Finding Qibla Direction Accurately

I’ve been in multiple discussions regarding direction of Kaaba with people with multiple opinions emerging on the issue. I offered prayers in the wrong direction for a while after I moved to the US until I read Khalid Shaukat’s article on Qibla direction from North America. Finding it through compasses or other means had always been a bit of a challenge. However, with Internet available, there is a nifty tool that I was introduced to by a friend that solves this problem for US, Canada and Europe at least.

The tool — called Qibla Locator — is a merger of multiple technologies: online maps, satellite imagery, and trigonometrical calculations of Qibla direction. The tool comes at the right time when it is possible to utilize all these technologies more feasibly than ever before.

To use this tool, go to QiblaLocator.com website, and type in the address of the place from which you are finding the direction. For instance: “1 Microsoft Way, 98052”. It will display the location using Google maps. Click on the ‘satellite’ or ‘hybrid’ tab at the top of the map to get the street view of the location. Then zoom in so that a building is clearly recognizable. Voila! Now you know the direction in relation to the place or building around/in which you are praying. You can use it while traveling so long as you have internet access which is available complimentary in most hotels these days. And the direction is going to be quite accurate too.