What's that on the ceiling--a smoke detector? A camera?
No--it's a Qiblah: a pointer in the direction of Mecca. They're in many rooms (and virtually all hotel rooms) to show Muslims the proper direction to pray. Here's a (fuzzy) close-up of mine:
There's also one on the electronic maps on the airplanes -- the pointer shifts from southeast to southwest as we travel from DC to Doha.
5 comments:
Could you sue the hotel if the Qiblah pointed in wrong direction?
More to the point...would Allah still hear your prayer if you faced the wrong direction?
I think most people could find "southeast" without a pointer--there's always Google Earth.
There's an app for that:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/01/prweb4955004.htm
QiblaLocate 1.0 for iOS - GPS-Based System Points to Mecca
Power App GmbH today introduces QiblaLocate 1.0 for iOS, their app that employs the GPS system of any iOS device to locate the qibla, the correct direction to face Mecca. Unaffected by the inaccuracies of magnetic north vs. true north, the app provides superior results. After starting the app, the user simply gives permission to use their current position as the basis for calculation, and the app immediately displays a large green arrow, a world map, and the exact distance and bearing to Mecca.
I need an App--Mecca is to the southwest, not the southeast.
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