qibla

Etymology

From Arabic قِبْلَة (qibla, “which is opposite”).

noun

1. (Islam) The direction in which Muslims face while praying, currently determined as the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.
   The other mosques' qiblas are also in the 150°'s range, except for the Andalusian Mosque which has a qibla of 148° (table 7, fig. 17). 1990, Michael E. Bonine, “Sacred Direction and City Structure”, in Oleg Grabar, editor, Muqarnas: An Annual on Islamic Art and Architecture, volume 7, page 68
   Muslim astronomers from the 8th century onwards concerned themselves with the determination of the qibla as a problem of mathematical geography. 1999, David A. King, World Maps for Finding the Direction and Distance of Mecca, page 56
   The original portico was on the west side (i.e. at right angles to the qibla) and consisted of three bays resting on two marble columns. 2002, Andrew Petersen, Dictionary of Islamic Architecture, page 218