Credit card shows direction to pray

Abu Dhabi: A new credit card has been launched with a built in digital compass that shows the direction for prayer.

Al Hilal Bank, in collaboration with MasterCard and InfoTec Systems, has come up with the ‘Qibla’ credit card.

At the press of a button, it locates the direction a Muslim must face while performing their prayer.

It was unveiled in the presence of Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in a conference on Monday at Etihad Towers.

“Our innovative Qibla credit card is yet another testament to our ability to constantly surprise our patrons with pioneering products and services that reflect our progressiveness as an Islamic bank,” Mohammad Zaqout, head of personal banking group at Al Hilal Bank, said.

Card holders can enjoy other benefits such as complimentary travel vouchers worth Dh500 for Haj and Umrah travel packages.

“It was like a ‘mission impossible’ task when the bank approached us with the idea of having a compass built into a payment card that would indicate the Qibla direction from anywhere in the world,” Houssam Khatib, CEO of InfoTec Systems Group, said.