Sun shines perpendicular to Kaaba, Muslims verify Qibla

This happens only twice a year on May 28 and June 16. The holy city of Mecca witnessed the sun in a perpendicular position to the Kaaba on Sunday.

Residents of the continents of Asia, Africa, Europe, Western Australia, Northeast America and Canada were able to verify the correct direction of the Qibla or the opposite direction of the Qibla, at the moment the sun stood perpendicular to the Kaaba.

Muslims throughout Malaysia seized the opportunity to verify the accuracy of the Qibla direction in their respective locations as the sun stood Perpendicular to Kaaba.

Federal Territories Mufti Department Islamic affairs assistant officer (astronomy unit) Muhammad Saidul Marjuni said Istiwa’ A’dzam is a phenomenon that occurs twice a year on May 28 (at 5.18pm) and July 16 (at 5.26pm) when the sun is directly above the Kaabah in Makkah, which is the Qibla or the direction that Muslims face when performing prayers.

“The shadow cast by the sun at that time (the time set on both dates) precisely points to the direction of the Qibla,” he said.

It should be noted that if a stick or a piece of straight wood is inserted into the ground at Dhuhr time on these occasions, it creates a shadow on the ground that points towards Kaaba in Mecca as the sun appears in the direction of Mecca.