Designing an Autonomous Qibla Finder Mobile Robot Utilizing the Second al-Biruni's Method from Kitab Tahdid Nihayat al-Amakin

This research explores the utilization of the second al-Biruni's method to determine Qibla direction in the design of an autonomous Qibla finder mobile robot based on an Arduino microcontroller, GPS module, and digital compass. The second al-Biruni's method as outlined in Kitab Tahdid Nihayat al-Amakin, underwent modifications to enable Qibla direction calculations on a global scale. To assess its accuracy, a comparative analysis was conducted with our previous research, encompassing al-Biruni (the first and the third method), Ibn al- Haytham, Abu al-Wafa, and modern (spherical trigonometry) methods. The computational results of all methods, including al- Biruni's second method, demonstrated comparable levels of precision, as indicated by levels of precision as follows: Bandung is 295.146246°, Ghazna is 251.711431°, London is 118.990581°, and Sudan is 58.719484°. These findings underscore the significance of al-Biruni's contributions and the enduring relevance of his method. The successful implementation of al- Biruni's second method algorithm facilitated the creation of an autonomous Qibla-finding mobile robot capable of rotating and aligning itself with the Qibla direction. Equipped with a buzzer as an indicator and an LCD screen for real-time display of Qibla direction data, the robot exemplifies the seamless fusion of historical Islamic scientific achievements and contemporary technological advancements.