القبلة · The direction of the Kaaba
Liverpool prayer times: the Qibla direction
Qibla direction from Liverpool: 118° from true north (east-south-east, ESE). The Kaaba in Makkah is 5,065 km (3,147 miles) away along the shortest path over the Earth.
- Bearing
- 118°
- Distance
- 5,065 km
Facing the Qibla in Liverpool without an app
- Face north. A magnetic compass in the UK points within about two degrees of true north, close enough to use as it is.
- Turn clockwise by 118°. That points you east-south-east.
- Check it by the sunrise. On about 2 February and 8 November the sun rises almost exactly on the Qibla line from Liverpool.
- Why not south-east? The direction follows the great circle, the shortest route over the globe, so it differs from a line on a flat map. It is worked out for central Liverpool (53.4072, -2.9917); anywhere in the city it changes by far less than a degree.
Using a shadow to find the Qibla in Liverpool
In Liverpool, a mid-morning shadow can point the way. At about 08:32 on 20 March and 09:17 on 23 September the sun stands right on the Qibla line, so every shadow points straight away from it. Face back along a shadow, towards the post or window frame casting it, and you face the Qibla.
Fix it to something that stays put, such as a floorboard, a skirting board or a building across the street, and you won’t need the sun again.
See the Ramadan 2027 timetable for Liverpool: sehri and iftar for every day.