Mideastern Standard Time

Some Muslim scientists and scholars are calling for Greenwich Mean Time as the longitude by which the world’s clocks are set to be replaced by the time at the Muslim holy city of Mecca.

That the world uses the Greenwich observatory as 0 longitude and the starting point for the world’s clocks is condemned as a remnant of British colonialism (though it actually had to do with the pioneering navigation of the British navy). Mecca, according to Muslims, is said to be the true center of the world.

The linked story also says that a Muslim watch has been invented, which runs counter-clockwise and which helps Muslims at prayer find the direction of Mecca so that they can bow down in the right direction.

5 comments ↓

#1 Dan at Necessary Roughness on 04.22.08 at 8:45 am

Is it too mean to suggest that the Muslim watch is appropriate? Time really seems to run backwards for some of these guys.

#2 Susan aka organshoes on 04.22.08 at 8:47 am

This has to be a joke.
Or not.
I assume the watch runs backwards then stops at the 7th century. Then watch out world.
‘Keeps on ticking then gives a licking.’

#3 Lars Walker on 04.22.08 at 9:11 am

That would seem to settle it, then. As best as I can understand, the current British definition of “hate crime” is anything Muslims don’t like. So GMT is a hate crime, and we’d all better get ready to re-set our watches.

#4 Bike Bubba on 04.22.08 at 11:17 am

Use Jerusalem instead. (except it may be in the same time zone as Mecca–it’s got to be close)

#5 Brian on 04.22.08 at 2:21 pm

My brother says that Lima, Ohio is the center of the world. Go figure.

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