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Qibla () is an Arabic word referring to the direction that should be faced when a Muslim Prays . At one point the direction of the Qibla was toward Baitul Muqaddas, Jerusalem (and it is therefore called the Second of the Two Qiblas), however this only lasted for seventeen months, after which the Qibla was returned to the Kaaba. According to accounts from Muhammad 's companions, the change happened very suddenly during the noon prayer in Medina. Muhammad was leading the prayer when he received a revelation from Allah instructing him to take the Kaaba as the Qiblah "turn your face towards the Masjid Al Haram . According to the historical accounts, Muhammad , who had been facing Jerusalem, upon receiving this revelation, immediately turned around to face Mecca, and those praying behind him also did so. Some skeptics argue that the change was political in nature and resulted from a row with the Jew s of Medina. The Qibla, for any point of reference on the Earth, is the direction of the Kaaba. In Muslim religious practice, supplicants must face this direction in prayer. It should be noted that Muslims do not worship the Kaaba or its contents; the Kaaba is simply a focal point for prayer. To direct themselves towards the Qibla, Muslims must face the direction of the Kaaba, and not take the shortest path or the path which is taken by airplanes or any other direction which is decided by a modern day formula or calculation. For people who live to the north of Makkah, they must face the south and vice versa. Similarly, those who live to the east must face the west, and vice versa. As for those who live in the North East, South East, North West or South West regions, they must direct themselves towards the Kaaba, ie. people in North America pray towards the East with a slight southern inclination, and those who live in South America pray towards the East with a slight northern inclination, etc... In ancient times, Muslims traveling abroad used an Astrolabe to find the Qibla. At the two moments in each year when the Sun is directly overhead the Kaaba, the direction of shadows in any sunlit place will point directly away from the Qibla. Al-Biruni used mathematics to determine the Qibla direction from any point on the Earth's surface. The Qibla has importance to more than just the Salat , and plays an important part in everyday ceremonies. The head of an animal that is slaughtered using Halal methods is aligned with the Qibla. After death, Muslims are buried with their faces in the direction of the Qibla. SEE ALSO
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