Mark Your Calendar: Sun Directly Above Kaaba on This Date, Time to Correct Qibla Direction

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) is inviting the public to utilise an astronomical phenomenon when the sun’s position is exactly above the Kaaba on 15-16 July 2026 to correct and reaffirm the accuracy of the Qibla direction. This moment will be harnessed through the National Movement 1,448K Rashdul Qiblat.

Director General of Islamic Community Guidance at Kemenag, Abu Rokhmad, stated that this phenomenon provides an opportunity for Muslims to perform rashdul qiblat easily. His remarks were made at the Bimas Talks event at the Kemenag office in Jakarta on Thursday (11/6/2026).

Mr Rokhmad observed that many people still determine the direction for prayer simply by facing west without verifying the actual position of the Qibla. He noted that placing a prayer mat is often done just to make sense directionally, facing west rather than accurately towards the Qibla.

Through the National Movement 1,448K Rashdul Qiblat, the Ministry is targeting the involvement of 1,448,000 sites, comprising mosques, prayer rooms, hotels, restaurants, and private residences. This specific figure was chosen to coincide with the new Hijri year 1448 H.

He expressed hope that the public would capitalise on this moment to re-verify the Qibla direction in their respective environments to ensure worship practices become more accurate. He particularly urged participation from residents in their homes where the Qibla direction is sometimes slightly misaligned.