How can we locate the Qibla direction in any place of the world? This question raised strong furor among Muslims worldwide, especially in the American City of Seattle where Muslims differed over the Qibla location.

This issue was of concern to the Muslim Society for Survey that organized a symposium on this topic and invited Brigadier Abdel-Aziz Sallam, who conducted detailed research on this subject. He managed to reach nine scientific methods to locate the Qibla direction by using trigonometry and trigonometric tables.

The General Egyptian Survey Authority officially authenticated his methods.

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We all know that Qibla is to direct oneself to the Kaa`bah in Makkah. Muslims need to know the Qibla direction wherever they are in order to direct themselves towards it at the time of prayers. This step comes in obedience of God’s saying:

“We see the turning of your face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn you to a Qibla that shall please you. Turn, then your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever you are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is God unmindful of what they do.” (Al-Baqarah 144)

The book of “Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) According to the Four Schools,” issued by the Mosque Department at the Egyptian Ministry of Wakfs (religious endowments), identified the Qibla.

According to this book, the Qibla for those who are in Makkah or near it lies in the middle of the Kaa`bah, or its parallel sphere from above or below.

So, a Muslim living in this area should direct himself to the middle of the Kaa`bah or at least try hard to do so.

Regarding those who are away from Makkah, the Qibla for them lies in the direction of the Kaa`bah. They may move a little to the right or left of the Kaa`bah. If they are slightly deviant from this direction, they are not to blame as they are still directed to the Kaa`bah.