Qibla · England
Qibla direction in Middlesbrough
To face the Kaaba in Middlesbrough, turn to 120.5° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-east (30.5° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 5,027 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Middlesbrough should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Middlesbrough as a needle at 120.5°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 121°. 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 Middlesbrough
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 30.5° towards south: the result is the bearing of 120.5°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “east” would be off by more than 30°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Middlesbrough.
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 Middlesbrough, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Middlesbrough 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
This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Middlesbrough to Mecca points to 136.6° (south-east), a full 16.1° away from the true Qibla of 120.5° (south-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 44 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Middlesbrough first heads south-east, and that is the direction to face.
The value of 120.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 54.5762° N, 1.2348° W 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 Middlesbrough to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 5,027 km from Middlesbrough as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,732 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 25 min, although most pilgrims from Middlesbrough connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Middlesbrough run 3 hours behind Mecca in winter and 2 hours behind Mecca in summer, because of daylight saving time. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Middlesbrough rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Middlesbrough
On 261 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Middlesbrough 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 15 February 2027 it happens at 08:13 local time.
On 67 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 June (30 days), for instance on 1 June 2027 at 20:32.
| 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 | 08:13 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 08:23 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 08:32 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 09:43 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 09:51 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:01 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:10 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 10:20 | 20:32 |
| 15 June 2027 | 10:26 | 20:31 |
| 1 July 2027 | 10:29 | 20:35 |
| 15 July 2027 | 10:27 | 20:42 |
| 1 August 2027 | 10:18 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:06 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 09:48 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 09:31 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 09:11 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 08:55 | — |
| 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 Middlesbrough: at 10:18 and 10:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Middlesbrough compared with other cities
Compared with London, England, United Kingdom, 349 km away, the Qibla in Middlesbrough is turned 1.5° further clockwise (120.5° against 119.0°), and Mecca is 234 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Sunderland (38 km), prays towards 120.6°, a difference of 0.1°.
Across the 75 cities in the United Kingdom on this site, the Qibla ranges from 113.7° in Plymouth, England, United Kingdom to 121.7° in Aberdeen, a spread of 8.0°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for United Kingdom.
Qibla in cities near Middlesbrough
- Sunderland120.6° · 38 km
- Newcastle upon Tyne120.4° · 50 km
- York120.1° · 69 km
- Leeds119.5° · 89 km
- Burnley118.7° · 108 km
- Huddersfield119.1° · 109 km
Qibla in Middlesbrough: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Middlesbrough?
It is 120.5° from true north, which is south-east: 30.5° south of east.
How far is Middlesbrough from Mecca?
5,027 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,732 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Middlesbrough?
On 261 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 Middlesbrough not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 136.6°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Middlesbrough at 120.5°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 120.5° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.