Fasting and Praying: In the Polar cities

Submitted to: Dr. Professor Saad Siddiqi

Submitted by: Abdullah Kelani

M. Phil, 2nd Semester, 19-11

Department of Islamic studies

University of Punjab, Lahore

Date: 23rd April, 2012

Undertaking: I did this work without any others help, there is no plagiarism in this regard

Fasting and Praying: In the Polar cities

Contents

Introduction

o About topic o Purpose of study o Possible hypotheses

o Pervious work o Targets of study

o Available literature

Place of Salat and Sawm in Islam

o Etymology of Salat o Etymology of Sawm o Definition of Praying

o Definition of Fasting o Importance of Praying

In the Quran In the Hadith

o Importance of Fasting

In the Quran In the Hadith

Conditions of Praying. o Intention (Niyyah).

o Time dependency. o Directed to Qibla. o Purification.

Conditions of Fasting. o Intention (Niyyah)

o Time dependency Month of Ramadan Fajer and night

Fasting and praying: in polar Cities o Observations of sun.

o List of some polar cites o Case study: Svalbard, Norway

o Methodology for Praying

o Methodology for Fasting

Conclusions

References

Introduction

o About topic:

If we go above 66ᴼ north of the equator (Arctic Circle; e.g.

Iceland, Norway, Siberia Sweden, Northern Canada, northern Russia, Greenland, Alaska) or below 66ᴼ south of the equator (Antarctic Circle; e.g. Stewart Island, Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope), the

length of days and nights increase more than 24 hours; which we call mid night sun and polar nights respectively. Then what about the

Fasting and Praying, how these religious services could be offered. This the main point of the topic.

o Purpose of study:

1. To understand the guidance of Islamic Fiqah for prays and fasting, when a Muslim lives

on polar sides. 2. To answer the person who raises the question about the universality of Islam.1

o Possible hypotheses:

1. The people of polar cities will follow the time of the nearest temperate city. 2. They will follow holy city of Makah.

3. They will obey the timings of ‗social day‘. 4. They will estimate their timings. 5. They will complete their fasting in spring or fall (Qada).

6. They will feed the poor as an alternative of fasting (redemption). 7. Fasting is not their duty, as the conditions of fasting are not fulfilled.

o Pervious work:

Ulama e Pakistan, Ulama e Hejaz and Ulama e Egypt have done much work on this topic by using Islamic Fiqah.

o Targets of study:

I will study the topic scientifically and religiously to understand all about the topic.

o Available literature:

1. Islamic books 2. Religious sites on net

3. Scientific sites on net 4. Islamic software

5. Moaraful Quran

1 Wikislam.com

Place of Salat and Sawm in Islam

Etymology of Salah:

"Salah" is an Arabic word whose basic meaning is "connection".

Etymology of Sawm:

Ṣawm is derived from Syriac ṣawmā. Literally, it means "to withdraw".2

Definition of Pray:

Salah is the practice of formal worship in Islam.

Definition of Fasting:

Muslims are prohibited from eating, drinking and engaging in sexual intercourse from

fajr to night.

Importance of Praying

o In the Quran:

It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards East or West; but it is righteousness

to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice

regular charity, to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the

God-fearing.3

In the Hadith:

Narrated Samura bin Jundab : The Prophet said in his narration of a dream that he saw, ―He whose head was being crushed

with a stone was one who learnt the Quran but never acted on it, and slept ignoring the

compulsory prayers‖.4

Importance of Fasting

o In the Quran:

2 muslimliving.org

3 Al Baqara, 177

4 Al Bukhari, vol. # 1, H # 1085 retrieved from compsi.com/AQFS

O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint.5

o In the Hadith:

Narrated Sahl bin Sad : The Prophet said, "Paradise has eight gates, and one of them is called Ar-Raiyan through which none will enter but those who observe fasting." The Prophet also said, ―If a person spends two

different kinds of something (for Allah's Cause), he will be called from the gates of Paradise.‖6 End result of Salah:

Remembering Allah7: "Verily, I am Allah: there is no god but I: so serve thou Me (only), and

establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise.

End result of Sawm:

Guarding against evil8: O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was

prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint, Conditions of Praying

Intention (Niyyah):

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, ―The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has

intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for‖.9

Time dependency:

When ye pass (congregational) prayers, celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting down,

or lying down on your sides; but when ye are free from danger, set up regular prayers: for such prayers are enjoined on Believers at stated times.10

5 Al Baqara, 183

6 Al Bukhari, vol. # 2, H # 499 retrieved from compsi.com/AQFS

7 Ta Ha, 14

8 Al Baqara, 183

9 Al Bukhari, vol. # 1, H # 1 retrieved from compsi.com/AQFS

10 An Nisa, 103

Sulaiman b. Buraida narrated it on the authority of his father that a person asked the Apostle of Allah (May peace be

upon him) about the time of prayer. Upon this he said: Pray with us these two, meaning two days. When the sun passed the

meridian, he gave command to Bilal who uttered the call to prayer. Then he commanded him and pronounced Iqama for noon prayer. (Then at the time of the afternoon prayer) he again

commanded and Iqama for the afternoon prayer was pronounced when the sun was high, white and clear. He then commanded

and Iqama for the evening prayer was pronounced, when the sun had set. He then commanded him and the Iqama for the night

prayer was pronounced when the twilight had disappeared. He then commanded him and the

Iqama for the Morning Prayer was pronounced, when the dawn had appeared. When it was the next day, he commanded him to delay the noon prayer till the extreme heat had passed and he

did so, and he allowed it to be delayed till the extreme heat had passed. He observed the afternoon prayer when the sun was high; delaying it beyond the time he had previously observed it. He observed the evening prayer before the twilight had vanished; he observed the night prayer

when a third of the night had passed; and he observed the dawn prayer when there was clear daylight. He (the Holy Prophet) then said: Where is the man who inquired about the time of

prayer? He (the inquirer) said: Messenger of Allah I here I am. He (the Holy Prophet) said: The time for your prayer is within the limits of what you have seen .11

Directed to Qibla:

We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens:

now shall We turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the Book know well that that is the

truth from their Lord, nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.12

Purification:

O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand

all that ye say, nor in a state of ceremonial impurity (except when travelling on the road), until

after washing your whole body. If ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices

of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves 11

Al Muslim, vol. # 1, H # 1386 retrieved from compsi.com/AQFS 12

Al Baqara, 144

clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands. For Allah doth blot out sins and

forgive again and again.13

13

An Nisa, 43

Conditions of Fasting

Intention (Niyyah):

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, ―The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has

intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for‖.14

Time dependency:

a. Month of Ramadan

Ramadan is the month in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also

Clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment So every one of you who is present during that month should spend it in fasting, but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. He wants you to

complete the prescribed period and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.15

b. Fajer to night

And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appear to

you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are

in retreat in the mosques. Those are limits of Allah: approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint.16

14

Al Bukhari, vol. # 1, H # 1 retrieved from compsi.com/AQFS 15

Al Baqara, 185 16

Al Baqara, 187

Fasting and praying: in polar Cities

o Observations of sun:

List of some polar cites:

Estimated dates when you can see the midnight sun

Where: - -When:

Bodø 4 June - 8 July

Svolvær 28 May - 14 July

Harstad 25 May - 18 July

Bardufoss 23 May - 19 July

Andenes 22 May - 21 July

Tromsø 20 May - 22 July

Bossekopp 19 May - 24 July

Vardø 17 May - 26 July

Hammerfest 16 May - 27 July

Berlevåg 15 May - 28 July

The North Cape 14 May - 29 July

Longyearbyen (Svalbard) 20 April - 22 August

Case study: Svalbard, Norway:

These are statistics of Svalbard17

1 Jan 2012-Down all day-

1 Feb 2012-Down all day-

16 Feb 2012 – 1h 21m 32s

1 Mar 2012—7h 35m 53s

1 Apr 2012--15h 45m 21s

16 Apr 2012-21h 30m 26s

1 Jun 2012-Up all day

1 Jul 2012-Up all day

26 Aug 2012---21h 10m 31s

1 Sep 2012---18h 27m 11s

1 Oct 2012---10h 19m 59s

25 Oct 2012---1h 48m 00s

1 Nov 2012-Down all day

1 Dec 2012-Down all day

17

Datetime.com

Methodology for Praying:

Ahnaf:

Because prayer is bounded in time so, if sun rises suddenly after sunset, then there is no

need to offer Eisha18. If there is a 6 month-day, there are only 5 prayers in 6 months19.

Shafi:

All five prayers would be offered within 24 hours by estimation of time. The

reason is this hadith.20

An-Nawwas b. Sam'an reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) made a mention of the Dajjal one day in the morning. …. We said: Allah's Messenger, how long would

he stay on the earth ?He said.. For forty days, one day like a year and one day like a month and one day like a week and the rest of the days would be like your days. We said: Allah's Messenger, would one day's prayer suffice for the prayers of day equal to one year? Thereupon

he said: No, but you must make an estimate of time (and then observe prayer). 21 Others:

Ahmad Sabhi Mansoor: Fasting would be replaced by feeding the poor through redemption.22

Fasting would be completed after Ramadan.23

Types of estimations:

By clock

By nearest city, where day and nights are discrete According to social day

18

Muhammad Shafi, Mufti, Molana; Muaariful Quran, vol. 1 page# 450; Idara al Muaarif Karachi. 19

Muhammad Shafi, Mufti, Molana; Muaariful Quran, vol. 1 page# 450; Idara al Muaarif Karachi. 20

Atya Saqar, Mufti, Al Azhar University, May, 1997. Retrieved from Shamila version 2nd

21

Muslim, vol. 3, H # 3782 retrieved from compsi.com/AQFS 22

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/site/arabic/show_fatwa.php?main_id=826 23

http://www.islamweb.net/fatwa/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=9648

Methodology for Fasting:

Ahnaf:

Because fasting is bounded in time such as: Month of Ramadan and days and nights both come

simultaneously. If one of them misses then fasting would not be duty for the Muslims.24 So at these cities, Muslims will not be offering there fasting.25

Shafi:

All rituals would be offered within 24 hours by estimation of time. The reason is

this hadith.26

An-Nawwas b. Sam'an reported that Allah's Messenger (May peace be upon him) made a

mention of the Dajjal one day in the morning. …. We said: Allah's Messenger, how long would he stay on the earth ?He said... For forty days, one day like a year and one day like a month and

one day like a week and the rest of the days would be like your days. We said: Allah's Messenger, would one day's prayer suffice for the prayers of day equal to one year? Thereupon he said: No, but you must make an estimate of time (and then observe prayer). 27

Types of estimations:

By clock By nearest city, where day and nights are discrete According to social day

Conclusion:

Islam is applicable for all spheres of space and time.

References:

Al Quran Al Kareem Atya Saqar, Mufti, Al Azhar University, May, 1997. Retrieved from Shamila version 2nd compsi.com/AQFS Datetime.com Muhammad Shafi, Mufti, Molana; Muaariful Quran, vol. 1 page# 450; Idara al Muaarif Karachi. muslimliving.org Wikipedia.com Wikislam.com

24

Muhammad Shafi, Mufti, Molana; Muaariful Quran, vol. 1 page# 450; Idara al Muaarif Karachi. 25

Muhammad Shafi, Mufti, Molana; Muaariful Quran, vol. 1 page# 450; Idara al Muaarif Karachi 26

Atya Saqar, Mufti, Al Azhar University, May, 1997. Retrieved from Shamila version 2nd

27

Muslim, vol. 3, H # 3782 retrieved from compsi.com/AQFS