Indonesian Muslims have been praying facing the wrong way
Indonesia's Muslims learned on Friday they have been praying in the wrong direction, after the country's highest Islamic authority said its
directive on the direction of Mecca actually had people facing Africa.
Muslims are supposed to face the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia during prayer and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued an edict in March stipulating westward was the correct direction from the world's most populous Muslim country.
the head of the MUI, Cholil Ridwan, told Reuters.
Ridwan said Muslims need not fear that their prayers have been wasted because they were facing the wrong way.
"Their prayers will still be heard by Allah," he said.
Said Agil Siradj, head of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, told English language newspaper the Jakarta Globe that the confusion showed the MUI issued edicts too fast and that this was a lesson for them.
The MUI has, in the past, issued controversial edicts banning Muslims from chanting during yoga, and from smoking.
Indonesia is a majority Muslim but officially secular country
http://www.reuters.com/arti...
By netchicken:
posted on 19-7-2010
Muslims are supposed to face the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia during prayer and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued an edict in March stipulating westward was the correct direction from the world's most populous Muslim country.
...
Quote:
Ridwan said Muslims need not fear that their prayers have been wasted because they were facing the wrong way.
"Their prayers will still be heard by Allah," he said.
Said Agil Siradj, head of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, told English language newspaper the Jakarta Globe that the confusion showed the MUI issued edicts too fast and that this was a lesson for them.
The MUI has, in the past, issued controversial edicts banning Muslims from chanting during yoga, and from smoking.
Indonesia is a majority Muslim but officially secular country
http://www.reuters.com/arti...