What is the correct way to determine Qibla (the direction of prayer)?

Question

What is the correct way to determine the direction of Qibla?

If I give "San Francisco" as origin in this site, the direction can be East or North, based on whether I choose "Constant Compass" or "Shortest Distance" option

Where are the direction of qibla of mosques in San Francisco?

Answer 1

According to the below Fatwa from Imam Khamenei (Ayatollah Khamenei) the shortest distance should be chosen and if there is a point that different directions have the same distance then he is free to choose any direction he wishes.

---

Reference:

Prayer rulings, Qiblah, Q367