Question: When working out Qibla, sometimes it is hard to get exact direction. How many degrees leeway are we allowed?
Answer:
One should try his utmost effort to find out the exact direction of the Qibla, especially nowadays due to the resources being available. (e.g. Qiblalocator.com)
However, if one is unable to find the exact Qibla direction then he is instructed to do ‘taharri’ think carefully and reach a conclusion. Then there is a lee ways of 45 degrees.
It has come in the Hadeeth of Tirmizi Shareef
حدثنا الحسن بن أبي بكر المروزي حدثنا المعلى بن منصور حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر المخرمي عن عثمان بن محمد الأخنسي عن سعيد المقبري عن أبي هريرة : عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : ما بين المشرق والمغرب قبلة
قال أبو عيسى : هذاحديث حسن صحيح
وإنما قيل عبد الله بن جعفر المخرمي لأنه من ولد المسور بن مخرمة
وقد روي عن غير واحد من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم : ما بين المشرق والمغرب قبلة منهم عمر بن الخطاب و علي بن أبي طالب و ابن عباس
وقال ابن عمر : إذا جعلت المغرب عن يمينك والمشرق عن يسارك فما بينهما قبلة إذا استقبلت القبلة
وقال ابن المبارك ما بين المشرق والمغرب قبلة : هذا لأهل المشرق
واختار عبدالله بن المبارك التياسر لأهل مرو
قال أبو عيسى : هذا حديث حسن صحيح
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahuanhu) narrates that the prophet (sallalahu Alayhi wassalllam) said what ever is between the east and west is Qibla. (I.e. for the people of Madina, Because Madina is in the north of Makkah.)
The total degrees are180. And there are 4 directions; North, South, East, West. Each direction has 45 degrees. Now if a person was to move more than 45 degrees, (that is 22.5 towards his right and 22.5 towards his left) he would have completely turned away from the direction of the qibla. As long as he is within that limit he should be ok.
As stated in ‘JawaahirulFiqh’ pg. 242 vol. 1.
Also stated in AhsanulFatawa pg.313 vol.2.