Qibla · Harare
Qibla direction in Chitungwiza
To face the Kaaba in Chitungwiza, turn to 12.6° measured clockwise from true north, which is north (12.6° east of north). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,487 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Chitungwiza should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Chitungwiza as a needle at 12.6°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 13°. 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 Chitungwiza
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards north and move a further 12.6° towards east: the result is the bearing of 12.6°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at north would leave you about 13° 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 Chitungwiza, 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 Chitungwiza to Mecca points to 12.3°, only 0.4° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 12.6° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 12.6° is the direction in which the shortest route from 18.0127° S, 31.0756° 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 Chitungwiza to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,487 km from Chitungwiza as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,813 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 5 h 47 min, although most pilgrims from Chitungwiza connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Chitungwiza 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 Chitungwiza rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Chitungwiza
On 287 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Chitungwiza 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 February 2027 it happens at 12:08 local time.
On 76 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 December (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 12:04.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 12:04 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 12:08 |
| 1 February 2027 | 12:08 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 12:05 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 11:59 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 11:51 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 11:40 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 11:32 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 11:24 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 11:20 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 11:18 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 11:19 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 11:23 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 11:27 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:30 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 11:32 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 11:33 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 11:33 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 11:32 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 11:33 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 11:36 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 11:41 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 11:48 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 11:56 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Chitungwiza: at 11:18 and 11:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Chitungwiza compared with other cities
The Qibla here is practically the same as in Harare (12.7°), and Mecca is 20 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Harare (21 km), prays towards 12.7°, a difference of 0.1°.
Across the 7 cities in Zimbabwe on this site, the Qibla ranges from 10.2° in Mutare to 15.4° in Bulawayo, a spread of 5.3°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Zimbabwe.
Qibla in cities near Chitungwiza
Qibla in Chitungwiza: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Chitungwiza?
It is 12.6° from true north, which is north: 12.6° east of north.
How far is Chitungwiza from Mecca?
4,487 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,813 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Chitungwiza?
On 287 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 Zimbabwe?
No. It ranges from 10.2° to 15.4° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 12.6° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.