Final answer:
The term 'qibla' refers to the direction towards the Kaaba in Mecca that Muslims face during prayer. The qibla is an essential aspect of Islamic practice and is indicated in all mosques by a mihrab. Additionally, the qibla is central to the Hajj pilgrimage, a significant ritual in the Muslim faith.
Step-by-step explanation:
Qibla: The Direction Towards Mecca in Muslim Practice
The term that describes the direction of Mecca in Muslim practice is known as the qibla. This is the fixed direction towards the Kaaba in Mecca that Muslims must face during their prayers. As part of the Islamic religious practices, faithful Muslims perform prayers (salah) five times a day facing this direction. The Qur'an established the qibla as the direction of prayer after 624 CE, shifting from Jerusalem to Mecca and the Kaaba. Furthermore, the architecture of mosques across the world includes a mihrab, which is a niche in the wall that indicates the qibla, helping worshippers orient themselves correctly during prayers. Islamic innovators also developed mathematical methods for calculating the qibla, enhancing the precision of this important religious practice.
Beyond its significance in daily prayer, the qibla bears a close relationship with the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca which is a cornerstone of Muslim practice. Pilgrims from around the globe travel to Mecca to visit the sacred Kaaba, participating in rituals such as circling the Kaaba (tawaf) and aiming to kiss the Black Stone embedded in its eastern corner. This city, as the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and home to Islam's most revered site, the Kaaba, holds immense religious significance.