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Issue: Indonesian Muslims facing Africa during prayers
July 19, online: People in the world’s most populous Muslim nation have been facing Africa – not Mecca – while praying
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em>July 19, online: People in the world’s most populous Muslim nation have been facing Africa – not Mecca – while praying. Indonesia’s highest Islamic body acknowledged Monday it made a mistake when issuing an edict in March saying the holy city in Saudi Arabia was to the country’s west. It has since asked followers to shift direction slightly northward during their daily prayers. “After a thorough study with cosmography and astronomy experts, we learned they’ve been facing southern Somalia and Kenya,” said Ma’ruf Amin, a prominent cleric of the Indonesian Ulema Council, or MUI. “We’ve revised it now to the northwest.” He said Indonesians need not worry, however: The miscalculation did not affect God’s ability to hear their prayers. “God understands that humans make mistakes,” he said. “Allah always hears their prayers.”
Direction for prayer: Muslims perform Friday prayers at the Cut Meutia Mosque in Menteng, Central Jakarta. On Monday the Council of Indonesian Ulema (MUI) revised a March edict which stated that the kiblat (the direction in which Muslims should face when praying) was to the country's West. The MUI has since asked followers to shift their positions slightly northward. JP/Ricky Yudhistira
Your comments:
The MUI is raising a big fuss about a few degrees deviation in kiblat. God being omnipresent, is it not more important what one is thinking about when praying than a small error in direction?
If we want to be exact, we must not face straight ahead but a few degrees into the earth, or our prayers will be heading into outer space for we are standing on top of this earth ball.
Wibowo
Jakarta.
As long as Muslims don’t pray facing Israel, Allah will still listen to their prayers that is what this guy is trying to say.
Jaja
Mecca
Don’t forget Muslims prayed for 13 years facing Jerusalem before Mecca was made the focal point.
Facing Mecca is a guide so that people in a congregation and as individuals pray in one direction. If unsure, just pray in any direction as Allah is omnipresent and omnicompetent.
Most of these Muslim organizations are led by a bunch of ill-educated clerics. Why do people follow them? Do your own research and make informed judgment.
Laiq Ahmad
Sydney
This shows how utterly uneducated and generally unintelligent the MUI council members are. Just look at Google Earth or, gasp, a map to see that Mecca is not to the west of Indonesia.
Starting to wonder if critical thinking exists among our leadership.
P. Saipul
Jakarta
God actually resides in Mecca then, does He?
Chris
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Hasn’t anyone tried using a GPS?
CFA
Denpasar
This kind of thoughtless mistake explains a lot.
Peter
Kuta, Bali
