MARK THE QIBLA
For the benefit of Muslim readers, I am reproducing a piece of information
which was published in the Islamic Voice of May 2001, regarding marking of
accurate direction of Qibla on 28th of May and 16th of July every year. The
article was authored by Dr. Syed Abdul Zahr.
SHARIQ.
It is obligatory (fard) on Muslims to face Mecca while performing Namaz. This
is laid down in Quran (ch.7, vs.29). We usually take it for granted that facing
the west constitutes our Qibla. But it is not so. It is right for the people in
central India as it lies in level with the latitude of Mecca (210.5), but it is
not so for in south and north India. It will be a sin if we do not try to make
an attempt to determine the right Qibla at a place. Here is an opportunity for
you to determine the accurate Qibla anywhere in the subcontinent and other
countries within a radius of 5000 kms (3000miles) from Mecca.
Remember and note down the dates and timings:
In India;
May 28 at 2-48 pm IST and July 16 at 2-57 pm IST
In Pakistan;
May 28 at 2-18 pm PST and July 16 at 2-27 pm PST
In Bangladesh;
May 28 at 3-18 pm BST and July 16 at 3-27 pm BST
On these two days each year the sun is situated exactly on top of Mecca,
which means it is exactly noon there. Exactly at this time the line of the
shadow in the sunlight of any vertical object like a pillar, a tree, a plumb,
vertical rods of the window in your house or outside, anywhere. The line of the
shadow on the floor represents the exact direction of the Qibla at that place
(NB: I did it by hanging a rope with a weight tied down at the lower end in the
balcony of my Apartment to avoid any deviation - Shariq).You will know as to
how much deviation you have to make from the west to get the exact Qibla. This
experiment is as per Quran (55:05) and at the same time it is purely scientific
and reliable.
Please also inform your friends about the simple experiment and specially to
the teachers in Madarsas and Muslim institutions, so that this simple method of
determining the Qibla can be demonstrated to the students as a practical class.
This experiment may be done two or three days later as the error would be
negligible. The date and the timings are perpetual. The direction of the Qibla
may be reconfirmed on July 16th.
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