qiblah

qib·la

[kib-luh]
noun Islam.
the point toward which Muslims turn to pray, especially the Kaʿba, or House of God, at Mecca.
Also, qib·lah, kibla, kiblah.


Origin:
< Arabic qiblah

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World English Dictionary
qibla (ˈkɪblə) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
a variant of kiblah

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Qiblah is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

qiblah

the direction of the sacred shrine of the Ka'bah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, toward which Muslims turn five times each day when performing the salat (daily ritual prayer). Soon after Muhammad's emigration (Hijrah, or Hegira) to Medina in 622, he indicated Jerusalem as the qiblah, probably influenced by Jewish tradition. When Jewish-Muslim relations no longer seemed promising, Muhammad changed the qiblah to Mecca.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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