Niger 1000 Francs CFA Silver Coin 2012 Mecca Compass
This silver coin is dedicated to mecca pilgrims all over the world
Obverse: On the obverse is the coat of arms of the Republic of Niger and the face value.
Lettering: REPUBLIQUE DU NIGER 1000 FRANCS CFA
Reverse: Magnetic (and functional) compass arrow with Arabic numeration on outer ring from 1 to 35 and amethyst crystal as zero and 36 right above Mecca. Each of the numbers accounts for ten grades of circle. Inner circle with Arabic writing.
Lettering: 2012
Grade: Brilliant Unc.
Denomination: 1000 Francs CFA.
Metal Content: 1.606 troy oz.
Metal Silver (.925).
Weight: 20 g.
Diameter: 38.61 mm.
Shape: Round.
Manufacturer: Mayer.
This .999 fine Silver coin will show you the way to Mecca. Mecca is the birthplace of Islam's prophet Mohammed and the Muslim's holiest city. The reverse has an arrow that orients itself toward the North Pole. The coin’s rim is symbolically subdivided into 36 segments. The position 0/36, for Mecca, is represented by both minarets and the conventionalized Kaaba.
Several cities are listed with a number on the enclosure. To find the direction of Mecca, you simply turn the coin until the arrow points to the corresponding number of your city. The minarets and Kabaa then indicate in which direction Mecca lies.
This set is especially suitable as a gift to express one’s appreciation towards the receiver. It is not essential to take the set on journeys. It also does its service on a desk or shelf by showing the way to Mecca.
A Qibla compass or qiblah compass (sometimes also called qibla/qiblah indicator) is a modified compass used by Muslims to indicate the direction to face to perform ritual prayers. In Islam, this direction is called qibla, and points towards the city of Mecca and specifically to the Ka'abah. While the compass, like any other compass, points north, the direction of prayer is indicated by marks on the perimeter of the dial, corresponding to different cities, or by a second pointer set by the user according to their own location. Al-Biruni wrote his book (Kitab Tahdid al-Amakin, or the demarcation of the coordinates of cities) to determine the qibla. To determine the proper direction, one has to know with some precision both the longitude and latitude of one's own location and those of Mecca, the city toward which one must face. Once that is determined, the values are applied to a spherical triangle, and the angle from the local meridian to the required direction of Mecca can be determined. The problem admits of more than one method of solution, and Al-Biruni did his share in supplying the various methods in this book. Qibla indicators were made after al-Kindi in various forms. The indicator usually comprises a round brass box with a hinged lid and an inset magnetic compass. A list of important Islamic places with their longitudes, latitudes, is inscribed in Arabic on all sides of the box. The compass has a blued steel needle with an open circle to indicate North. It is surmounted by a brass pyramidal pivot and a glass plate covers all. A brass ring over the rim of the compass carries a degree circle numbered in 'abjad' numerals and the cardinal points are marked. The folding triangular gnomon is supported by a decorative open-work motif. The lid of the box is secured by a hook fastener. The instrument serves the user to determine the correct 'qibla' - the direction to which Muslims turn in prayer to face the Ka'ba in Mecca. Ornate qibla compasses date back at least to the 18th century. Some modern versions use digital readout instead of a magnetic pointer.
Some qibla compasses also include a tally counter, used to count the repetition of various du'a said after prayer.
Hajj
The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, the most holy city of the Muslims, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and can support their family during their absence. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, and Sawm. The Hajj is the largest annual gathering of people in the world. The state of being physically and financially capable of performing the Hajj is called istita'ah, and a Muslim who fulfills this condition is called a mustati. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah). The word Hajj means "to intend a journey", which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions.
The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th (or in some cases 13th) of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and the Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian year, the Gregorian date of Hajj changes from year to year. Ihram is the name given to the special spiritual state in which pilgrims wear two white sheets of seamless cloth and abstain from certain actions.
The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham. During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Ka'aba (the cube-shaped building and the direction of prayer for the Muslims), runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drinks from the Zamzam Well, goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, spends a night in the plain of Muzdalifa, and performs symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars. The pilgrims then shave their heads, perform a ritual of animal sacrifice, and celebrate the three-day global festival of Eid al-Adha.
Pilgrims can also go to Mecca to perform the rituals at other times of the year. This is sometimes called the "lesser pilgrimage", or Umrah. However, even if they choose to perform the Umrah, they are still obligated to perform the Hajj at some other point in their lifetime if they have the means to do so, because Umrah is not a substitute for Hajj.