MyAdhan Blog

With Ramadhan fast approaching it makes sense to have a battle plan to ensure you get the best out of the month. Here is a short list of activities that will ensure you make the most out of Ramadhan.

Update: Hat’s off to the people at Sound Vision where this was taken from.

1. Make Duaa (supplication) – Ask Allah to make this the most awesome, spiritually uplifting Ramadhan you’ve ever had. Only He can make it happen and relying on Him completely is the key to getting the best out of Ramadhan. Make Duaa for yourself, your family. your neighbourhood, your community and the Ummah. Ask Allah to forgive your your past, present and future sins and finally make Duaa for all the poor and unfortunate people in this world.
2. Quiet your mind, turn off the… TV, Internet, radio, mobile phone, iPod, etc. No, not all day, but for at least 10 minutes a day. Find a quiet place, close your eyes and connect with God. At first, your mind will swirl with the useless and not-so-useless info in your head. But force it to think of three things in these few minutes, Allah, your purpose in life, are you living your life on purpose? Do this every day of Ramadhan if you can. If that’s not possible, try it at least three times a week.

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What is QibSat?
QibSat is a handheld GPS (Global Positioning Satelite) device that you can use to get an accurate direction of Qiblah (direction towards Mecca to pray) and sunrise/sunset times anywhere in the world.

What’s in the box?

• QibSat GPS Device
• USB cable (there is no mains adapter)
• Soft Carry Case
• Instruction manual

My experience
After receiving my QibSat in the post, I was presented with a neatly packed package which was padded and well protected. Once open, I was presented with a watch like box containing all the bits of the product. The outer case along with the innner box was QibSat branded which really impressed me in the sense that the product looks properly presented and packaged.

Once the inner box is open the QibSat device sat one side of the inner box in a velvet holder and the USB charger and instruction manual on the other side under and hidden flap. This wasn’t too obvious when I first opened the box but that’s nothing major.

My first instinct was to grab the QibSat device to see what it looked like. The device was a little larger than expected, about the same size a thinnish flip phone. I expected it to be the same size as a cigerette lighter or key chain. None the less QibSat is thin and as light as a box of matches and can neatly sit in a trouser or shirt pocket. The device doesn’t have an screen like a convensional SatNav but more of an LCD interface much like a watch.

In short, the device was very easy to use. There are some settings to choose (laser on/off, sound on/off, Great Circle line/ Rhumb line direction, time zone, sunrise alarm) and you do need to get a GPS fix before use. In short this meant taking the device outside the building I was in to get a clear GPS signal. The point of this was to ensure the GPS system knew its location. Obviously out of the box this may have been correct for where it was physically built but it may be different for my geographic location. To get a GPS fix I just pressed the power button for a few seconds and waited for the outer compass LED light display to flash in a circle.

I needed to use my QibSat on three occasions while on the road as my work means I have to travel up and down the country to new places. Each use was inside a hotel room to locate Qiblah so I needed to get a GPS fix outside first. The process to locate Qiblah was simple and I just followed the instructions in the manual:

1. Place the QibSat on a flat surface or hold it horizontal.
2. Press the power button breifly.
3. The device calculates the Qiblah form the GPS location and indicates its approximate direction with a lit segment arounds the outer compass LED light display.

The cool thing about locating Qiblah with QibSat is that when you rotate the device to pinpoint the direction you get an audible tone telling you are close to the accurate direction. When you face the correct absolute direction the device a red laser point is emitted from the top of QibSat. The instruction manual mentions magnetic intereference when you are inside buildings and way the device lets you know if there is too much interference but I never really experienced any problems like this. The result of this interference is that it will consiquently give you an inaccurate Qiblah direction.

Battery Life
On a full charge the battery should last about a 4-6 weeks, given that you use the device reasonably regularly.

Accessories
There is a mains charger available so that the device can be charged if you don’t have a computer USB port.

Positives

• Excellent Qiblah accuracy.
• Decent form factor and weight.
• Excellent battery life.
• Shows and alerts Sunrise and Sunset times.

Negatives

• Needs to get a GPS fix when you change town or country.
• If you don’t travel much you may only end up using this device once to find Qiblah for your home.
• A little pricey at £99.99 + £5.00 postage.

Review Score

  4 out of 5, QibSat would have got a 5 if the price was a little lower.

Exclusive Offer
MyAdhan subscribers can get a special offer on Qibsats and you can see more details on this offer on the MyAdhan Website.

If you would like us to review your product please contact us.