QiblaCalc Version 1.0 Program & Documentation by Dr. Monzur Ahmed 27 Poplar Road, Birmingham, B11 1UH, U.K.

Copyright 1998. All Rights Reserved. Email: monzur@bigfoot.com monz@starlight.demon.co.uk Homepages: Released: http://www.starlight.demon.co.uk/qibla http://www.ummah.org.uk/software/qibla 7th May 1998

CONTENTS --------------------------------------------------------------------------0. COPYRIGHT 1. INTRODUCTION 2. GETTING STARTED 3. USING THE PROGRAM 4. DISCLAIMER 5. CONCLUSIONS --------------------------------------------------------------------------0. COPYRIGHT --------------------------------------------------------------------------QiblaCalc and this document are copyright (c) by Dr. Monzur Ahmed 1998. All rights reserved. Data/graphics/maps produced by QiblaCalc may be used if accompanied by the following acknowledgement: "data/graphics/map* from QiblaCalc 1.0 by Dr. Monzur Ahmed." (*as appropriate) On a Web page an optional link may be made to one of the QiblaCalc homepages: http://www.starlight.demon.co.uk/qibla http://www.ummah.org.uk/software/qibla

The colour earth map in QiblaCalc is copyright The Living Earth, Inc. and is used with permission. QiblaCalc may be copied and distributed freely as long as all files are copied and no charge is made (other than a nominal charge for media). No alterations should be made to the program or documentation and the program should be distributed as it's original unmodified ZIP file (qibla10.zip). --------------------------------------------------------------------------1. INTRODUCTION --------------------------------------------------------------------------QiblaCalc is a Windows program which calculates the Qibla direction (i.e direction of the Kabbah) from any location on earth. Unlike other programs which give the direction relative to true north, QiblaCalc also gives the direction relative to magnetic north as determined by a compass. This is achieved using a sophisticated geomagnetic field model to calculate the strength and direction of the earth's magnetic field at any location. The program also displays the Magnetic Declination (Mag Dec) which is the difference in degrees between magnetic and true north. For example, if the Mag Dec is +5 degrees, then magnetic north is 5 degrees east of true north. If Mag Dec is -5 degrees, then magnetic north is 5 deg west of true north. QiblaCalc gives dynamic real-time data as you pass the mouse cursor over a beautiful map of the earth. QiblaCalc also produces spherical maps of the earth as it would appear from space from a point above your location. Apart from Qibla direction, QiblaCalc can also determine the distance between any two locations and the direction of *any* location from *any* other location.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------2. GETTING STARTED --------------------------------------------------------------------------2.1 Minimum system requirements =============================== The minimum system requirements to run QiblaCalc are: * PC or compatible running Windows 3.1 or 95 or higher. * One floppy drive (hard drive recommended). * Colour VGA display with 256 colours or better. 2.2 Files included

================== The following files should be included on the distribution disk or be present after unzipping the qibla10.zip archive: QIBLA10.EXE README.TXT The main program This file

--------------------------------------------------------------------------3. USING THE PROGRAM --------------------------------------------------------------------------When the program is run, there are basically 3 modes which are invoked using either the button bar or the 'Calculate' menu: 3.1. Map ======== Here you will see a map of the world. The map can be either 'natural' or 'political'. Moving the mouse cursor over the map results in a dynamic read-out of latitude, longitude, magnetic declination, qibla direction from true north, qibla direction from magnetic north and distance to Makkah. Note that magnetic declination varies from place to place and with date. QiblaCalc uses the date from the system clock to calculate the magnetic declination. The geomagnetic model used in QiblaCalc is most accurate between 1990 and 2000. The accuracy falls off slightly outside this range. Future versions of QiblaCalc will update the geomagnetic field model to cover a greater time span. 3.2. Accurate Qibla Calculation =============================== In this mode, you can enter your latitude and longitude accurately (to a fraction of a second). Click the calculate button to obtain Qibla direction, Magnetic Declination, distance to Makkah and a spherical map of the earth as it would be seen from space from a point directly above your location. The map shows unambiguously why your Qibla direction is as indicated by the program and not what you would expect by drawing a straight line on a *flat* map projection. 3.3. General ============ In this mode, you can enter the latitudes and longitudes of any *two* locations (A and B) to obtain the bearing of B from A, the Magnetic Declination at A and the distance between A and B.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------4. DISCLAIMER ---------------------------------------------------------------------

-------THIS SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING WRITTEN MATERIALS (INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE) ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. FURTHER, THE AUTHOR, DOES NOT WARRANT, GUARANTEE, OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE, OR THE RESULTS OF USE, OF THE SOFTWARE OR WRITTEN MATERIALS IN TERMS OF CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, CURRENTNESS, OR OTHERWISE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS ASSUMED BY THE USER. NEITHER THE AUTHOR NOR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, TESTING OR DELIVERY OF THIS PRODUCT SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE SUCH PRODUCT. --------------------------------------------------------------------------5. CONCLUSIONS --------------------------------------------------------------------------I hope that you enjoy using QiblaCalc and find it useful. QiblaCalc is in a state of constant development. All suggestions and comments which may improve the program are welcomed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Monzur Ahmed BSc (Hons), MBChB, MRCP(UK). 27 Poplar Road, Birmingham, B11 1UH, UK. email: monz@starlight.demon.co.uk monzur@bigfoot.com http://www.starlight.demon.co.uk/qibla http://www.ummah.org.uk/software/qibla 7th May 1998 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------