Qibla · Xorazm Region
Qibla direction in Khiva
To face the Kaaba in Khiva, turn to 227.2° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-west (42.8° south of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 2,938 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Khiva should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Khiva as a needle at 227.2°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 227°. 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 Khiva
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 42.8° towards south: the result is the bearing of 227.2°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “west” would be off by more than 40°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Khiva.
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 Khiva, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Khiva 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 Khiva to Mecca points to 221.0° (south-west), 6.2° away from the correct 227.2°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 4 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 227.2° is the direction in which the shortest route from 41.3856° N, 60.3641° 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 Khiva to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 2,938 km from Khiva as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 2,686 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 3 h 57 min, although most pilgrims from Khiva connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Khiva run 2 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Khiva rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Khiva
On 365 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Khiva 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 16:29 local time.
The sun is never opposite the Qibla of Khiva 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 | 16:29 | — |
| 15 January 2027 | 16:29 | — |
| 1 February 2027 | 16:21 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 16:09 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 15:53 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 15:35 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 15:13 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 14:55 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:37 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 14:25 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 14:17 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 14:15 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 14:19 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 14:26 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 14:38 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:47 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 14:59 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 15:08 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 15:19 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 15:29 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 15:43 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 15:56 | — |
| 1 December 2027 | 16:11 | — |
| 15 December 2027 | 16:22 | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Khiva: at 14:18 and 14:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Khiva compared with other cities
Compared with Tashkent, 739 km away, the Qibla in Khiva is turned 13.1° further anticlockwise (227.2° against 240.3°), and Mecca is 589 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Urgench (29 km), prays towards 227.4°, a difference of 0.2°.
Across the 19 cities in Uzbekistan on this site, the Qibla ranges from 224.4° in Nukus to 244.7° in Andijan, a spread of 20.4°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Uzbekistan.
Qibla in cities near Khiva
Qibla in Khiva: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Khiva?
It is 227.2° from true north, which is south-west: 42.8° south of west.
How far is Khiva from Mecca?
2,938 km in a straight line over the globe, and 2,686 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Khiva?
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.
Why is the Qibla in Khiva not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 221.0°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Khiva at 227.2°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 227.2° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.