How to face the ka'aba, when the earth is round?

Question

When I look at an image of the round earth from the side of America, I don't see Makkah in the image at all. Isn't it a bit like having an ant on my fingernail and telling it to face towards my fingerprint on the other side? It's eye vision will only be 90 degrees perpendicular, not parallel, to my fingerprint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvzJxiT4t8A

Anyway I'm open-minded and so far nearly all objections against the quran have been answered very well by muslims.

Answer 1

we dont necessarily have to use our eyes, Allah knew that we would further our technology so that we would be able to use it to figure out exactly in which direction we should pray...but here is a general idea: if you have looked that the world map and  you locate where you are and where mecca is, then you can face in that direction. if you live in the west, you can face the east, if you live north of the kaabah, you can face south, east of the kaabah, you face west and south of the kaabah you face north...not very hard, god not going to punish us if we are a couple of degrees off. but with the technology we have today, its really not that hard..trust me if we can conquer and find cures to advanced viruses we can map ourselves around a sphere...

i guess there really are a lot of challenged people here today...omar....

Answer 2

because mecca is the center of the earth. so techincally  the earth goes around mecca

Answer 3

The direction of Qibla (Mecca) is BASICALLY given so that there is a consistency and uniformity in this regard, within the Muslims. It is NOT meant to be VERY precise or accurate. Imagine it this way, when a few Muslims gather and wish to pray, then at least they should pray in ONE specific direction. Not that a few are facing the North, the others South, and the rest in other directions etc.

[2:177]

Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous are those who believe in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money, cheerfully, to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves; and they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat); and they keep their word whenever they make a promise; and they steadfastly persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and war. These are the truthful; these are the righteous.

---x*x---

If you are exactly on the opposite side of the globe, there will be two directions with EQUAL distances at both sides, that would reach Mecca. So you can choose EITHER of the two directions as per your choice. When you are in company of Muslims and decide to offer salat in such a place. What ALL of them decide, you should adopt too.

Righteousness is NOT turning your face (direction) right or left or South West etc. !!!

Answer 4

This:

'Anyway I'm open-minded and so far NEARLY ALL OBJECTIONS against the quran have been answered very well by muslims.'

Are you serious.

Earth is Flat.

Answer 5

I don't understand..Well,at wherever you are,don't we have east west north and south??I don't understand the qstn..sorry

Read my article on how to worship.pray while in space..where you have no direction at all

http://nimis540.wordpress.com/2008/08/13...

Edit:

oh,ok..sorry for being dumb..Sister below has the answer..Use a Qibla Compass,very simple;)

Answer 6

okay I think I see where you are going..

Facing the ka'aba is not about *seeing the kaaba, but facing in the direction (shortest distance) that leads to it.  The reason it is the shortest distance is because the earth is a sphere and you can reach the ka'aba straight from any direction or many directions.  But then there won't be any point of having a kiblah.

And when we pray the ritual prayers for example, we raise our hands saying Allahu Akbar, this is a gesture towards the ka'aba.  We also do this in Sai, when going from mount safa to mount marwa next to the ka'aba (in remembrance of Abrahem, Hagar and Ishmael).  We cannot see the ka'aba from the mount. and therefore raise a hand as gesture.  when we do tawaf/go around the ka'aba we cannot always touch the black stone because of crowd, it's all the same meaning.

It is a way to obey the command of Allah, because the kiblah of the Muslims used to be in Jerusalem, until Allah told us to face the ka'aba and be different than the people of the Book. And to gesture to it not because we worship it but as a command of Allah.  Like Satan was ordered to bow down to Adam, not to worship Adam, but as a way to obey the command of Allah.  

‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said of the Black Stone when he kissed it: “By Allaah, I know that you are only a stone and you can neither bring benefit nor cause harm. Were it not that I had seen the Messenger of Allaah kissing you I would not have kissed you.” Sahih Bukhari and Muslim

So yes, I hope it helps you understand the concept :)