Are you struggling to find the direction of Qibla? Qibla Compass by Muslim and Quran will help you find the direction of Qibla from anywhere in the world! Muslim and Quran offers Qibla Compass for iPhone and Android users. Download the mobile apps from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store to find the Qibla direction easily from any part of the world.
Allah has made it compulsory for Muslims to offer their daily salat (prayer) while facing Baitullha (House of Allah) in Masjid Al-Haram, situated in the Holy City of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The literal meaning of Qibla in Arabic is direction. Among Muslims, Qibla refers to the direction of Baitullha, also referred to as Ka’ba, in Masjid Al-Haram. Muslims must turn their faces towards the Ka’ba while offering Prayers (Salah) wherever they are. Allah determined the Qibla of Muslims in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 144.
Translation - Indeed, We see you ˹O Prophet˺ turning your face towards heaven. Now We will make you turn towards a direction ˹of prayer˺ that will please you. So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque ˹in Mecca˺—wherever you are, turn your faces towards it. Those who were given the Scripture certainly know this to be the truth from their Lord. And Allah is never unaware of what they do.
It is difficult to find the exact direction of the Qibla (Ka’ba) because the direction of the Qibla varies depending on your location. In Muslim-dominant countries, houses, mosques, and workplaces usually have identifiers to point out the Qibla direction, but in Muslim minority countries, believers have to find the Qibla direction themselves to offer salat. The Muslim and Quran mobile applications help you do that!
Here's a step-by-step guideline for finding Qibla direction with Muslim & Quran's online Qibla Compass on your mobile phones:
To find the most accurate Qibla direction, place the mobile phone on a flat surface, such as a tabletop or the Prayer Rug, and rotate it until the degree of your current location turns Zero. When the angle of your current location shows 0, the needle or pointer on the Qibla Compass, pointing towards the photo of Qibla, shows the exact direction of Qibla. You can change the Compass theme by tapping the "Compass Themes" button located below the compass. You have the option to use several free and paid compass themes to personalize your Qibla compass.
Salat is compulsory for every Muslim. Allah has mandated that all Muslim men and women must offer 5 daily prayers. Muslims must turn towards the Qibla to offer prayers wherever they may be. So, the Qibla direction is very important for Muslims worldwide. A Qibla compass helps you find the exact direction of Qibla.
Compasses are devices used to find direction since antiquity. Using a compass, you can find any place in the world if you know the latitude and longitude of the place. While traditional compasses have magnetic needles that pivot to align themselves with the magnetic north pole of the earth, online compasses are equipped with magnetometers that detect and analyze the magnetic field data to provide accurate orientation.
The same concept was utilized to make a "Qibla Compass." Ka’ba is situated at the latitude 21.422487 and the longitude 39.826206. So, the exact location of the Qibla can be determined with a traditional or online compass. To find the directions to the Qibla within seconds, download the Muslim and Quran app on your smartphone (the app is available for iPhone and Android). You can search it from the App Store (for iPhone) or Google Play (for Android Phones). However, it is easier to download from the link on the website.
A traditional compass has a round dial with a free-rotating magnetic needle or pointer. The dial shows the directions, East, West, North and South. Between these directions, there are further gradations such as "South-East" or "North-West." As a natural phenomenon, the magnetic needle settles automatically in the North-South direction. Mostly, the north side of the needle is marked red.
A Qibla Compass is just a modified version of a traditional compass. Using the same pattern as the traditional compass, the Qibla Compass is designed with an additional pointer that shows the direction of the Qibla. A photograph of Qibla is also available at the tip of the needle to make it more convenient to understand. The magnetic needle (that settles in the north-south direction) is kept hidden, and only the Qibla pointer is visible on the dial pad of the Qibla Compass. This is important for the users to avoid confusion or mixing up the two needles.
As explained above, Muslims must turn their faces towards the Qibla, situated in Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca, while offering daily compulsory prayers. Apart from these regular prayers, Muslims must turn to Qibla for other Prayers. Additionally, knowing the direction of Qibla is also very important for Muslims for many other worships and Duas.
If you live in a Muslim majority Country, there would be several Masjids; hence, you can easily find the Qibla direction. But if you are away from the Masjid or living in a locality where no Masjid is available, it becomes even more crucial for you to find the Qibla Direction. Here, the Qibla Compass comes into play. So, always have the Qibla Compass downloaded on your mobile phone.
The accuracy of any traditional or modified version, such as the Qibla Compass, largely depends on the quality of the material used and the standards practiced in manufacturing it. Another very important factor that affects the accuracy of a compass is the environment where it is used. The surrounding infrastructure, including metallic structures, electric wires, and the magnetic field, impacts its work.
Qibla compasses are mostly reliable and accurate despite all the factors mentioned above. However, the compasses have a negative point as well. Since a compass works based on the earth's magnetic field and the magnetic pointer settles in the North-South direction, its performance is drastically affected as it comes closer to the North Pole. And if you place a compass on or near the North Pole, it stops working. Hence, for most parts of the world, a Qibla Compass gives a "close to exact" direction of Qibla, but not at the North Pole.
In addition to the traditional compasses, ships and Airplanes are fitted with highly sophisticated electronic compasses. These are highly precise and can deal with the huge metallic surroundings and electrical and magnetic variations. Though quite costly and specifically made for ships and aircraft, they can also be used to find Qibla's exact and most precise direction. But generally, the Qibla Compasses based on the technology of traditional compasses are quite useful for finding the Qibla direction.