About the direction from Kabul
Kabul lies in a mountain valley west of Pakistan's major northern cities. Its Qibla is calculated from central Kabul, independently of Peshawar or Islamabad; surrounding peaks do not change the spherical bearing.
How to face 251° in Kabul
- Find true north using a phone compass that reports true heading or a map aligned to north.
- Turn clockwise from north by 251°. For reference, due east is 90°, south 180°, west 270°.
- If you use a magnetic compass, adjust for local magnetic declination; NOAA's declination calculator gives the current value for Kabul.
The figure is the great-circle initial bearing, the standard approach described by Movable Type Scripts and the same idea behind Google's Qibla Finder. See how it works for the details.
Common questions
What is the Qibla direction in Kabul?
From the approximate city center of Kabul, the Qibla is 250.8° clockwise from true north, roughly west-southwest.
How far is Kabul from the Kaaba?
About 3,217 km along the great circle, the shortest path over the Earth's surface.
Does the bearing change across Kabul?
Yes. This figure uses the city center, not your exact position. The difference depends on your distance from the center and from Makkah; it can be noticeable in cities close to the Kaaba, especially Jeddah. Use the live finder for your own location.