World-maps for Finding the Direction and Distance to Mecca : Innovation and Tradition in Islamic Science King, David 1999 Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Science. Texts and Studies , Vol. 36 ( Serie ) Leiden; Boston : BRILL 9789004450738 | 9789004113671 Abstract

The author describes how Muslims over the centuries have determined the sacred direction (qibla) towards Mecca and presents two highly sophisticated Mecca-centred world-maps for finding the qibla. These recently-discovered world-maps have forced a reevaluation of Muslim achievements in mathematics and cartography.