Since no muslims responded, I asked Google Gemini:
The short answer is: **Absolutely.** If the Earth were flat, the "shortest path" to Mecca would change for almost everyone on the planet, turning a complex calculation of spherical trigonometry into a simple game of "point and shoot."
In our current reality (the spherical one), determining the **Qibla** (the direction of prayer) is based on the shortest distance between two points on a globe. Here is how a flat Earth would flip that math on its head:
### 1. Straight Lines vs. Great Circles
* **On a Sphere:** The shortest distance is a **Great Circle** route. This is why if you’re in New York, you actually face **Northeast** to pray toward Mecca. It feels counter-intuitive because Mecca is south of New York’s latitude, but on a globe, the "straightest" shot curves upward toward the Arctic.
* **On a Flat Earth:** The shortest distance is a literal **Euclidean straight line**. In this scenario, a person in New York would simply point their prayer mat **Southeast**, following a direct line across the map.
### 2. The "Shortest Path" Paradox
On a sphere, there is only one shortest path (unless you are exactly on the opposite side of the world from Mecca, the antipodal point).
On a flat Earth map (depending on which "flat" model you use), you wouldn't have to worry about the Earth's curvature "bending" your direction. However, you might run into issues with the **edges of the map**. On a globe, you can go in any direction and eventually hit your target; on a flat plane, if you face the "wrong" way, you’re just pointing into the void of space.
### 3. Comparison of Directions
| Location | Direction on a Sphere (Actual) | Direction on a Flat Map (Hypothetical) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **North America** | Northeast | Southeast |
| **South America** | Northeast | Northeast (but steeper) |
| **Australia** | Northwest | West/Northwest |
| **Alaska** | North (over the pole) | Very far Southeast |
### 4. Visibility and "Line of Sight"
A fun quirk of a flat Earth is that, theoretically, if you had a powerful enough telescope and no atmospheric haze, you could **actually see** the Kaaba from anywhere on Earth. On a sphere, the curve of the horizon hides the destination after about 3 miles. On a flat plane, "facing" Mecca would be as simple as looking toward it.
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**The Verdict:** If the world flattened out tomorrow, millions of people would have to rotate their prayer rugs by several degrees. The "Great Circle" math that scholars and scientists have used for over a thousand years would instantly become obsolete.
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