Indonesian Muslims told to change prayer direction

[somebozo]

Indonesian Muslims told to change prayer direction
By REUTERS

Source: Indonesian Muslims told to change prayer direction - Arab News


Published: Jul 16, 2010 22:47 Updated: Jul 16, 2010 22:47

JAKARTA: 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 Makkah actually had people facing Africa.


Muslims are supposed to face the holy city of Makkah 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.

“But it has been decided that actually the mosques are facing Somalia or Kenya, so we are now suggesting people shift the direction slightly to the north-west,” the head of the MUI, Cholil Ridwan, told Reuters. “There’s no need to knock down mosques, just shift your direction slightly during prayer.”

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.




© 2010 Arab News

 

[MuslimConscript]

Indonesia is a majority Muslim but officially secular country.

Officially secular country? Haha
Indonesia is Not Islamic but Not Secular either, they used their own Humanmade Idiologi called Pancasila

BTW what does the connection between your comment and the article?

 

[jbond197]

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.

If that's the case and Allah can hear prayers in any direction then why does he want prayer direction changed? Direction does not matter, if you consider Allah the supreme one then I guess he would be capable to hear in all direction.

 

[Cherokee]

Nothing Wrong . After All they were Praying in direction of Holy Mother Land Africa Where the First Humans Walked .

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Officially secular country? Haha
Indonesia is Not Islamic but Not Secular either, they used their own Humanmade Idiologi called Pancasila

BTW what does the connection between your comment and the article?

But still, the vast majority of Indonesians are Muslims..

 

[T-123456]

In the 2010 Indonesian census, 87.18% of Indonesians identified themselves as Muslim (predominantly Sunnis, also including Shias and Ahmadis), 6.96% Protestant, 2.91% Catholic, 1.69% Hindu, 0.72% Buddhist, 0.05% Khong Hu Chu, 0.13% other, and 0.38% unstated or not asked.
So,we can say it is a muslim mojarity country.

 

[MuslimConscript]

But still, the vast majority of Indonesians are Muslims..

Yes, but don't get me wrong I din't support Idiology called Pancasila

 

[Gautam]

Where was this council head was facing all along?

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Yes, but don't get me wrong I din't support Idiology called Pancasila

Point taken. You guys are on the raise economically! GDL.