WRONG FOR 'KIBLAT' TO BE DETERMINED BY DIRECTION OF SETTING SUN

from BERNAMA, The Malaysian National News Agency KOTA BAHARU, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- It is wrong and inaccurate for Muslims to determine the kiblat (direction of the Kaaba in Mecca) for their daily prayers based on the direction of the setting sun, as there are only two days in a year that this method can be used as a guide.

Director of the Islamic Training Institute of Malaysia (ILIM), Paimuzi Yahya, said this method must also cease for determining prayer times, breaking of fast and Hari Raya, and Muslims should instead use Islamic astronomy as approved by the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim).

He said from the study of astronomy, there were only two days (May 28 and July 16) each year where the position of the sun would be right in the middle of the Kaaba, which could be used as a guide for Muslims to determine the "kiblat". "The institute has been given the responsibility to remove the misperception among Muslims on the matter," he told Bermana after closing a course on Islamic astronomy pertainig to the "kiblat", here, today.

Paimuzi said most mosques, surau, hotels and Muslim homes in the country did not use the proper method in determining the "kiblat" when performing their prayers and this situation must not be allowed to continue.

"For this purpose, we want the course participants to guide other Muslims in determining the 'kiblat' correctly," he added.

It is wrong and inaccurate for Muslims to determine the kiblat (direction of the Kaaba in Mecca) for their daily prayers based on the direction of the setting sun, as there are only two days in a year that this method can be used as a guide.

Personal Notes:

1. Reminds me on a girl who used to obsess on ilmu falak and made abdullah fahim as her idol.

2. She harrassed me by saying i was jahil for not knowing the method to determine the kiblat(by seeing the direction of sunset)...

3. Plus, there was a descendant of Haji Muhammad Matahari (Taslim spiritual founder)... she's a hot chick from Kampung Seronok Bayan Lepas... not only hot, she's an ACCA student in a public university where she scores the best student award in every semester... 

4. She claimed that the title of matahari was given to her ancestor due to the rumours saying that he guided british sailors the way to determine time... by using the sun. and because of that he was charged for blasphemy. The truth is he was charged with blasphemy for embarking a new spiritual movement called Taslim... Ajaran sesat tu...
5. use this method just to determine ramadan and shawal...