Indonesians Told To Shift Prayer Direction

Due to a mistake by the Indonesian Ulema Council, Indonesia's highest Islamic authority, Muslims in the country have been facing the wrong direction for prayers for several months. Today's New Zealand Herald reports that in March, the Council ruled that Mecca was due west of Indonesia. But that actually had worshippers facing southern Somalia and Kenya. Now the Council has revised its calculations and has ruled that worshippers should face northwest instead. Apparently the original error was caused by the Council acting too hurriedly. A senior Council cleric, however, assured Muslims that their prayers were heard even when they were facing the wrong way.