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  1. Obedience: Facing the qiblah is, first of all, a test to our ability to obey the commands of God even when we fall short from understanding His wisdom. Muslims, as servants of God, are required to surrender to Him.

    Obedience: Facing the qiblah is, first of all, a test to our ability to obey the commands of God even when we fall short from understanding His wisdom. Muslims, as servants of God, are required to surrender to Him.

  2. Unity: Another aspect is the fact that the qiblah is a sign of the spiritual unity of Muslims. At the time of prayer, Muslims all over the world are lined in circles big and small facing one direction and feeling belonging to this center and belonging to each other.

  3. The Hajj: On the individual level, it is well known that Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) is one of the main Islamic deeds and the fifth pillar of Islam. Muslims all over the world, who are not in Hajj, face Makkah five times a day to re-voice their wish and love to perform this great ritual of Islam.

  4. Devotion: Another important point, which I think very important today, is the fact that everyone in this world has a direction in his or her life, whether physical or spiritual. ... Only when people lose the direction, they face loss and disruption. Since Islam is the religion of monotheism and since Muslims believe that Almighty God is beyond space and place, above time and perceptions, we cannot face the heavens in our prayer because it is impossible, but we raise our hands seeking help from God.

  5. Sacred: Muslims face the Kabah because it is the first sacred house ever built for mankind, established by Adam and raised by Prophet Abraham. So, they connect themselves with these great prophets and renew this lineage that extends from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all).

  1. Unity: Another aspect is the fact that the qiblah is a sign of the spiritual unity of Muslims. At the time of prayer, Muslims all over the world are lined in circles big and small facing one direction and feeling belonging to this center and belonging to each other.
  1. The Hajj: On the individual level, it is well known that Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) is one of the main Islamic deeds and the fifth pillar of Islam. Muslims all over the world, who are not in Hajj, face Makkah five times a day to re-voice their wish and love to perform this great ritual of Islam.
  1. Devotion: Another important point, which I think very important today, is the fact that everyone in this world has a direction in his or her life, whether physical or spiritual. ... Only when people lose the direction, they face loss and disruption. Since Islam is the religion of monotheism and since Muslims believe that Almighty God is beyond space and place, above time and perceptions, we cannot face the heavens in our prayer because it is impossible, but we raise our hands seeking help from God.
  1. Sacred: Muslims face the Kabah because it is the first sacred house ever built for mankind, established by Adam and raised by Prophet Abraham. So, they connect themselves with these great prophets and renew this lineage that extends from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all).
  1. Obedience: Facing the qiblah is, first of all, a test to our ability to obey the commands of God even when we fall short from understanding His wisdom. Muslims, as servants of God, are required to surrender to Him.
  1. Unity: Another aspect is the fact that the qiblah is a sign of the spiritual unity of Muslims. At the time of prayer, Muslims all over the world are lined in circles big and small facing one direction and feeling belonging to this center and belonging to each other.
  1. The Hajj: On the individual level, it is well known that Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) is one of the main Islamic deeds and the fifth pillar of Islam. Muslims all over the world, who are not in Hajj, face Makkah five times a day to re-voice their wish and love to perform this great ritual of Islam.
  1. Devotion: Another important point, which I think very important today, is the fact that everyone in this world has a direction in his or her life, whether physical or spiritual. ... Only when people lose the direction, they face loss and disruption. Since Islam is the religion of monotheism and since Muslims believe that Almighty God is beyond space and place, above time and perceptions, we cannot face the heavens in our prayer because it is impossible, but we raise our hands seeking help from God.
  1. Sacred: Muslims face the Kabah because it is the first sacred house ever built for mankind, established by Adam and raised by Prophet Abraham. So, they connect themselves with these great prophets and renew this lineage that extends from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all).
  1. Obedience: Facing the qiblah is, first of all, a test to our ability to obey the commands of God even when we fall short from understanding His wisdom. Muslims, as servants of God, are required to surrender to Him.

  2. Unity: Another aspect is the fact that the qiblah is a sign of the spiritual unity of Muslims. At the time of prayer, Muslims all over the world are lined in circles big and small facing one direction and feeling belonging to this center and belonging to each other.

  3. The Hajj: On the individual level, it is well known that Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) is one of the main Islamic deeds and the fifth pillar of Islam. Muslims all over the world, who are not in Hajj, face Makkah five times a day to re-voice their wish and love to perform this great ritual of Islam.

  4. Devotion: Another important point, which I think very important today, is the fact that everyone in this world has a direction in his or her life, whether physical or spiritual. ... Only when people lose the direction, they face loss and disruption. Since Islam is the religion of monotheism and since Muslims believe that Almighty God is beyond space and place, above time and perceptions, we cannot face the heavens in our prayer because it is impossible, but we raise our hands seeking help from God.

  5. Sacred: Muslims face the Kabah because it is the first sacred house ever built for mankind, established by Adam and raised by Prophet Abraham. So, they connect themselves with these great prophets and renew this lineage that extends from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all).

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You've asked for a physics answer to a religious question

I enjoyed reading an explanation of qiblah on AboutIslam.net. The article makes these points:

  1. Obedience: Facing the qiblah is, first of all, a test to our ability to obey the commands of God even when we fall short from understanding His wisdom. Muslims, as servants of God, are required to surrender to Him.
  1. Unity: Another aspect is the fact that the qiblah is a sign of the spiritual unity of Muslims. At the time of prayer, Muslims all over the world are lined in circles big and small facing one direction and feeling belonging to this center and belonging to each other.
  1. The Hajj: On the individual level, it is well known that Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) is one of the main Islamic deeds and the fifth pillar of Islam. Muslims all over the world, who are not in Hajj, face Makkah five times a day to re-voice their wish and love to perform this great ritual of Islam.
  1. Devotion: Another important point, which I think very important today, is the fact that everyone in this world has a direction in his or her life, whether physical or spiritual. ... Only when people lose the direction, they face loss and disruption. Since Islam is the religion of monotheism and since Muslims believe that Almighty God is beyond space and place, above time and perceptions, we cannot face the heavens in our prayer because it is impossible, but we raise our hands seeking help from God.
  1. Sacred: Muslims face the Kabah because it is the first sacred house ever built for mankind, established by Adam and raised by Prophet Abraham. So, they connect themselves with these great prophets and renew this lineage that extends from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all).

I suspect that after some initial discussion (might be outright arguments) a combination of practicallity and spirituality will prevail.

I suggest that on Mars (and every subsequent planet) would be built a single Makan Muqadas ("sacred place") that would symbolically represent Mecca as the first sacred house built on that planet.

This eliminates the confusion and impracticaility on each and every planet, the result being that all Muslims on every planet are doing exactly the same thing. Those with resources to complete the Hajj to Earth are fortunate, but those whose resources only permit an Hajj to Makan Muqadas are celebrated and accepted.