Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs trains officials to improve Qibla direction accuracy

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) in Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province, is enhancing religious services by conducting technical guidance on Qibla direction determination. This initiative aims to equip civil servants, religious affairs officials, and madrasah heads with precise knowledge and skills for accurately identifying the Qibla, the direction Muslims face during prayer.

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The implementation of Rashdul Kiblat technical guidance is a program from the Director General of Islamic Community Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs before the national Rashdul Kiblat is carried out on July 15-16.

Rahman Umar, head of Kemenag Rejang Lebong, explained that the 'Rashdul Kiblat' training is a national program from the Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance. The goal is to bolster understanding and technical proficiency in scientifically determining the Qibla. This training precedes a nationwide 'Rashdul Kiblat' event scheduled for July 15-16. Bengkulu Province expects around 30,000 points for this Qibla determination.

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In Bengkulu Province, there will be approximately 30,000 points for the implementation of Rashdul Kiblat. This is a rare phenomenon because at that time the sun is directly above the Kaaba, making it the best moment to re-verify the accuracy of the Qibla direction.

The 'Rashdul Kiblat' phenomenon, occurring when the sun is directly over the Kaaba, offers a rare and optimal moment to verify the Qibla's accuracy. This event provides a unique opportunity for Muslims to ensure their prayer direction is precise. Umar stressed that accurate Qibla knowledge is vital for the quality of religious services and the proper performance of Islamic worship.

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This method is one of the easiest and simplest ways, but it has a very high level of accuracy. This method utilizes the sun's position directly without requiring special measuring tools like a compass.

Ridho Kimura, a lecturer in Islamic astronomy at IAIN Curup and a resource person for the training, detailed the method. The phenomenon occurs twice annually, in May and July. For 2026, the July observation is set for July 15-16 at 4:27 PM WIB. Kimura described this method as simple yet highly accurate, utilizing the sun's position directly without needing special tools like a compass. Participants can use a straight stick or a plumb line, ensuring it's perpendicular to the ground on a flat, sunny surface. The exact time marks the shadow's tip, and a line drawn from the shadow's end to the stick's base indicates the Qibla direction.

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At precisely 4:27 PM WIB, mark the tip of the stick's shadow. Next, draw a straight line from the tip of the shadow to the base of the stick. That line shows the Qibla direction accurately.