The Determination of Qiblah by Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin in His Book Pati Kiraan Pada Menentukan Waktu Yang Lima dan Hala Kiblat dengan Logaritma

Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin is a Malay scholar whointroduced the logarithmic method to determine theQiblah. There are three logarithmic methods recordedin his book, Pati Kiraan. Sheikh Tahir mentions thatthe Qiblah calculation in the logarithmic method isrelatively easier than the previous method of ‘ilm almiqatsince the logarithmic method uses the ‘sistempersepuluhan’ (decimal system). Whereas, the ‘ilmal-miqat method uses the ‘sistem perenampulahan’(sexagesimal system). Although the method for the determination of Qiblah using logarithm is easier,these three methods of Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin havenot yet been tested for their accuracy. Furthermore,previous studies have found that the methods are lessaccurate than the modern approach for determiningthe Qiblah. Thus, this study endeavors to analyzethe accuracy of the three logarithmic methods indetermining the direction of Qiblah. This study useslibrary resources for collecting the data and analyzesthe data using comparative methodology. The resultsfound that the calculation error in Sheikh Tahir’slogarithmic method is around one degree. The valueis still can be accepted as it is an ijtihadi and ẓannī.The methods therefore can be used as a referencein determining the direction of Qiblah in Malaysia and it still can be benifited by Muslim astronomersto acknowledge Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin’s pioneerservices of modern methods in determining thedirection of the Qiblah in Malaysia.