Qibla · North-Western
Qibla direction in Solwezi
To face the Kaaba in Solwezi, turn to 21.5° measured clockwise from true north, which is north (21.5° east of north). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,013 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Solwezi should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Solwezi as a needle at 21.5°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 22°. 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 Solwezi
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards north and move a further 21.5° towards east: the result is the bearing of 21.5°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at north would leave you about 22° 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 Solwezi, 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
On a flat (Mercator) map, the straight line from Solwezi to Mecca points to 21.4°, only 0.1° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 21.5° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 21.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 12.1688° S, 26.3894° 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 Solwezi to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,013 km from Solwezi as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,319 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 13 min, although most pilgrims from Solwezi connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Solwezi run 1 hour behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Solwezi rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Solwezi
On 251 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Solwezi 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 1 March 2027 it happens at 12:20 local time.
On 114 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 January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 12:36.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 12:36 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 12:39 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 12:36 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 12:29 |
| 1 March 2027 | 12:20 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 12:08 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 11:52 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 11:40 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 11:29 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 11:22 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 11:17 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 11:18 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 11:21 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 11:26 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:33 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 11:38 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 11:43 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 11:46 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 11:50 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 11:54 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 12:02 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 12:09 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 12:20 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 12:28 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Solwezi: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Solwezi compared with other cities
Compared with Lusaka, 414 km away, the Qibla in Solwezi is turned 4.2° further clockwise (21.5° against 17.4°), and Mecca is 271 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Chililabombwe (157 km), prays towards 19.3°, a difference of 2.2°.
Across the 16 cities in Zambia on this site, the Qibla ranges from 11.5° in Chipata to 24.5° in Mongu, a spread of 13.0°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Zambia.
Qibla in cities near Solwezi
Qibla in Solwezi: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Solwezi?
It is 21.5° from true north, which is north: 21.5° east of north.
How far is Solwezi from Mecca?
4,013 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,319 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Solwezi?
On 251 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 Zambia?
No. It ranges from 11.5° to 24.5° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 21.5° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.