Final answer:
The direction of prayer in the Islamic world is towards Mecca and is indicated by the mihrab in mosques. This direction is known as the qibla, and it can vary to be north, south, east, or west, depending on a mosque's location relative to Mecca. option (D)
Step-by-step explanation:
The orientation of mosques and the direction of prayer in the Islamic world is towards Mecca, specifically the Kaaba.In mosques, this direction is indicated by the qibla, which is the direction the faithful must face during prayer. The qibla can be determined by the position of the mihrab, a niche in one of the mosque's walls. The mihrab is set in the qibla wall, which is the wall oriented towards Mecca. The mihrab allows Muslims to know in which direction to pray, irrespective of their geographic location. This means that the correct orientation may be to the north, south, east, or west, depending on where the mosque is situated relative to Mecca. Therefore, the answer could be any of the cardinal directions a), b), c), or d), given a specific location.
Islamic innovators have developed various mathematical methods to calculate the precise direction of the qibla from any point on the globe. These methods evolved from early rudimentary calculations to advanced trigonometry by the 14th century.