The Kaaba: which way we face
Islamic Studies · Early Years · The School
One special building
The KAABA is a building in Makkah. It is shaped like a box. Muslims do not pray to the Kaaba itself. They face towards it, and pray to Allah. It is a mark, not a thing they worship. It just shows a shared spot, for everyone to turn towards.
Facing the same spot
The way Muslims face has a name: the QIBLAH. A masjid is built so people can face the qiblah. No matter where a Muslim is, they turn to face this one same spot when they pray.
From every direction
Someone praying close to the Kaaba in Makkah can face it straight on. But someone far off, in Britain, just turns one way to face it. Each land turns a different way. But the one spot they face is always the same, wherever they happen to stand.
Imagine our Earth is a ball. A dot on it is Makkah, where the Kaaba is. Amal lives in London. Zara lives in Jakarta. When they pray, they face the Kaaba. We pull a string tight from London to the dot. We pull one from Jakarta too. A tight string shows the shortest way. Amal faces along her string. It leaves going south-east. Zara faces along hers. It leaves going north-west. The two girls face different ways. But both strings end at the same dot. Both girls face the Kaaba.