An article published by Saudi Arabia’s Arab News on the first day of Ramadan 2010 illustrates once again how simple, secular concepts that we take for granted can be challenged by political, religious or even commercial agendas. In summary: the city of Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, will soon be hosting the world’s largest clock tower, which, at 577 meters in height (or 601 meters according to the clock supplier), is touted to be visible from 12 kilometers away; it will also host a luxury 76-story hotel. This is all well and good, and makes perfect sense in a country where time plays such a crucial role in synchronizing all life around the five daily prayers mandated by Islam. One could argue that so much glitz has no place in a holy city where pilgrims come with no other possession than a white robe (the ihram) and their sense of humility, but that’s another topic.

Royal Clock Tower, Mecca

What is more surprising is the not-so-architectural ambitions of the project’s stakeholders, as revealed by their recent comments. According to Mohammed Al-Arkubi, general manager of the Royal Makkah Tower Hotel: “putting Makkah time in the face of Greenwich Mean Time [...] is the goal“. Say what now?

The journalist, Syed Faisal Ali, provides an intriguing, if not entirely helpful, explanation.

Many scholars are of the opinion that Makkah Time can provide the world an alternative to the GMT.

Technically, any time can provide an alternative to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). GMT is, after all, a timezone reference by convention only. In 1884, at the International Meridian Conference in Washington D.C., twenty-five nations agreed for the Prime Meridian (longitude 0°) to pass through the Royal Observatory of Greenwhich, in southeast London. While the conference did not formally set the Prime Meridian to also be “timezone zero” (it was outside its purview), it made perfect practical sense for everyone to keep track of deviation from the Prime Meridian, not only in space (longitude), but also in time. As a result, all nations have since adopted standard time zones based on the Greenwich Mean Time (which had been the standard time in the UK since 1675). In 1972, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) replaced GMT as the global reference, but with no practical difference since they are equivalent.

Whether “many [Islamic] scholars” hold the opinion that Makkah time can provide the world an alternative to the GMT is irrelevant; anyone is entitled to even the fanciest opinion on the matter, since GMT does not bear any physical or natural significance other than by convention. I, for one, am of the opinion that world time should be set according to when I wake up, and when I fall asleep; and that the time zone I am in should be the only timezone (so that I can call anyone around the world and not worry about waking them up; they should follow my time, not theirs). Of course, this very self-centered opinion is unlikely to gain universal adoption, leading to missed meetings, poor job performance reviews and much social isolation. Which is exactly why we had an International Conference in the first place!

But, the journalist goes on to say,

“these [scholars] have scientific arguments to back their contention, as Makkah is situated in the center of the world”.

Who can challenge that? Well, seventh graders, for a start. Anyone with an elementary understanding of geometry knows that the center of a sphere is located halfway along its diameter, not on its surface. Anyone who claims to have scientific evidence of the contrary is either a religious loon, a sixth-grade dropout, or some combination of both. Makkah is obviously the center of the Muslim world – but that is a religious argument, hardly a scientific one; much like saying that London is the center of the financial world, or Washington the center of the political one (for better or worse).

Yet, unfazed by this joyful confusion between religion and science, our fearless reporter goes on.

At a conference in Doha in 2008, Muslim clerics and scholars presented “scientific” arguments that Makkah time is the true global meridian. They said that Makkah is the center of the world.

Note the important quotes around the word “scientific”. Because, as we all know, there are scientific arguments, and then there are “scientific” arguments! Be careful – miss the quotes and you may be mistaking one for the other. So, what are these “scientific” arguments presented in 2008 by Muslim clerics (remember, they don’t need to be scientists – only “scientists”)? Unfortunately the article doesn’t say, but my curiosity was piqued enough to research what this 2008 conference was about.

I came across this Gulf Times article that reports on the conference. It almost makes me regret not having attended it.

A group of Islamic scholars presented on Saturday “scientific evidence” to prove that Mecca was the core of that [sic] the zero longitude passes through the holy city and not through Greenwich in the UK.

Poor copy editing aside, you must have noticed that our good friends, the pair of quotes, are back in action! There is a pattern here. But there’s more to it:

The participants recommended the unification of the time in the Arab world to the time in Mecca instead of Greenwich. They also called the Arab governments to abandon the new world maps “because they are forged to serve Western interests.”

This blogger is unsure exactly how geographical maps of the world and distribution of time zones (all roughly equal in width) could serve Western interests in particular. Furthermore, take any standard world map (such as the one below) and you’ll notice that its center is actually not far from Makkah: it is roughly located near Sarh, in the African country of Chad, and that’s only 2,400 km. away from the holiest Muslim city. If anything, standard world maps are rather supportive of a Middle-Eastern-centric view of the world. Certainly more so than of Antarctica, whose penguins must really feel unloved when they look at the same world map. Of course, pick any world map that’s organized differently (such as the ones centered on the Asia-Pacific region), and your results will vary.

Yes, Chad is the center of the world. Who knew?

I really wish that either article was a little more detailed on the “scientific” arguments brought forth (not that I would expect them to make any sense; but they could have great entertainment value). The article carries on:

The conference was organised to introduce Saat Makkah (the watch of Mecca). The inventor of the clock, Yasin a-Shouk, said it runs anti-clockwise [...] The moderator of the event, Rabaa Hamo, who is also the wife of the watch’s inventor [emphasis added], said “the West imposed on us the invisible Greenwich line” as the world’s reference time.

It all makes sense now – the whole “scientific conference” cover was a sham, initiated for the sole purpose of generating buzz around what must be the dumbest novelty gadget of the century (or a close second to the tamagotchi): a watch that runs counter-clockwise. From there, two unscrupulous journalists picked it up and baked a half-assed story around it. Shame on the whole bunch.

And to conclude with one last quote from the article:

Islamic scholar, Zaghloul al-Najjar, said that the West did not like the scientific proofs that “Mecca was located in the centre of our planet, but nevertheless we will go on our research to establish it as a truth”.

You do that, Zaghloul. The West and I will be anxiously waiting with a cup of chai.