turns his back to them on that day, unless maneuvering for battle or withdrawing to join a group” [al-Anfāl 16].

Thus, a combatant who leaves one place and moves to another to join a band that turns back toward the enemy, gathering with it and joining its ranks, has thereby rallied to it.

Accordingly, a direction is sometimes ascribed to that which turns toward it. For example, one says of a human being, “He has six directions,” because he can turn toward the six regions specific to him, which are called his directions. Likewise, someone praying prays toward one of the directions because he turns toward it. Here, a direction is that toward which the thing to which it is ascribed turns.

At other times, a direction is that from which the thing to which it is ascribed turns. Thus, someone facing the Kaaba may say, “This is the Kaaba’s direction.” Likewise, while in Mecca, someone may say, “This is the direction of Syria; this is the direction of Yemen; this is the direction of the east; and this is the direction of the west,” just as one says, “This is the side of Syria, and this is the side of Yemen.” What is meant is the direction or side from which the people of Syria and Yemen approach.

As for hayyiz (spatial locus), its linguistic meaning implies that it is whatever contains a thing, gathers it together, and surrounds it. Thus, the word may denote something separate from the thing itself, such as a person’s house, clothing, and the like. At other times, the thing’s own sides and extremities may be said to be