Examination of the mosque qibles of the XIII century in Afyonkarahisar Sivrihisar and Antalya

Researching the qibla directions of mosques is gaining importance today. In this thesis study, Afyonkarahisar Ulu Mosque, Sivrihisar Ulu Mosque and Antalya Yivli Minare Mosques, which have abnormal differences in qibla angles, constituted the thesis subject. In order to explain the reason for the difference, the historical qibla determination methods that have been used since the emergence of Islam, which may have been used by the people who built the mosques, were investigated and it was evaluated whether they could be the reason for the existing difference. Among these historical methods, the old geographical data that mathematical methods, which are scientific studies of the time, will need and the methods of obtaining these data, were investigated and their relationship with the difference in mosque qiblas was evaluated. In this context, the oldest geographical data of Ptolemy have been reached. The qibla survey of 17 mosques was carried out and the historical qibla directions known and applied in the cities where the mosques are located were revealed. In order to investigate the reason for the abnormal difference in the qibla directions of mosques, the effect of plate tectonics on the qibla direction, the evaluation of revisionist claims, the use of compass and the effect of compass deviation during the construction of mosques, the possibility of astrolabe and instrumental methods to cause errors were evaluated. The compass deviation values available at the construction dates of the mosques were obtained using the CALS3K.4 model. It has been revealed that none of the aforementioned possibilities can be the reason for the existing difference. It has been determined that Afyonkarahisar Ulu Mosque, Sivrihisar Ulu Mosque and Antalya Yivli Minare Mosques are similar to the Pessinus Roman temple ruins in terms of both orientation and plan. As a result of the research, it has been determined that there are many mosques with a temple or church history that show the aforementioned similarity.