Fiqh · a Light

Malaysia wrote the rules for praying in orbit

Before Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor launched to the International Space Station on 10 October 2007, Malaysia's national fatwa council convened scholars and scientists and published a short document, Guidelines for Performing Islamic Rites at the International Space Station. The problems were concrete. The station circles the earth about sixteen times a day, so which sunrise starts a fast. There is no down, so how do you bow and prostrate. The direction of Makkah changes second by second, so the guidance says face it as best you can at the start and continue, and if that is impossible, face anywhere. Prayer times were to follow the launch site. Old rules for travellers and the sick were applied to a new place.

Malaysia · 10 October 2007