Find out where the Kaaba is. How to determine the direction of the qibla online

First method: 1. If it is possible to see the Kaaba with your own eyes or touch it (in relation to a blind person), the Qibla is determined visually. 2. The ability to see or touch a niche (mihrab), which was established based on the story of many people, passed down from generation to generation, like the place where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed namaz in the Medina mosque, i.e., in Ravza . 3. Finding irrefutable evidence. For example, he sees the place of prayer in the Forbidden Mosque of Mecca al-Haram. 4. The story of a truthful person, or what was passed down from generation to generation, or they saw that the righteous performed prayer, turning in this direction. This side will be the Qibla. 5. A vision of the North Star for someone who can determine the side of the Qibla by it in the place where he himself lives.

Second method: Reliance on the narrative of trusted persons who have and rely on relevant knowledge. For example, a person says: “I see the Kaaba or a niche, or the North Star,” if he knows how to determine the Qibla from it, or he saw many generations who performed namaz, turning in one specific direction. This method also includes determining the Qibla using a compass. Both of these methods are more reliable than determining it by other criteria (ijtihad).

The second method is sufficient if you were unable to determine it using the first method.

Third method: Diligence to determine the Qiblah (ijtihad) of the person performing namaz using the means available to him, if he has not found a person telling about the Qiblah, or other means, such as a mihrab, a compass. He also has the right to determine it himself if it is difficult to find a knowledgeable person. A person makes ijtihad if he is sighted and knows how to determine it. And he needs to determine the Qibla for each fard prayer, if the previous arguments do not remain valid.

Fourth method: If he is unable to do ijtihad, then he needs to follow a trusted person who knows the methods of determining the Qibla.

Important Notes Related to Qibla Determination

1. You cannot follow another person's word unless the evidence he has is weak, that is, insufficient to determine the Qibla.

Based on the above, the one who can determine the Qiblah himself does not have the right to follow another person.

A sighted person who is inside the Masjid al-Haram or in a mosque whose mihrab is installed correctly, or who is on the roof of a house or inside it through the windows of which the Kaaba or the mihrab can be seen, then he cannot follow the words of another person in determining the Qibla, even if another person will talk, having knowledge about it, until his words reach the level of tawatur, or this person is not a righteous person, in which case his word can be followed.

It was said above from Imam al-Dhahabi that one can follow the word of a trusted person regarding the definition of the Qibla, or follow the mihrab, which is established correctly.

It was reported from al-Shavbiri: “ One must follow the word of a righteous person who claims to see the mihrab when he himself is confused in both directions and is unable to see the Kaaba or the mihrab, as we mentioned above. Or there is an opportunity to see the Kaaba for yourself, but with difficulties. In these cases, he can follow the word of a trusted person who tells about the Qiblah, relying on his knowledge: “I see the Kaaba or the mihrab" In such cases, the performer of prayer is not obliged to try to see the Kaaba with his own eyes or enter the mosque if there is difficulty, even a slight one.

The blind and the one who is in the dark, if they have the opportunity to touch the Kaaba or the mihrab, which is installed correctly, without difficulty, they must do this, and it is not enough to follow the word of another person if his words are not accurate, like the story of a trusted person or it came to him by the method of tavatur. And if it is difficult for him to touch the Kaaba or the mihrab because the mosque is overcrowded, then he can follow the person who tells him which side the Kaaba is, as Ibn Qasim said.

Touching the people who perform namaz is enough when it is difficult for him to determine the Qibla himself, as it is said in the book “Fatawi ar-Ramali”.

A Muslim who is blind or in complete darkness should take into account only information obtained by feeling or follow the instructions of a trusted person.

Also, clear evidence will be if he saw a person performing namaz with his back to him, then this will be the Qibla, or a large number of people have told about the Qiblah. If it is difficult for him to determine it himself, then he can follow the words of a trusted person or just touch people performing namaz.

2. The story of the owner of the house has more weight before ijtihad if he knows that he has established the location of the Qibla by the North Star or by a correctly established mihrab. And if he finds out that he relies on his ijtihad or doubts its definition, then he does not have the right to rely on his word, but must do ijtihad himself, if he is able. And if he does not know how to do ijtihad, then he has the right to follow him.

Al-Sharqawi says: “ It is obligatory to adhere to the word of the owner of the house in relation to the Qiblah.».

3. There are many reasons for determining the Qibla, such as the sun, moon, stars, mountains, winds.

The strongest of them is the North Star. In different parts of the world it is located differently in relation to the Qiblah.

When a person can determine the Qibla by these signs, he should not follow someone unless he is sure that he knows exactly where the Qibla is.

If he performed prayer without ijtihad, then he must compensate for the prayer, even if he turned out to be right. And if there is very little time left before the prayer, that is, there is no time for ijtihad, then he follows whoever he wants and does not make up for the prayer.

There is no difference in this matter between a person who is at home or on the road.

The scholar Qalubi, relying on the book “Jalal,” says: “If a person has found a mihrab that is installed correctly at home or on the path where he is going, or has found at least one person who knows the Qibla accurately, then in this case it is not necessary for him to study where Qibla is located, in all other situations it is necessary to determine Qibla.

The author of the book "Bushra al-Karim" says: "In many Muslim countries it is determined which side the Qibla is on, and it is not necessary to study the arguments, except in those places where the Qibla is not known or its definition is doubtful due to disdain for religion inhabitants of this area."

4. If the time is near and there is no time for ijtihad, or it is impossible due to clouds or darkness, the arguments contradict each other, or he has not found someone to follow, then he performs the prayer, respecting the time of its beginning, turning to whichever side he wants and then he will definitely compensate him.

5. You can perform namaz without turning towards the Qiblah in the desired namaz while on a permissible journey, even if the journey is short, following the majority of scholars.

If a person walks, then in four cases he must turn towards Qibla:

A). During intention.

b). During a bow.

V). During prostration.

G). While sitting between two prostrations.

In these cases, he cannot walk; he must stop to perform these actions.

It is enough for a traveler to perform sunnah prayer with signs if there are obvious difficulties (heavy mud, rain or snow).

In four cases, he can be turned in the direction he is going:

A). Standing.

b). Straightening.

V). Reading "at-Tashahhud".

G). When pronouncing Salam.

The condition for each prayer is to turn towards the Kaaba, whether the prayer is obligatory or desirable, as was said above, except in cases of great danger. Then he performs prayer as best he can, whether on foot or on horseback, turning towards the Qiblah or any other direction. A person sailing on a ship (except the captain) is obliged to face the Qibla if there is no interference during the entire prayer, and if it is difficult, then it is not necessary, except for pronouncing the intention. The captain of the ship has the right to perform namaz without turning towards the Qibla, even when forming an intention.

A person traveling on any other vehicle should turn towards the Qibla, if this is not difficult, and make all bows to it. And if it is difficult, it is not necessary to do this, except for the intention, and if this is difficult, then he does not have to do this either.

Allah Almighty said:

Meaning: " Wherever you come from, turn your face towards the Holy Mosque of Mecca (Masjid al-Haram). Wherever you find yourself, turn your faces towards her "(Surah al-Baqarah, 2:150).

Namaz must be performed by turning towards the holy Kaaba, which is located in the Sacred Mosque in the city of Mecca. All Muslims, during the performance of prayers and some other rituals of worship, turn their faces towards the Kaaba. The direction to the Kaaba from anywhere on the globe in Islam is called Qibla. It is clear that all these directions converge over the Kaaba, just as the meridians converge over the pole.

In the early years of the spread of Islam, the Qibla was the Masjid al-Aqsa (Quds Force), located in the city of Jerusalem. The change of Qibla from Quds to Mecca took place seventeen months after the Hijri, in the month of Shaban 2 Hijri, according to the following Qur'anic revelation:

Meaning: " We see your face turning across the sky, and We will turn you towards the Qiblah with which you will be pleased. Turn your face towards the Forbidden Mosque. And wherever you are, turn your faces towards her "(Surah 2 al-Baqarah, verse 144).

This happened in response to the statements of the Medina Jews that, they say, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Muslims did not know where the qibla was and supposedly they taught them this. In response, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed to Allah that He would show the Muslims their Qibla. In response, Allah showed him the direction of the new Qibla. It became the venerable Kaaba, located inside the Meccan mosque. Having learned about this, the Jews and Medina hypocrites began to express bewilderment at this. This, as we indicated above, is narrated in the Quranic verses (2: 142 -150).

Each mosque is oriented and laid out so that all worshipers face the Kaaba. At the beginning of the construction of mosques, astrologers were invited to provide Qiblah; later and at the present time, architects and others began to cope with this task, correctly determining the direction to the Kaaba.

Within a small area quite distant from the Kaaba (in Russia this can be any populated area), the divergence in the directions of the qibla is small, which makes it possible to spread the qibla from the mosque to the nearest prayer rooms and to other places for prayer using the parallel transfer method. In difficult cases, as well as in field conditions, methods of orientation by the Sun or by compass can be used.

Currently, many computer programs have also been developed to determine the qibla.

What are we going to determine? Let's turn to Wikipedia for help:

Qibla (Arab. قبلة‎‎ ‒ “direction”, “that which is opposite”) ‒ in Islam the direction to the Kaaba, located in the Forbidden Mosque (Masjid al-Haram,المسجد الحرام ) in the city of Mecca (Saudi Arabia), observed during prayer-namaz and the performance of a number of other rituals.

Qibla (orientation) is important in the construction of mosques and other places of worship in many religions, as well as in the daily life of Muslims, and serves as a symbol of the unity of all Muslims.

In the early years of the spread of Islam (from 610 to 623), the Qibla was located in Quds (Jerusalem). The change in the Qibla from al-Aqsa Mosque (Quds) to the Forbidden Mosque (Mecca) occurred seventeen months after the Hijra, and was made in response to statements by Medina Jews that the prophet and Muslims did not know where the Qibla was and supposedly they taught them this.

Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed to Allah Almighty to show Muslims their Qibla for Islam. And in the month of Shaban of the 2nd year of the Hijri, the Lord showed him the direction of the new Qibla in accordance with the following Quranic revelation:

We see how you [Muhammad] repeatedly looked at the sky [asking for the direction of the prayer (Qibla) to change]. You can rest assured that We will guide you in the direction that you will be satisfied with. Direct your face towards the Holy Mosque (towards the Kaaba). And wherever you are [on the planet], direct your faces [while performing prayer-namaz] in this direction.

Those who were given the Scripture before [Jews and Christians] know that it is the Truth from the Lord. The Almighty will not ignore the slightest of their actions [His vigilance regarding the deeds and actions of everyone and everything is unshakable, everything is under His control].*

Holy Quran, 2: 144

Here are some hadiths describing this moment:

We prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) for sixteen or seventeen months, turning towards Jerusalem, after which we turned towards the Kaaba.

Hadith from Al-Bara'a,

St. hadiths of Muslim

hadith from Ibn Umar,

The recognition of Qibla in the direction of the Kaaba was important for Muslims, who declared themselves not as a reform movement, but as an independent religion with Arabian specifics. In this regard, one of the names that the Muslim community received was “ people of Qibla and harmony [communities]"(Arabic) أهل القبلة والجماعة ‎‎ ‒ « Ahl-l-Qibla wa-l-jama'a»).

In everyday life, it is very important for Muslims to know the direction of the Qiblah also when performing some other actions not related to prayer:

Burying the dead

A deceased Muslim is placed in the grave on his right side, facing the Qiblah.

The Kaaba is your direction, whether you are alive or dead.

St. hadiths of al-Baihaqi, at-Tahawi

Slaughter of animals

Animals are slaughtered by placing them on their left side and turning their heads towards Mecca.

The Prophet slaughtered two rams on the day of Eid. When they were turned, the prophet said: “I sincerely turned my face to the One who created the heavens and the earth, and I do not belong to the polytheists!” Another narration says: “He turned the rams towards Qibla during slaughter.”

hadith from Jabir ibn Abdallah,

St. hadiths of al-Bukhari

Sleeping and lying down

It is recommended to fall asleep turning your face to Mecca, on your right side, thinking about what deeds you performed during the day: good or bad. After all, sleep is a little death, and no one, falling asleep, knows for sure whether he will wake up or not.

Addressing me, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “O so-and-so, when you want to go to bed, perform the same ablution that you do before prayer, lie down on your right side and say: “Allahumma inni aslamtu wajhi ilaika.” , wa favvaztu amri ilaika wa aljatu zahri ilaika, ragbatan wa ragbatan ilaika la maljaa wa la maljaa minka illa ilaika, amantu bikitabika lazi anzalta wa nabiyika lazi arsalta.” (O my Allah, I direct my face to You, I rely in all my affairs on Your will, I rely on You, I hope on You, I fear You, and I have nowhere to run from You except to You, I believe in the Prophet sent by You, and in the Koran sent down by You).”

hadith from Bara ibn ‘Azib,

St. hadiths of al-Bukhari and Muslim

Disposal of natural needs

It is not advisable to perform natural needs with your face and back to the Qiblah.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If one of you relieves himself in great need (in an open space), let him not turn his face to the qibla and do not turn his back to it. Turn (to face) east or west."

hadith from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari,

St. hadiths of al-Bukhari

Thus, the issue of correctly determining the Qibla is extremely important for a Muslim!

Let's try to understand this issue.

To the Almighty Allah (Lord of the worlds, Creator of everything and everyone, God) belongs both the east and the west [if somewhere you are subjected to religious persecution, then remember that you can pray to the Almighty in any clean place throughout the entire earthly space]. Wherever you turn, there will be His face [He is not limited by place or time]. Verily, Allah (God, Lord) is infinitely Wide [of His mercy] and All-Knowing.*

Holy Quran, 2: 115

In his translation of the meanings of the Holy Quran, a well-known Muslim theologian in Russia explains this verse as follows:

Muslims all over the world pray in the direction of the Kaaba, located in the city of Mecca, but this, of course, does not mean that the Almighty is there. No, the Creator is transcendental, and our planet is a grain of sand among the galaxies created by Him. But all Muslims of the world, despite the fact that they are of different cultures, nationalities, live in different cities and states, think and analyze differently, speak different languages ​​- they are all united by common spiritual values, a certain form of performing prayer-namaz in Arabic language, fasting, actions of hajj (pilgrimage), direction during prayer.

Anyone who can see the Kaaba must look at it when performing prayer. And the one who cannot see her must turn in her direction, since this is all that is in his power, and Allah Almighty places on the soul only what it can do. For example, for the inhabitants of Medina and those whose territory is located in a similar way, the following hadith applies:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “What (is) between the East and the West is the Qibla.”

hadith from Abu Hurayrah,

St. hadiths of Ibn Majah, al-Hakim and at-Tirmidhi

Methods for determining Qibla

→ For those traveling by transport

For those traveling by transport, the Qibla during travel is the direction of transport.

I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) praying while driving, (and he was praying) in the direction in which he was driving.

hadith from Amir ibn Rabia,

St. hadiths of Muslim

Al-Bukhari added in the text of this hadith: “ He tilted his head slightly" And at-Tirmidhi added the following to the text: “(However) he did not act in this way when performing the obligatory prayers».

→ When performing prayer-namaz under forced conditions, illness or danger

Under such circumstances, it is permissible to pray without facing the Qibla, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

If I order you to do something, then do what you can (do).

St. hadiths of al-Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasai

Also, Allah Almighty teaches us in the Holy Quran:

If you are afraid of something (fear for yourself), then you can perform [the next obligatory prayer-namaz] while walking [if the situation is so extraordinary, dangerous, and the time for prayer is already coming to an end, then you can perform it without even stopping, on the move ] or on horseback [moving on any of the ground, underground or air modes of transport, performing prayer with the optimal range of movements in the existing conditions and the maximum amplitude in the direction of the transport. There is no canonical need to re-read the obligatory prayer performed in this way in the future]. If there are no fears, then mention the Almighty as He taught you what you did not know [that is, perform prayer-namaz in the usual manner, calmly, fully, peacefully].*

Holy Quran, 2: 239

→ In all other cases, when a person does not experience obvious difficulties:

1) In the modern world of high technology, you can use special programs installed on a cell phone, tablet or on your personal computer; (for example this one:)

2) If you are in a locality where there is a mosque, then the direction of the Qibla will be told to you by the mihrab - a hemispherical niche in the wall of the mosque (often decorated with two columns and an arch), in which the imam performs collective prayer. The arrangement of carpets and stripes in mosques also help to properly navigate inside the mosque;

3) If technical means are not at hand, then you can calculate the direction towards Qibla using a geographical map, and, knowing this direction, use a compass to navigate to the point where you are now;

4) If you suddenly don’t have a compass at hand, then, knowing the direction to Qibla for the area where you are now (for example, for Central Russia Qibla is the direction to the south) you can:

○ during the daytime, determine the cardinal directions:

‒ in the shadow at noon

The cardinal directions are easiest to determine in sunny weather at noon. You need to stand with your back to the sun and the shadow you cast will point to the North in the Northern Hemisphere and to the South in the Southern Hemisphere. In equatorial regions, the midday shadow is directed north for six months (from September 23 to March 21), and south for six months (from March 21 to September 23).

‒ by sun and clock

In sunny weather, the cardinal directions can be determined if you have a watch. To do this, you need to position the watch so that the hour hand points to the Sun. Divide the angle between the hour hand and 12 o'clock in half, and the line dividing this angle will point to the South, and the South before 12 o'clock will be on the right side of the Sun, and after 12 o'clock on the left. This method is suitable for determining direction during the day, namely from 6 am to 6 pm.

Attention! With the onset of spring, many countries, including the Russian Federation, introduce summer time and move the clocks forward an hour, so noon occurs at 13:00, i.e. The angle is measured between the hour hand and the number 1.

As of 01/01/2015 The time was changed again - now noon is calculated the same way as it was, focusing on 12 o'clock.
At the time of reading the article, please focus on the current time, as the authors may not keep track of the next change!!!

○ at night time:

‒ according to the North Star(if you are in the northern hemisphere)

I) Find the constellation Ursa Major (Big Dipper) in the sky.

II) Plot the distance between the two outermost stars five times in a straight line towards the constellation Ursa Minor (small dipper). The delayed segment will coincide with the last star in the tail of Ursa Minor. This will be the North Star, from which you can mentally draw a plumb line to the Earth. This will be the direction to the north.

‒ according to the constellation of the Southern Cross(if you are in the southern hemisphere)

The Southern Cross constellation consists of four bright stars mutually arranged in the shape of a cross. To more accurately determine the South, use a straight line drawn through two stars located to the left of the Southern Cross. The intersection of this straight line and the straight line laid off from the Southern Cross will be the direction to the South.

5) And finally, if it is not possible to determine the direction of the Qibla, for example, due to darkness or cloudiness, then, in the beginning, you should ask someone who knows about it. If you have no one to ask, then you should try to determine the Qibla yourself and perform namaz, turning in the direction that, according to your assumption, is the Qibla.

In this case, your prayer, insha Allah, will be valid, and you will not be obliged to repeat it, even if it later turns out that you performed the prayer in the wrong direction. If it turns out that you are performing the prayer in the wrong direction while performing it, then you must turn in the right direction without interrupting the prayer.

These conclusions are based on the following hadiths:

Once, when people were performing morning prayer in the mosque, one person came to them and said: “Truly, Allah sent down to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the Koran, in which he ordered to turn towards the Kaaba, so turn to it.” They stood facing Shamu and turned towards the Kaaba.

hadith from Ibn Umar,

St. hadiths of al-Bukhari and Muslim

Once, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and I were on a hike, the sky was covered with clouds, therefore, while trying to determine the Qibla, we disagreed (regarding the Qibla), and each of us prayed in his own direction (on Kaaba). (However) everyone drew a line in front of him to indicate the direction (of the prayer). In the morning we looked at the sky and discovered that we had prayed in the wrong direction to the Qibla. We told the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about what had happened, but he did not order us to repeat the prayer and said: “That prayer is sufficient for you.”

hadith from Jabir,

St. hadiths of ad-Darakutni, al-Hakim,

al-Bayhaqi, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and at-Tabarani

To summarize, I would like to remind you once again to read the 115th verse of the 2nd sura “Cow” of the Holy Quran, given above in the text!

You shouldn’t stress yourself out too much if you can’t accurately determine the Qibla, because the main thing is to do everything in your power for this and perform namaz with the niyat (intention) of its fulfillment in the direction of the Qibla and, inshaAllah, your namaz will be fully accepted by Allah Almighty, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala!!! The main thing is not to forget to do it!!!

Of course, you guessed while reading that the article is not only literally about Qibla...

The true, straight path, which is spoken of in the Holy Quran and to which all Muslims ask the Lord to guide them in every rak'ah of prayer, reading Surah al-Fatiha, is very difficult to find, and even more difficult not to turn away from it later!!!

I advise you to watch very interesting videos for development: " " and " ".

Rasul Fatkulov,

Mahalla No. 1

*With comments by Sh. Alyautdinov

If you would like to get to know each other better Islam and know its basis — The Holy Quran, we recommend reading its first theological translation into Russian, made by Sh. Alyautdinov ("THE HOLY QURAN MEANINGS. THEOLOGICAL TRANSLATION").

The publication presents a complete translation of the Holy Qur'an, however, the author does not claim that this exhausts all the meanings of the Holy Scriptures - the readers are offered only what the author was able to extract, having spent many years of painstaking work with the fundamental works of Muslim theologians and analyzing modernity through many tens of thousands human questions that he had the opportunity to answer.

The presence of ritual purity when reading this book is not mandatory (for more information about why this is not mandatory, read 79th verse of the 56th sura).

Islam is one of the youngest religions on the planet, it differs significantly from ancient religious beliefs and today has the largest number of followers around the world. Uninitiated or recent converts have great difficulty in observing all the daily rituals that devout Muslims are required to perform. It is especially difficult for many to determine the direction of the qibla, without which it is impossible to perform namaz and a host of other ritual actions. But this is a serious deviation from the rules, which is considered a sin in Islam. In our article we will tell you how to determine the direction of the qibla in different ways, and explain why this landmark is so important for the faithful.

Qibla: term and its meaning

The term “qibla” arose literally in parallel with the formation of Islam; literally translated from Arabic it means “that which is opposite.” Almost every Muslim knows that with its help you can determine where Arabia is located from anywhere in the world. Mecca (city) and the holy Kaaba are the direction towards which the faithful should perform prayer. This point is very important for any person who professes Islam. But these are far from the only actions that are regulated by the direction of the qibla.

The life and daily affairs of Muslims, depending on the location of the holy Kaaba

In order for the faithful to know exactly what to do in a given situation, the Prophet Muhammad left behind hadiths as reminders. The qibla is even mentioned in several of them. For example, this topic is discussed in the hadiths of Bara ibn Azib, Jabir ibn Abdallah, Amir ibn Rabiy. Thanks to these pious people, there is practically not a single moment left in the daily life of Muslims that has not been explained and described. So, let's look at the rituals and everyday actions that imply the need for information about which direction the qibla is located:

• Burial of the dead. Hadiths determine the special position of a Muslim's body during burial - it should be turned on its right side, facing the Kaaba.
• Animal slaughter. If any Muslim plans to slaughter cattle, he must place the animal on its left side and turn its head towards Mecca.
• Dream. Muslims must go to bed, strictly observing a ritual identical to putting the dead to bed. After all, every person may not wake up in the morning, therefore, according to the Koran, sleep is equivalent to death.
• Treatment of natural needs. Believers are strictly forbidden to do this with their backs or faces towards Mecca.
• Namaz. This is the most important daily action for which you need to know exactly the direction of the qibla. Since prayer is performed several times a day, and a person is constantly moving during this time, he must be able to receive reliable information about which side of the world Mecca is located.

Of course, these are not all the actions indicated in the hadiths. We have listed only the most common and interesting ones. However, there is a certain list of peculiar exceptions to the general rules when it is permissible not to look for the direction of the qiblah during prayer. There are only two such cases:

• During the journey. If you are on the road and the time comes to perform prayer or another action listed above, then the direction in which the transport is moving will be considered the qibla.
• Danger or serious illness. In the event that you are in mortal danger, a terrible illness is approaching, or another critical situation arises, you are allowed to pray without focusing on Mecca.

We think that from all of the above you have already understood how important the qibla is in Islam. Almost anyone can determine its direction in the modern world without much difficulty. But where did this term come from and why is Mecca the main landmark? We will tell you about this now.

The emergence of the qibla

From the very first days of the emergence of Islam as a religion, a tradition arose of building mosques and performing all rituals, focusing on one direction. But originally it was the city of Quds (Jerusalem). It was considered a sacred place, and all believers, when determining the qibla, turned to face it.

However, over time, a dispute arose between the Medina Jews and Muslims. The first constantly reproached the faithful for the fact that they and the Prophet Muhammad could not even independently determine the qibla and learned this art from the Jews. The Prophet turned to Allah with a request, and the Almighty heard him and received a new qibla. Now they had to face the holy Kaaba. Since that time, the direction has never changed, which is why it is so important, regardless of your location anywhere on the planet, to know where Mecca is located.

Qibla: how to determine the direction

Muslims know many ways to calculate the direction of the qibla. Some of them have been preserved since ancient times, others arose thanks to the technical achievements of our time. We have collected in this article the most detailed list of all known methods:

• mosque;
• geographic map;
• compass;
• nine scientific methods of Abdel-Aziz Sallam;
• computer programs (“Qibla Compass”);
• mechanical watches;
• question to an authoritative person.

Since this is a rather important and interesting question, we will analyze each method separately.

Determining the qibla by mosque

If there is a mosque in your city, then you will not have problems determining the qibla. After all, initially every religious building in the Muslim world was built in such a way that all worshipers always face Mecca.

If you enter the mosque and look carefully, you will notice a small semicircular niche - the mihrab. It is from here that the imam leads. The niche is always oriented towards Mecca. Therefore, when praying in a mosque, you can always be sure that you are facing the right direction.

When there are a lot of people in the mosque, a prayer rug helps determine the qibla. Many of them have an arrow indicating the direction, signed with the word "qibla". This makes life much easier for Muslims who follow all the commandments of Allah. Also in many hotels around the world you can see signs with arrows pointing to Mecca.

It is interesting that in ancient times experienced astrologers were always involved in the construction of mosques, who could absolutely say in which direction the sacred Kaaba was located. Subsequently, these questions were addressed to architects, who, in addition to their main responsibility, did an excellent job of determining the direction of the qibla.

Nowadays it is much easier to build mosques, because you can correctly indicate the direction using a variety of technical means that allow you to determine the location of Mecca in relation to a certain point on the ground with an accuracy of one degree.

It is interesting that among all Islamic mosques, there is one that stands out for its special characteristic - it has two qibla. We could not help but mention this miracle in our article.

Unusual building in Saudi Arabia

In Medina there is the Two Qibla Mosque, or Masjit Al-Qiblatain. This structure is one of a kind, because it has two mihrabs, which means it points to two qiblahs. The first niche is oriented towards Jerusalem, and the second towards Mecca. One of the most ancient Muslim legends is associated with this mosque.

During the life of the Prophet Muhammad, when Quds served as the qibla, he often performed namaz on the site of today's mosque. It is believed that it was here that the prophet prayed to Allah to send down a new qibla in connection with the protracted dispute between Muslims and Jews. Right while performing prayer, Muhammad received a revelation from the Almighty and instantly turned towards Mecca. All the worshipers immediately followed his example. Thus, before the eyes of many people, an important event took place - the change of the qibla. And the mosque, which has become a symbol of this significant change that touched the life of every believer, has two mihrabs.

The religious building itself is made in the best Muslim architectural traditions. It has strict geometric outlines, emphasized by two minarets and domes. Since the mosque is located on a slope, it is noticeable how the prayer hall moves from one level to another and consists of many arches. The false dome, symbolizing the ancient direction for prayer, is smoothly connected by a small gallery to the main domes and hall. This traces a description of the process of changing the qibla that occurred many years ago.

Externally, the mosque is not much different from most similar structures. At the moment it has been reconstructed and is operational.

How to determine the direction of the qibla using a compass

This is one of the simplest and most accessible ways to determine where the holy Kaaba is located relative to you. After all, a compass is an item that is sold in many stores and costs very little money. In addition, many others are in one way or another connected with this method, which we will describe in the following sections of the article.

For example, you perform namaz in Moscow. How to determine which way to face? It's simple. To pray, you need to know that relative to the inhabitants of central Russia, Mecca is located in the south. Therefore, you must take a compass and determine the cardinal directions, and then face the south. If you perform all these simple steps, you will always know the right direction.

What about other areas of our country and neighboring states? How to find out, for example, the direction of the qibla by compass in Makhachkala? This is an equally simple process: those living in the Caucasus, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan should look to the southwest. That is where Mecca is in relation to them.

For northwestern Russia and Ukraine, the direction of the qibla extends to the south. St. Petersburg has minor deviations from generally accepted calculations, but this is not a special violation. The hadiths indicate that prayer and rituals do not require accuracy down to degrees. It’s enough just to orient yourself correctly in space. How to determine the direction of the qibla without a compass? This is a fairly common question, and we will answer it.

Geographic map - an assistant in determining the qibla

If you don’t have a compass at hand, but a geographical map is in your hands, then you can easily cope with the task of determining the location of the Kaaba. Let's take the same example: you are performing namaz in Moscow and want to find the qibla. You just need to find two points on the map - Moscow and Mecca, and then use the cardinal directions to navigate to the south. Many true believers are confused by this particular point of the recommendation, because without a compass it is quite difficult to determine the cardinal directions. We will give you a hint:

• Shadow at noon. If there is sun outside the window, then you need to go outside and turn your back to our luminary. The cast shadow will become the north indicator, with the right and left sides being east and west respectively. This rule applies when you are in the Northern Hemisphere. In the South, your shadow will point, on the contrary, to the south.
• Polar Star. This ancient wayfinder for sailors and travelers can also be useful in finding the qibla. If the night sky is clear, then you can easily find the North Star, located in the tail of the Ursa Minor constellation. If you draw a perpendicular from it to the ground, it will point you to the north. Behind you will be the south, on the right - the east, and on the left side - the west.

We hope that with the help of our tips you will always be able to easily determine the direction of the qibla.

Qibla and mechanical watches: a simple and affordable method

This method is closely related to the previous two, because you also need the sun and knowledge of where exactly you are in order to understand which side of the world you need to look for.

You need to place the clock on a flat surface so that the small hand points to the sun. The resulting angle between the hand and the twelve o'clock mark is divided into two equal parts, its bisector will point south. Moreover, keep in mind that until noon the south will be on the right side of the luminary, and after that it will be on the left. This method can be used from six o'clock in the morning to six o'clock in the evening.

Scientific work of Abdel-Aziz Sallam

It is especially difficult for Muslims living in America to determine the exact direction of the qibla. After all, the direction is usually calculated based on the shortest distance between two points by land. Therefore, there is no unity among American Muslims regarding the qibla. Sometimes prayer is performed relative to opposite ends of the world.

About seventeen years ago, an entire symposium was devoted to this serious issue, at which Abdel-Aziz Sallam, who devoted almost his entire life to the study of the qibla, spoke. He presented to the audience his scientific work, containing nine scientific methods that can be used in everyday life if you have certain knowledge:

• Arithmetic. The rules for solving spherical triangles, as well as the sine of half angle formulas, apply here.
• Trigonometric tables. They are used in two methods and are based on the calculations of the ancient Egyptians.
• Celestial sphere. This method is ideal for navigators who must correlate the meridians and latitude of the Kaaba with the angle of inclination of the celestial sphere. The fifth method described in scientific works is identical, but here the circle of the celestial sphere is used.
• The sixth and seventh methods are based on taking the Kaaba as the starting point in navigational instruments.
• Perpendicular to the sun. Twice a year our luminary becomes perpendicular to the Kaaba, this can be observed from different countries of the world. Therefore, it is enough to see this phenomenon once and make approximate guidelines for yourself in order to be able to always look towards Mecca in the future.

• Prayer card. It was specially compiled for residents of America and allows you to calculate the desired direction using the indicated angles.

It is worth noting that all such different methods are recognized as correct and can be used at any time.

Computer programs

The direction to the qibla during prayer can be determined by various computer programs. Now they are very popular and widespread, there are applications for smartphones and tablets that, when launched, show you where you need to turn your face when praying.

Despite the fact that these programs are very diverse, many Muslims summarize them under one name - “Qibla Compass”. After all, in any case, a drawn compass appears in front of you, the arrow of which points to the Kaaba. Typically, such programs have common characteristics:

• sound notifications about the beginning of prayer;
• compass;
• audio recordings of texts from the Koran;
• list of nearby mosques;
• Muslim calendar and the like.

In principle, such programs make the life of true believers much easier, because they can be used anywhere in the world. Now this is practically the most accurate method of determining the qibla of all known.

Question for another Muslim

If you cannot find out the direction of the qibla on your own for one reason or another, then it is permissible to ask a question to a trustworthy Muslim. Many people are concerned about the fact that the person answering may also make a mistake and indicate the wrong direction. Keep in mind that in this case, someone else's mistake will not be considered a sin. You can safely perform namaz facing the indicated direction, but if you find out the correct direction, you should change it. And perform further rituals in the right direction.

It is interesting that if, as a result of any actions during prayer, you realize that you are making a mistake, then you must immediately turn your face in the right direction and continue your prayer.

A few words in conclusion

We hope that our article was useful to you and we have given all the answers to your questions related to the qibla. Now you can always perform namaz and other rituals facing the Kaaba. And this is correct, because this is exactly what Allah commanded to do through the Prophet Muhammad. But, trying to perform all actions correctly and in accordance with the Koran and Hadith, do not forget about the main thing. The life of a devout Muslim should be filled with spiritual purity and the desire to live according to the commandments of the Almighty, and if for some reason you cannot determine the direction of the qibla, do not be upset. The hadiths say that it is better to pray sincerely, not knowing where Mecca is, than to perform namaz without a spark of faith in the heart, but in the direction of the qibla.

After reading the article, you can find out all the services that allow you to determine the correct direction of the qibla online. There are several religions in the world. And each has its own rules of behavior and rituals. This article will focus on one of them - Islam. All believers must create appropriate conditions for prayer. For example, cleanse the body, clothes and place for prayer. And also find a special direction in which the person praying should look.

Occurrence and additional information about the qibla

Qibla is often mentioned in Islam, as it (the direction) is also very important in the construction of mosques. As well as a number of other religious buildings. Knowledge of the qibla is mandatory for Muslims. They use it during five prayers every day. In our digital age, you can find the right party using the Internet.

Kaaba - Muslim shrine

The given direction points to one of the main shrines of Islam - the Kaaba. This cubic structure is located in the city of Mecca. The shrine is located in the courtyard of the forbidden mosque - Masjid al-Haram. Pilgrims from all over the area gather here during the Hajj (pilgrimage). During the first prophecy of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, the qibla was mistaken for Mount Moriah, which is located in Jerusalem. After which Allah told Muhammad that this direction had now been changed. At that very moment, he and the worshipers changed it. After this, the reasons for moving the qibla were given in the Qur'an.

A mosque in which the qibla was changed

Namaz-time.ru - will help you find directions online

For those who need to find the sacred direction or qibla, you can use the website http://namaz-time.ru/map. Go to this address using a web browser. For convenience, the top menu lists the most popular Russian cities. If you live in one of them, just select the one you want with your mouse cursor. On the map you will see the location of your place, as well as a line indicating the qibla. For less popular cities there is an entry line.

Further procedure:

The map can be adjusted by zooming in or out. To do this, there are buttons “+” and “-” on the right. Click on the appropriate one.

Qiblalocator - online service for determining the qibla

How to determine the location of Mecca on a mobile device

The market for Android devices has a special application that will allow you to determine the direction of the qibla using your mobile phone online. You can download it on this page. It is already used by more than 10 million believers.

Advantages of the online service:

If your internet speed is low, you can enter your location manually. At the same time, you will save traffic and time.

How can you find out the qibla without applications and services?

There is a misconception that all Muslims say their prayers facing the east. Although in some cases (when the worshiper is from Mecca to the west) it is true. One of the main celestial objects, by which at all times people have determined the cardinal directions and even the time of day, is the sun.

To find the right side:

In this way we learn the cardinal directions. They will help us determine the qibla. Knowing the location of your country on the map, you can easily determine it. For example, if you are in the United States, Mecca is in the northeast. If you have visited South Africa, then you need to pray to the north-northeast.

How Muslims Found Direction in the Past

In the past, the qibla was determined using additional tools and a map. But not all people were literate. They were trained by people more experienced in this matter. The definition process was similar to what we learned from the previous section of the article. First it was necessary to determine the direction of the world. Later, special devices were created that made it possible to find the direction. Special tables were created that made it easier for Muslims to find directions for all settlements.

Using your Android, iPhone, iOS devices, find the application you need by searching in the appropriate smartphone markets. They are installed with one click of a button.

• You can write down the coordinates of the Kaaba to calculate the direction in the future - 21 degrees 25'21. 15'' s. w. N 39 degrees 49’34.1’’ E. d.;
• When planning a trip, mark in advance the direction for prayer at the place where you are going;
• You can find special prayer mats that have a built-in compass and a marking with the desired direction;
• In large cities there is a mosque where you can find out this;
• You should use all the possibilities and options to determine the qibla. A compass, which is available on mobile devices, will come to the rescue. Even if it is missing, try to find other ways to determine direction.

In the article, we examined in detail how you can determine the exact direction of the qibla using online services. And also how Muslims found the location of Mecca in the past.