Qibla · Gabès Governorate
Qibla direction in Gabès
To face the Kaaba in Gabès, turn to 107.7° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (17.7° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 3,223 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Gabès should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Gabès as a needle at 107.7°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 108°. 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 Gabès
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 17.7° towards south: the result is the bearing of 107.7°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 18° 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 Gabès, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Gabès 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 Gabès to Mecca points to 115.4° (south-east), 7.7° away from the correct 107.7°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 8 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 107.7° is the direction in which the shortest route from 33.8815° N, 10.0982° 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 Gabès to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 3,223 km from Gabès as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 3,037 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 4 h 18 min, although most pilgrims from Gabès connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Gabès run 2 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Gabès rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Gabès
On 251 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Gabès while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 1 March 2027 it happens at 07:51 local time.
On 89 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 July (31 days), for instance on 15 May 2027 at 18:30.
| 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 | — | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 07:51 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 08:17 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 08:46 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 09:10 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 09:37 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:00 | 18:30 |
| 1 June 2027 | 10:23 | 18:10 |
| 15 June 2027 | 10:35 | 18:04 |
| 1 July 2027 | 10:37 | 18:09 |
| 15 July 2027 | 10:27 | 18:23 |
| 1 August 2027 | 10:05 | 18:46 |
| 15 August 2027 | 09:39 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 09:03 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 08:30 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 07:52 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 07:20 | — |
| 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 Gabès: at 10:18 and 10:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Gabès compared with other cities
Compared with Tunis, 327 km away, the Qibla in Gabès is turned 5.0° further anticlockwise (107.7° against 112.7°), and Mecca is 107 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Sfax (113 km), prays towards 109.9°, a difference of 2.2°.
Among the 7 cities in Tunisia on this site, Gabès has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 113.1° in Bizerte. Across the country the direction varies by 5.3°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Tunisia.
Qibla in cities near Gabès
Qibla in Gabès: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Gabès?
It is 107.7° from true north, which is east: 17.7° south of east.
How far is Gabès from Mecca?
3,223 km in a straight line over the globe, and 3,037 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Gabès?
On 251 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 Gabès not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 115.4°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Gabès at 107.7°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 107.7° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.