Qibla (Noun)
Meaning 1
The direction of the Kaaba toward which Muslims turn for their daily prayers.
Classification
Nouns denoting spatial position.
Examples
- Muslims around the world face the qibla during their daily five prayers, symbolizing unity and devotion to Allah.
- Pilgrims visiting the Grand Mosque in Mecca must locate the qibla before starting their daily prayers.
- In a mosque, the qibla is often marked with a mihrab to guide the congregation's prayer direction.
- The qibla indicator on the smartphone helps Muslims determine the correct direction to face when praying while traveling.
- Understanding the qibla is essential for Muslims as it signifies their connection to the holy city of Mecca.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A small terrorist group of Muslims in South Africa formed in the 1980s; was inspired by Ayatollah Khomeini to create an Islamic state in South Africa.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The terrorist group's leader faced Mecca as he reaffirmed his loyalty to the cause, aligning himself with the qibla during his evening prayers.
- Members of the group were known to gather in secret, always careful to position themselves in the direction of the qibla as they plotted their next move.
- Their quest for an Islamic state in South Africa led them to establish an underground mosque where they would congregate, united in their devotion and facing the qibla together.
- Striving to emulate Ayatollah Khomeini's vision for Iran, the group's ideology sought to combine Islamic principles and revolutionary fervor, as symbolized by their unwavering orientation towards the qibla.
- The militant Islamist goals of creating an Islamic state in South Africa were constantly reinforced by their recitation of the qibla in every group prayer, affirming their unwavering dedication to the cause.