ÞvºÀÛ§ spºÀÛ§ tÛÛ§ ÞT±  

 Qibla direction

It is obligatory to face the direction of Kaa'ba during the prayers. This is called   'Qibla'.  The Holy Qur aan says,

                                                             q§RLn§  P¸ÄÝÛª ÀcÄ Úá¸ä ÜäÕ

"... so turn your face in the direction of Al Masjid - al - Haraam ( at Makkah )..... - Al Baqarah: 144.

Though it is obligatory to know the exact  Qibla direction, many people were unaware of it properly. Many are not bothered about it also. Many of us are thinking the west is the Qibla for people in India. It is not correct exactly. This can be explained with an example. Suppose we see westward direction from Tirunelveli ( Tamilnadu - South India ) - we'll looking the direction of  Yemen or Ethiopia. Only these countries are situated in that direction. The reason is that, Tirunelveli is situated at the Latitude 8' 5'' N where as Makkah is situated at the Latitude 21'5''. In India only cities like Ahmadabad and Bhopal, are in line with Makkah which lies in the western direction. But for Tirunelveli, Makkah lies little towards the northern side of the west; about 12' towards north.

So the   Qibla  direction for Tirunelveli is north west and not exactly west. Allah is Opt Forgiving. But we should identify the correct  Qibla . In Indian sub continent, the places situated within 5000  km. radius of Makkah, there is an easiest way to identify the direction of the Qibla  .

Remember these two days with their times every year.

1.  May 28th, 2.48 p.m.  

2.  July 16th, 2.52 p. m.

Both Indian standard time. On these days at that time, sun will be exactly over Makkah, on the top. You know that, Makkah standard time is just 2.30+ to Indian standard time. Those time correspond to mid day.

The way to identify  Qibla  direction:

Please watch on those days on that time. We can see the shadow of any perpendicular object. e.g.: a tree, a post, or a stone tied rope of about two feet; or else the nail of a window of a perpendicular wall. If we draw a line of the shadow, that will be the direction of the  Qibla  in western side. Any line drawn parallel to it is also gives the  Qibla   .We can verify it as correct on both days. Even some days prior and after those days will have acceptable difference only.

This is one of the easiest way to know the correct  Qibla   .

This is possible because The Holy Qur aan says,

ﺇﻠﺸﻤﺱ ﻭﺇﻠﻘﻤﺭ ﺒﺤﺴﺒﺂﻥ  

"The sun and the moon run on their fixed course ( exactly ) calculated with measured out stages for each." - Ar Rahman: 5.

( from May 2003 'Islamic voice' )