I have always wondered, since the first day I arrived in Charlotte, why is the qibla to the north east direction, even though Mecca is more like to the south east (closer to complete east). I asked a few people, and they are like its because the earth is not flat and North America is kind of curved on the map. I know the earth is not flat, but I also know that we should face Mecca and pray, not the North Pole!
Can someone please explain this to me, look at the map below and tell me why its North East?
Am I facing Mecca, by facing the north and going around the globe and facing mecca from the south (thats the best way i could write it up 
)
by the way, NE is this way :
As soon as I saw that diagram of yours I said, wtfridge? That’s illogical.
So I thought to myself the 8iblah should be in the direction where geographically its the closest path/straight line, no?
Yet I am surprised… are you sure you’ve got your diagram and bearings in respects to the 8iblah correct? I would think you used the specific compass that points you to the right direction, the ones produced solely for 8iblah finding.
Another way you should perhaps know or noticed, if you’re the travelling kind of person. The 8iblah should be around the East, since the sun rises from there; elmashri8.
I hope that helps. BUT STILL, I reckon you got islamic centers there. Walaw… if you see that your 8iblah isn’t in the direction of elmashri8, then thats probably wrong.
Above that, if you don’t have that special compass I’m talking about… then I can’t believe you. =\
That does seem strange..
My first instict told me that Mecca is closer to you towards the North East.. But then I realised that your arrows on the map are wrong..
Allow me to explain..
By going North East, you are going to the North Pole.. The arrow should not be coming out of the South Pole after that.. How did it even get to the South Pole?!?!?
It should be coming in a Southern direction from the North Pole somewhere at Eastern Russia.. That would not take it anywhere near Mecca..
I hope you can understand what I’m trying to say.. It would be easier to explain if I had a globe in front of me..
The way I see it.. Your arrow on the map is wrong and you should be praying is a South-East by Eastern direction.. Straight towards Mecca.. Regardless of what people tell you..
I was JUST having that discussion with a friend of mine. I had it in mind that I’d grab one of those 8ibla compasses before I leave saudi, because I moved apartments, but of course it slipped my mind. He had a compass on his car and told me to face north-east. I was thinking about it, and I though mecca should be east as well.
But MvYv up there is correct, your arrows are wrong. Geographical north points towards the north pole, regardless of your location, and not straight up. So the arrow you designated as ‘The Current Qibla’ is actually the geographic north. East is obviously at a right angle to that, making Mecca at north east.
Voila!
.. I think.
i once asked the same question about qibla
the answer is , The earth isn’t flat
thats why when you fly to the USA you see planes going near greenland and u would think a line over the atlantic would be shorter
but if you see it on a globe , its shorter to go by greenland
A real map:
http://www.qiblacentral.com/QiblaCentral2_files/image007.gif
thanks everyone espcially KtheKuwaiti,
now i am convinced that NE is the direction to pray, but from the map that KtheKuwaiti supplied. But the question is, and i am not very educated in fiqh or islamic studies, but isnt this technology or science getting into the relegion?
this is confusing :S
lol
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http://www.kash-cool.com/qiblah.jpg
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What makes this confusing, is that it is hard to draw the earth on a flat surface (as was mentioned). This is why there are several ways to draw maps (called “projections”). Each of these projections has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some, for example, focus on producing the right shape of the objects on the map. Other ones focus on getting the area and the ratio of the areas correct. It is not possible to draw one kind of projection and get everything right without it being in 3D.
That’s why Google earth, or a globe would be your best way to check this out.
more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Map_projection
Technically, you could face west and still be pointing in the right direction, but my guess has to be the shortest distance.
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3baid,
yes I agree, West seems also a logical direction, even though after seeing the projections, NE looks correct, but being so far away from mecca, there could be more than one direction to face mecca, even East could would do
KashCool,
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