🕋 QiblaLocator

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about QiblaLocator and how accurate Qibla direction calculation works.

Which way is North?

North is always pointing UP on the map.

Is the North you refer to the magnetic North or true North?

True North. QiblaLocator uses True North (also called geographic North or geodetic North), which is the direction towards the geographic North Pole, not the magnetic North Pole.

I live in Canada/USA. The QiblaLocator shows the Qibla in the North/North-East whereas I can clearly see on a map that it is in the South-East. Is the QiblaLocator incorrect?

Absolutely not! This is a common misconception caused by how we typically see maps.

The Flat Map Problem

When you look at a flat map of the world, drawing a line from your location in North America to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, it appears the Qibla direction should be Southeast. This seems logical on a flat map.

The Reality: Earth is Spherical

However, Earth is not flat—it's spherical (approximately). When you calculate the shortest path between two points on a sphere using geodesic lines, you get a different direction than what appears on a flat map.

For locations in North America, the shortest path to Mecca actually goes North (or North-East), not Southeast. This is because on a sphere, the shortest distance between two points is a great circle (geodesic), not a straight line as it appears on a flat map.

How to Verify This

You can test this yourself with a simple experiment:

  1. Get a globe (physical Earth model)
  2. Get a piece of string and tape
  3. Tape one end of the string to Mecca
  4. Stretch the string along the globe to your location
  5. The string will show you the shortest path (geodesic) to Mecca

Note: This globe method is an approximation since Earth is actually wider at the equator than at the poles. QiblaLocator calculations are far more accurate than this physical model.

How does QiblaLocator calculate the Qibla direction?

QiblaLocator uses geodesic line calculations (great circles on a sphere) to determine the shortest path from your location to the Kaaba in Mecca. This mathematical approach accounts for Earth's spherical shape and provides highly accurate bearing calculations in degrees from True North.

How accurate is QiblaLocator?

QiblaLocator provides very high accuracy using true geodesic calculations. The accuracy depends on:

  • The accuracy of your GPS location (typically within 5-10 meters)
  • Earth's slight bulge at the equator (accounted for in calculations)
  • The exact coordinates of the Kaaba

For most practical purposes, QiblaLocator is accurate to within a fraction of a degree.

Can I save my favorite locations?

Yes! QiblaLocator allows you to save your favorite locations with custom names. Your saved locations are stored in your browser's local storage, so they persist across sessions. You can save as many locations as you'd like.

Can I share a location I found?

Yes! QiblaLocator generates shareable links with location data. When you find the Qibla direction for a location, you can copy the link from your browser's address bar (which includes latitude, longitude, and zoom level). This link will load the same location and bearing for anyone who opens it.

Does QiblaLocator work offline?

QiblaLocator can work partially offline if you've already cached the map tiles. However, features like address lookup (geocoding) and loading new map areas require an internet connection. Your saved locations will still be accessible because they're stored locally in your browser.

What coordinates does QiblaLocator use for the Kaaba?

QiblaLocator uses the coordinates: 21.4225°N, 39.8262°E, which is the widely accepted location of the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Is my location data private?

Yes! QiblaLocator doesn't track your location or store your searches on any server. All calculations happen in your browser. Your location data remains on your device. The only data that might be transmitted is when using the address lookup feature (geocoding), which uses OpenStreetMap's public Nominatim service.

More questions coming soon! If you have a question not covered here, please reach out via our GitHub repository.