For prayer, Muslims around the world face the Kaaba in Makkah. At home there is often an arrow on the wall; on the go, the phone does the job. A phone compass is handy, but it has a few quirks. With these tips it points the right way.
Where is Makkah from here?
From the UK, the Kaaba lies to the south-east, at roughly 115° to 121° measured clockwise from north, depending on the city. From London it is about 119°. The exact figure for your city is on every city page, for example London or Glasgow.
The direction is calculated along the great circle, the shortest path across the globe. On a flat map, that path looks like a curve. That is why a straight line drawn on a map is a few degrees off the true qibla.
1. True north versus magnetic north
A compass points to magnetic north, but the qibla is measured from true north. The difference is called magnetic declination. In the UK it is currently close to zero, within about two degrees; in other parts of the world it can be ten degrees or more.
Good qibla apps correct for this. The qibla compass in Nur uses the system’s true heading or calculates the declination from your location.
2. Calibrate: the figure of eight
The magnetic sensor in a phone drifts over time. If the direction jumps around or is clearly wrong:
- Hold the phone in your hand.
- Move it a few times in a large figure of eight, tilting and turning it as you go.
- Check the direction again.
3. Keep away from metal and magnets
Magnetic phone cases, car mounts with magnets, laptops, speakers, radiators and steel beams all pull the compass off. Remove magnetic accessories and keep about half a metre from large metal objects. In a car or on a train, a phone compass is rarely reliable.
4. Hold it flat
Hold the phone flat, screen up, at about chest height. A tilted phone gives slightly skewed readings.
5. Cross-check with the sun
For extra certainty, use the sun: at the start of Dhuhr the sun stands due south. The qibla is then roughly 60 to 65 degrees to the left of it, towards the south-east.
How precise does it need to be?
If you cannot see the Kaaba, you face towards it. According to most scholars, it is enough to face the general direction after a sincere effort; being a few degrees off does not invalidate the prayer. What matters is the effort, not the third decimal place.
The qibla in the Nur app
In the qibla tab of Nur, the compass rose turns with your phone while the Kaaba stays fixed on its bearing. When the top points straight at the Kaaba, everything glows gold and the phone gives a gentle tap. Today’s prayer times sit right below. The app is free and has no ads: get Nur.
