Beginnings and beyond

What is the term used to describe the direction Muslims face during their daily prayers?

• Ka'ba

• Qibla

• Zenith

• Horizon

Before mathematical methods became available, how did Muslims determine the direction of the qibla?

• Using a compass

• Based on the practices of the early Companions of the Prophet Muhammad and their successors

• By observing the stars

• Using geographical coordinates

What was one of the traditional methods used to determine the qibla before the emergence of mathematical sciences?

• Using a compass

• Folk astronomy

• GPS technology

• Satellite imaging

Why were the traditional methods of determining the qibla inaccurate in places like North Africa and Iran?

• Lack of proper tools

• Distance from Mecca

• Incorrect religious practices

• Misinterpretation of the stars

What is the most accurate method to determine the qibla according to the text?

• Using a compass

• Observing the stars

• Using geographical coordinates and the celestial sphere

• Asking a religious leader

In the most accurate solution, what is the position of the zenith of Mecca relative to?

• The horizon

• The zenith of the locality

• The center of the earth

• The position of the observer

What is the azimuth in the context of determining the qibla direction?

• The angle between the observer's zenith and the horizon

• The arc of the horizon between two great circles of the celestial sphere

• The vertical circle that passes through the two poles

• The direction of the terrestrial longitude

What did most astronomical handbooks contain chapters on?

• The history of astronomy

• The direction of the qibla

• The phases of the moon

• The positions of the stars

What happened to many mosques built in the early period of Islamic expansion?

• They were destroyed

• They were misaligned

• They were perfectly aligned

• They were abandoned

Which centuries do the sources examined for the overview date to?

• Fourteenth to early eighteenth century

• Twelfth to thirteenth century

• Fifteenth to sixteenth century

• Eleventh to twelfth century