Reply #22: There are so many ways to take this ...

[Nihil]

> But people looking down from recently built high-rises in Mecca found
> the niches in many older mosques were not pointing directly towards the
> Kaaba.
>
> Some worshipers are said to be anxious about the validity of their prayers.
>
> There have been suggestions that laser beams could be used to make an
> exact measurement.

1) It's a miracle! (cf. mountain moving rather than prophet moving)

2) It's the equivalent of putting someone on hold on one line whilst taking
the call on the other.

3) It shows the lack of respect when high-rises in Mecca are allowed to
be taller than mosques.

4) The "anxious worshippers" are lacking in faith if such a small thing
introduces doubts.

5) This is an example (along with the GPS option upthread) where modern
technology can be allied to ancient custom.

6) There is a risk that beautiful old buildings will be damaged for the
sake of some misdirected pedant's desire for a "more accurate" bearing
marker.

7) Some people are so desperate to stir the shit that they deliberately
mix up "not pointing directly towards" with "the wrong way".

8) If it is in the nature of Allah to hear prayers, surely it is the
direction of the supplicant's heart that is important (i.e., the inner
motives rather than the precision of the external position)?

:shrug:

(FWIW, it's only comparatively recently that buildings were allowed to
be higher than the cathedrals/churches in London and - purely from an
aesthetic point of view - I wish that this hadn't changed.)