bearing of 67.0°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 23° 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 Sokodé, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Sokodé 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 Sokodé to Mecca points to 71.5° (east), 4.6° away from the correct 67.0°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 6 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 67.0° is the direction in which the shortest route from 8.9833° N, 1.1333° 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 Sokodé to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,361 km from Sokodé as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,424 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 38 min, although most pilgrims from Sokodé connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Sokodé 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 Sokodé rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Sokodé
On 139 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Sokodé 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 April 2027 it happens at 11:48 local time.
On 187 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 January 2027 at 17:14.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 17:14 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 16:17 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 15:27 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 14:36 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 13:43 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 12:40 |
| 15 April 2027 | 11:48 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:49 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:00 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 09:06 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 05:56 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 08:46 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 09:25 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 10:22 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 11:08 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 12:02 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 12:45 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 13:34 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 14:19 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 15:17 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 16:09 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 17:09 |
| 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 Sokodé: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Sokodé compared with other cities
Compared with Lomé, 318 km away, the Qibla in Sokodé is turned 3.2° further clockwise (67.0° against 63.8°), and Mecca is 123 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Kara (63 km), prays towards 67.6°, a difference of 0.6°.
Across the 3 cities in Togo on this site, the Qibla ranges from 63.8° in Lomé to 67.6° in Kara, a spread of 3.8°. The difference is small, yet each city should still use its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Togo.
Qibla in cities near Sokodé
Qibla in Sokodé: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Sokodé?
It is 67.0° from true north, which is north-east: 23.0° north of east.
How far is Sokodé from Mecca?
4,361 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,424 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Sokodé?
On 139 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 Sokodé not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 71.5°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Sokodé at 67.0°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 67.0° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.