FatwaPerlisAstronomy & Calendar
Fatwa Berkaitan Arah Kiblat
Is prayer valid if the qiblah direction is not exact, and what deviation is allowed for mosques?
Short answer
According to this fatwa, a person outside the Masjid al-Haram but within Makkah faces the direction of the Masjid al-Haram, while a person outside Makkah faces the direction of the sanctified land (tanah haram).
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Perlis State Mufti Department
- Status
- Fatwa committee decision
- Series
- Himpunan Fatwa Negeri Perlis
- Topic
- Astronomy & Calendar
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
According to this fatwa, a person outside the Masjid al-Haram but within Makkah faces the direction of the Masjid al-Haram, while a person outside Makkah faces the direction of the sanctified land (tanah haram). The prayer is valid as long as one faces that direction, without needing to face the Kaaba exactly, and available guidance or means within one's ability suffice. The qiblah for Malaysia is 291 to 293 degrees from north. Someone who prayed and later found the direction wrong need not repeat the prayer, and mosques found to be slightly inaccurate may remain as built provided the deviation does not exceed 45 degrees to the left or right, while new mosques should use recognised facilities.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Adapun mereka yang berada di luar dari Makkah hendaklah dia menghadap ke arah tanah haram.
Read the full fatwa on the Perlis website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Perlis State Mufti Department. “Fatwa Berkaitan Arah Kiblat”, date not stated. https://muftiperlis.gov.my/index.php/himpunan-fatwa-negeri/58-fatwa-berkaitan-arah-kiblat. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/qiblah-direction-prayer-validity-mosque-deviation/