Qibla · Hatay Province
Qibla direction in İskenderun
To face the Kaaba in İskenderun, turn to 167.2° measured clockwise from true north, which is south (12.8° east of south). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 1,723 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in İskenderun should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of İskenderun as a needle at 167.2°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 167°. 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 İskenderun
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards south and move a further 12.8° towards east: the result is the bearing of 167.2°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at south would leave you about 13° 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 İskenderun, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of İskenderun 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 İskenderun to Mecca points to 168.2°, only 1.0° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 167.2° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 167.2° is the direction in which the shortest route from 36.5872° N, 36.1735° 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 İskenderun to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 1,723 km from İskenderun as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 1,387 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 2 h 32 min, although most pilgrims from İskenderun connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in İskenderun 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 İskenderun rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in İskenderun
On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of İskenderun while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in January (31 days); for example, on 1 January 2027 it happens at 11:50 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of İskenderun during daylight, so the shadow method does not apply here; the left-hand column is the one to use.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | 11:50 | — |
| 15 January 2027 | 11:58 | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 12:05 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 12:09 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 12:11 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 12:12 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 12:12 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:12 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 12:13 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 12:15 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 12:19 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:23 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 12:26 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 12:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 12:24 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 12:19 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 12:11 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 12:02 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 11:52 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 11:44 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 11:37 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 11:35 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | 11:37 | — |
| 15 December 2027 | 11:41 | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in İskenderun: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
İskenderun compared with other cities
Compared with Ankara, 470 km away, the Qibla in İskenderun is turned 7.0° further clockwise (167.2° against 160.1°), and Mecca is 437 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Arsuz (32 km), prays towards 166.1°, a difference of 1.1°.
Across the 85 cities in Türkiye on this site, the Qibla ranges from 143.7° in Izmir to 192.2° in Iğdır, a spread of 48.6°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Türkiye.
Qibla in cities near İskenderun
Qibla in İskenderun: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in İskenderun?
It is 167.2° from true north, which is south: 12.8° east of south.
How far is İskenderun from Mecca?
1,723 km in a straight line over the globe, and 1,387 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in İskenderun?
On 365 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 Türkiye?
No. It ranges from 143.7° to 192.2° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 167.2° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.