Qibla · England
Qibla direction in St Helens
To face the Kaaba in St Helens, turn to 117.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-east (27.9° south of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 5,052 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in St Helens should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of St Helens as a needle at 117.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 118°. 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 St Helens
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 27.9° towards south: the result is the bearing of 117.9°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 28° 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 St Helens, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque 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 St Helens to Mecca points to 134.3° (south-east), a full 16.4° away from the true Qibla of 117.9° (south-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 47 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from St Helens first heads south-east, and that is the direction to face.
The value of 117.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 53.4500° N, 2.7333° 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 St Helens to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 5,052 km from St Helens as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,763 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 27 min, although most pilgrims from St Helens connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in St Helens 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 St Helens rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in St Helens
On 257 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of St Helens 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 08:06 local time.
On 72 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 20:24.
| 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 | 08:06 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 08:18 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 08:28 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 09:40 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 09:49 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:00 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:10 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 10:20 | 20:24 |
| 15 June 2027 | 10:27 | 20:23 |
| 1 July 2027 | 10:30 | 20:27 |
| 15 July 2027 | 10:27 | 20:34 |
| 1 August 2027 | 10:17 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:05 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 09:45 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 09:27 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 09:06 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 08:49 | — |
| 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 St Helens: at 10:18 and 10:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
St Helens compared with other cities
Compared with London, England, United Kingdom, 279 km away, the Qibla in St Helens is turned 1.1° further anticlockwise (117.9° against 119.0°), and Mecca is 258 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Liverpool (17 km), prays towards 117.6°, a difference of 0.3°.
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 St Helens
Qibla in St Helens: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in St Helens?
It is 117.9° from true north, which is south-east: 27.9° south of east.
How far is St Helens from Mecca?
5,052 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,763 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in St Helens?
On 257 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 St Helens not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 134.3°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves St Helens at 117.9°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 117.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.