UK Prayer Times

Qibla direction · Sunderland

Qibla direction in Sunderland

Quick Answer

From Sunderland, the Qibla is 121° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) — the direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah, about 5,054 km away. UK Prayer Times calculates this bearing from Sunderland's coordinates using the great-circle method.

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From Sunderland, face 121° from true north (ESE, east-southeast) to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah — about 5,054 km away.

N E S W

Qibla bearing

121°

ESE · east-southeast

Distance to Makkah

5,054 km

3,140 miles

Open the live compass tool →

How to face the Qibla in Sunderland

Using a compass or phone compass app, find north and turn to a heading of 121°. This points along the shortest (great-circle) path to the Kaaba — east-southeast from the UK.

If you're indoors, a phone Qibla app or the live compass tool will use your device sensors. Many UK mosques also mark the Qibla in the prayer hall.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Qibla direction in Sunderland?
The Qibla in Sunderland is 121° measured clockwise from true north — roughly ESE (east-southeast). Face this direction to pray towards the Kaaba in Makkah.
How far is Sunderland from Makkah?
The Kaaba in Makkah is approximately 5,054 km (3,140 miles) from Sunderland, measured as a great-circle (shortest path) distance.
How do I find the Qibla using a compass?
Hold a compass flat and find true north, then turn 121° clockwise. Note that a magnetic compass points to magnetic north, which in the UK currently differs from true north by only about 1–2°, so the magnetic reading is very close. Phone compass apps usually correct for this automatically.
Is the Qibla direction the same across the UK?
It is very close — across Great Britain the Qibla is roughly 118–120° (east-southeast). It shifts by a degree or two between cities; for Sunderland specifically it is 121°.
Why does the Qibla point northeast-ish, not southeast, on some flat maps?
On a flat (Mercator) map the shortest path to Makkah looks like it curves, because the Earth is a sphere. The true great-circle direction from the UK is east-southeast — the figure shown here is the accurate bearing.
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