The precise Qibla direction from Riyadh toward the Holy Kaaba in Makkah, calculated astronomically.
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Every Muslim needs to know the Qibla direction to pray correctly. This page shows the precise Qibla direction from Riyadh toward the Holy Kaaba, along with how it is calculated and the distance between the two cities.
The Qibla direction from Riyadh is 244 degrees from north, roughly toward the Southwest.
This direction is calculated using the great-circle bearing formula between the coordinates of Riyadh and the Kaaba in Mecca — the most accurate astronomical method for finding the Qibla direction over long distances.
Point the top of your phone toward north to calibrate the compass, then follow the arrow toward the Qibla.
The Qibla direction is calculated using the great-circle bearing formula between two points on the curved surface of the Earth: the coordinates of Riyadh and the coordinates of the Kaaba in Mecca. This astronomical formula accounts for the Earth's curvature, and it's the same method used in air and sea navigation to find the shortest path between two distant points.
The result is a fixed angle measured clockwise from true north (between 0 and 360 degrees). Since Riyadh's and Mecca's locations never change, this angle is a permanent geographic fact — it stays accurate indefinitely and never needs recalculating.
Why Does the Direction Look Different on a Flat Map?
Standard flat maps (like Google Maps' default view) project the Earth's curved surface onto a two-dimensional plane, and that projection distorts real directions and distances the farther you get from the equator or the longer the distance involved. That's why drawing a straight ruler-line between Riyadh and Mecca on a flat map can look like it points a different way than the correct astronomical bearing calculated above. The great-circle calculation based on the Earth's actual curvature is always the accurate reference — not a straight line on a flat map.
The Qibla direction from Riyadh is approximately southwest (around 244 degrees from north), calculated astronomically toward the Kaaba in Mecca, roughly 790 km away.
The difference is negligible in practice: Riyadh's area is tiny compared to the 790 km distance to Mecca, so the Qibla direction stays close to 244 degrees from north across virtually every neighborhood in the city, with variations of less than a degree.
Accuracy depends on how well the phone's magnetic sensor is calibrated, and it can be thrown off by nearby metal objects or electronics. For the best reading, calibrate the compass by moving your phone in a figure-eight motion before use, and stay away from sources of magnetic interference.
You don't need it to know the direction — the fixed angle shown on the page (around 244 degrees from north) is accurate for virtually all of Riyadh, and you can use any ordinary compass or compass app to find that direction manually, without relying on your phone's sensors.
Flat maps (like Google Maps' standard view) project the Earth's curved surface onto a two-dimensional plane, which distorts true directions over long distances. The correct Qibla direction is calculated using the great-circle formula on the Earth's curved surface, not a straight line on a flat map, so it can look different from what a quick glance at the map might suggest.
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