The BBC reports on a recent Muslim initiative.
Muslim scientists and clerics have called for the adoption of Jerusalem time to replace GMT, arguing that the city is the true centre of the Earth.
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The call was issued at a conference held in the Gulf state of Qatar under the title: Jerusalem, the Centre of the Earth, Theory and Practice.
One geologist argued that unlike other longitudes, Jerusalem’s was in perfect alignment to magnetic north.
He said the English had imposed GMT on the rest of the world by force when Britain was a big colonial power, and it was about time that changed.
A prominent cleric, Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawy, said modern science had at last provided evidence that Jerusalem was the true centre of the Earth;
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The meeting also reviewed what has been described as a Jerusalem watch, the brainchild of a French Muslim.
The watch is said to rotate anti-clockwise and is supposed to help Muslims determine the direction of Jerusalem from any point on Earth.
Update: If you went to the BBC article, you would see I (purposely) distorted the report – for effect. Just replace every instance of “Jerusalem” with “Mecca,” and you’ll now have the truth.
Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with this Jewish midrash:
The Land of Israel sits at the center of the world; Jerusalem is in the center of the Land of Israel; the Temple is in the center of Jerusalem; the Sanctuary is in the center of the Temple; the ark is in the center of the Sanctuary; and the foundation stone, out of which the world was founded, is in front of the Sanctuary.
Tanhuma Buber, Leviticus, Kedoshim
Keep all of this in mind next time you read of plans to divide Jerusalem.
