Moon aligns directly above Kaaba in Makkah’s Grand Mosque

1 / 2
(Saudi Quran TV)
2 / 2
The full moon also shone brightly over Madinah, one of Islam’s holiest sites. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 29 January 2021
Follow

Moon aligns directly above Kaaba in Makkah’s Grand Mosque

  • Occurrence was witnessed by those in the vicinity of the mosque during the first hour of Friday

RIYADH: The full moon appeared directly above the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Islam’s holiest site.

The occurrence was witnessed by those in the vicinity of the mosque during the first hour of Friday.

“This will be followed by the moon’s alignment with the Kaaba at 12:43:35 a.m. KSA time, or 09:43:34 GMT, at an altitude of 89.57.46 degrees,” Majed Abu Zahira, president of the Jeddah Astronomy Association, wrote on Instagram. “The moon’s disc will be fully illuminated at 99.9 percent at a distance of 381.125 kilometers from Earth. It will then remain visible for the rest of the night until it sets with the rise of the sun on Friday,” he added.

Located at the center of the Grand Mosque in Islam’s holiest city, the Kaaba is the direction to which Muslims across the world pray.

Because of the alignment ascertaining this direction is easy for sky watching enthusiasts.

“The moon will guide them towards Makkah with an accuracy that matches that of smart phone applications,” Abu Zahira states.

The cube-like structure, which is draped in a black cloth, is believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and his son Ismaeel.


Deal to boost Arab research cooperation

Updated 8 sec ago
Follow

Deal to boost Arab research cooperation

RIYADH: The King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies has signed a supplementary memorandum of cooperation with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization to strengthen collaboration in education, culture, science, heritage and knowledge.

The appendix builds on an earlier agreement and aims to deepen institutional partnership in intellectual, cultural and scientific research, with a focus on programs linked to the Arabic Narrative project launched by the center three years ago.

It was signed at a ceremony attended by Prince Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, chairman of the King Faisal Center, and ALECSO Director-General Mohamed Ould Amar, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The agreement reflects both sides’ commitment to high-quality cooperation drawing on the King Faisal Center’s research expertise and ALECSO’s role in advancing Arab culture and knowledge.

Under the memorandum, the two parties will organize specialized scientific and cultural seminars and conferences related to the Arabic narrative.

The cooperation also includes in-depth research on the trajectories of Arab thought and its links to global knowledge, while enriching the initiative’s cultural content through expertise in history, language, heritage and interdisciplinary studies.

Both institutions aim to foster a research environment that produces rigorous scholarship to strengthen the Arab narrative and present it to regional and international audiences.

The agreement also provides for the establishment of the “ALECSO Chair at the King Faisal Center for Arab-Islamic Studies,” marking a new phase of collaboration.