Qibla direction in Dundee

How to face the Qibla in Dundee

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 30.2° towards south: the result is the bearing of 120.2°. 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 Dundee.

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 Dundee, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Dundee 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 Dundee to Mecca points to 137.6° (south-east), a full 17.4° away from the true Qibla of 120.2° (south-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 53 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Dundee first heads south-east, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 120.2° is the direction in which the shortest route from 56.4691° N, 2.9749° 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 Dundee to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 5,228 km from Dundee as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,928 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 39 min, although most pilgrims from Dundee connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Dundee 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 Dundee rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Dundee

On 255 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Dundee 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 08:17 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 20:38.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Dundee: at 10:18 and 10:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.

Dundee compared with other cities

Compared with London, England, United Kingdom, 582 km away, the Qibla in Dundee is turned 1.2° further clockwise (120.2° against 119.0°), and Mecca is 435 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Edinburgh (59 km), prays towards 119.5°, a difference of 0.7°.

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 Dundee

• Edinburgh119.5° · 59 km
• Aberdeen121.7° · 92 km
• Glasgow118.3° · 104 km
• Newcastle upon Tyne120.4° · 187 km
• Sunderland120.6° · 201 km
• Middlesbrough120.5° · 237 km