HOW do you pray facing Mecca five times a day when you are circling the Earth 16 times every 24 hours? This is one of the problems facing Malaysian authorities as they prepare to send their first man into space. There are others: how to hold the prayer position in zero gravity, ensure that only halal freeze-dried food is in your space cupboard and perform your ritual ablutions before worship? They have all been answered by a team of Islamic scholars and scientists that has spent more than a year working on guidelines for the astronaut. The Malaysian will travel to Russia's International Space Station in October, in exchange for a lucrative arms deal. The Government hailed the mission as an important milestone but religious scholars questioned how a practising Muslim could accommodate worship with the demands of space travel. The space station travels around the world at 27,000km/h, making Mecca a target in perpetual motion. With 16 orbits a day and five daily devotion sessions determined by times of sunrise and sunset, devout Muslim astronauts could find themselves chanting their prayers as many as 80 times in 24 hours. Water is a valuable commodity in space, but Muslims are required to wash before each prayer session. The holy month of Ramadan also falls during the mission. All Muslims are required to abstain from food during daylight hours -- but what is daylight in space? Only two Muslims have gone into space, Prince Sultan bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who travelled on the US shuttle Discovery in 1985, and Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American space tourist, who went to the space station last year. Both had to work out their obligations on their own. Malaysia insists, however, that maintaining Islamic beliefs "ismandatory for Muslims in every situation, time and place". Mustafa Abdul Rahman, the head of the nation's Department of Islamic Development said: "Circumstances on the ISS that are different from circumstance on Earth are not an obstacle for an astronaut to fulfil a Muslim's obligations." Two finalists remain from 10,000 applicants: Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Faiz Khaleed. The winner will be told that he may choose to fast in space or make up for it when he returns. If an astronaut doubts that the food provided is halal, he "'should consume it only to the extent of restraining hunger". On prayers to Mecca, however, the guidebook sidesteps. These should be performed, it says, "according to the capability of the astronaut". http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/...-worship-problem/story-e6frfkp9-1111113451046
well, it reminds me to first Riddick. the Muslim pray 5 times a day and he point his hearth to his lord. just it, Salah direction is something should not make you headache on that situation.
I hope Menj isn't part of Malaysia's team of Islamic scholars, or those astronauts may find Menj's porn sites to be their only point of communication with earth. Wouldn't it be much easier to continue sending monkeys into space and avoid the problem altogether? It would seem being an astronaut requires very few skills, if any at all, so why go through the exercise which could potentially endanger a Muslim's standing with Allah. Going a step further, the fact Malaysia has a space craft at all makes me deeply suspicious they have some non-practicing Muslims working in their scientific community. I think Malaysia's Islamic scholars should be calling for an investigation. It strikes me as inappropriate as the Chinese, who are devout atheists yet have named their most recent spacecraft "Divine Vessel", which docked with their space station, which they've named "Heavenly Palace". Blasphemy! http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/China_astronauts_enter_space_module_for_first_time_999.html
Maybe they could pray 20 times a day while turning around in a circle because 25% of the time they would be facing the right direction?
The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path." (Qur'an 2:142) Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. (Qur'an 2:142) Ishaq.
So your Allah loves the fact that you are a faker and post your location as England when you're really in India ?
Do you have a cite from the Koran? Judaism and Christianity have the Ten Commandments, which spells out clearly and plainly a person's religious and moral conduct. Judaism and Christianity are famous for this and it is heavily emphasized in all religious instruction. Does Islam have a similar code of conduct? Is lying mentioned? Also, I'm curious as to your signiture: WHO is the former U.S. Congressman? Are you referring to James Traficant? if so, why not name him?
Because if he named him, everyone would know he was quoting a nutjob felon that has zero credibility.
YES. Qur'an 6:151 Say: "Come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from": Join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children because of penury;- We provide sustenance for you and for them;- come not nigh to shameful deeds. Whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom. Qur'an 6:152 And come not nigh to the orphan's property, except to improve it, until he attain the age of full strength; give measure and weight with (full) justice;- no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear;- whenever ye speak, speak justly, even if a near relative is concerned; and fulfill the covenant of Allah: thus doth He command you, that ye may remember. Qur'an 6:153 Verily, this is My way, leading straight: follow it: follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His (great) path: thus doth He command you. that ye may be righteous. Ishaq.
A simple google search or a search on Quran.com will show you verses from the Koran that forbid lying. If you think that lying should not be done, ever. Then are you aware Abraham lied in the bible ? PS: There are more than 10 commandments in the bible.
A simple Google search did not help. I'm more of a New Testament guy. Are you aware that Muslims lie all the time, and kill in the name of Allah? You may have seen it in the news. No, there are not. This is an old discussion. The rules of the temple are not the Ten Commandments. You clearly have no understanding of the Christian Bible.
Well like I said, lying is a sin. But in certain situations it is allowed. Now if you think that lying is wrong at all times, then you have a problem with the old testament, which according to Christians is a scripture sent by God. Therefore you have a problem with your God. The happy side of the bible. I'm aware that Christians, Jews, Communists, Republicans and pretty much all human beings lie. And you think Christians and Jews don't kill in the name of their God ? Was you born yesterday or just really daft ? You clearly have no clue.
Oh I remember that. But I also know that Islam does not permit the hijacking of planes and the killing of innocents.