Prayer: Can the Qiblah Be Determined by the Sun’s Zenith Over the Kaʿbah or Compass Readings?

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Prayer: Can the Qiblah Be Determined by the Sun’s Zenith Over the Kaʿbah or Compass Readings?

English:

Question #363:

i. It is stated based on some books on Islamic law that the sun is exactly above the Ka‘bah on two days: the 28th of May and the 16th of July. In such a condition, is it possible to determine the direction of the qiblah by fixing a pole in the ground at the time of adhān in Mecca? In case the direction of qiblah in the prayer niches of masjids differs from the direction of the pole’s shadow, which one is more correct?

ii. Is it correct to rely on a compass to find the qiblah?

Answer #363:

It is correct to rely on the pole or compass provided that it makes the mukallaf confident with respect to the direction of qiblah and it should be acted upon. Otherwise, they should say their prayer to the most probable direction, e.g. by relying on the niches of masjids.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Prayer