Determining the Direction of the Qiblah by the Sun and Stars in the Desert

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, regarding determining the direction of the funeral prayer in the desert, we see some people placing the sun on their left, and they classify this method as valid, stating that there are means to determine the direction of the funeral prayer in the desert.

Answer:
There is no doubt that the sun, the moon, and the stars are signs by which the qiblah is determined. They are used to determine the qiblah, and by them the east, west, north, and south are known. The stars are also used for this, as are the faces of the mountains. People say that all mountains face the qiblah, their faces do, at least in most cases. The directions from which winds blow are also used as evidence; winds blowing from north to south. All of these are evidence for the qiblah. If a person exerts effort and deviates slightly from the qiblah, this does not harm him. The saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) , so if a person deviates slightly due to his effort and careful search, his prayer is valid, if Allah wills. This is because hitting the exact spot of the Ka'bah without seeing it and being far from it is impossible. One cannot hit the exact spot of the Ka'bah while being far from it, but he should exert effort according to his ability.