Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/MAKKAH: As the moon hovered exactly above the Holy Ka’aba in Makkah, worshippers and pilgrims flocked to the holiest site and circumambulated (tawwaaf) the Holy Ka’aba in devotion.
Rare celestial phenomenon drew a crowd of pilgrims and worshipers who circumambulated Ka’aba on Tuesday. Earlier, Engineer Majed Abu Zahra, the chairman of the Jeddah Astronomical Society had predicted that the the sole lunar body of Earth will set just over the Holy Ka’aba and will be 98 percent brighter than usual.
Moon determined Qibla direction
People in will be able to see the moon with their naked eyes as it appears vertically above the sacred Kaaba shortly after sunset on December 6, at 8:06 pm. (or 10:06 pm PST). According to Saudi astronomers, the celestial phenomenon can be used to determine the Qibla (the direction of the prayer toward the Kaaba) in a simple manner from many regions around the world, as Muslims in geographical locations far from the Grand Mosque can rely on the direction of the moon that points to Makkah.
