Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

We stay in europe and we would like to know how to decide the direction of kaaba or sajda for peforming namaz at home.

SHOULD WE DO LIKE THE WAY IT SI DONE AS PER SUNSET AND SUNRISE; THAT sajda is always towards sunset that is west.does this hold good at any place on the earth or there are some rules for different countires. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Direction of qibla from London

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 144:

144 We see the turning of thy face (for guidance O Prophet (saws)) to the heavens; now shall We turn thee to a ‘Qiblah’ that shall please thee. (When you stand for prayer) Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah); wherever ye are turn your faces in that direction.

Respected Sister, one of the absolutely obligatory conditions of a prayer in Islam is that one turns their direction towards the Sacred Masjid in Makkah…..thus regardless of where one is stationed on this earth, it is imperative that one determine their direction towards the prescribed ‘Qibla’ before they start their prayers.

The rising or setting of the sun does not determine the ‘Qibla’, nor is it an accurate statement that the ‘Qibla’ always faces West or towards the sunset. Only for those lands or nations which are located towards the East of Makkah (like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc.) will pray in the Westerly direction or towards the direction of the sunset, as the sun always sets in the direction of ‘True West’ (or 270 degrees).

If one happens to reside in Europe, which obviously is towards the North-West of Makkah, then their ‘qibla’ direction would be in the South-Easterly direction. If you reside in Europe and have access to a compass, here follows the exact degrees to locate the ‘qibla’ for the respective European nations:

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan