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sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

Now that Ramadan is almost upon us (you), I'd like to pose a question that many of you will have heard before but I never dared to ask in the Gulf.

What does a Muslim do if he finds himself in the north of Scotland during Ramadan in summer. Is he expected to fast for 18 or 19 hours and console himself with the fact that in about 15 years the shoe will be on the other foot? Even more difficult if you're in Northern Finland.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I asked this question of a Sheikh and was told that there are no places on Earth where this happens. Geography is not one of the strong points in Saudi education.

ootii · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:40 pm Post subject:

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

Thanks for the reply ootii but I'm still intrigued. Why is it so important in Gulf countries not to break one's fast until the very moment when the sun goes down when Muslims in northern (or southern) countries can guide themselves by what you call ''reasonable'' times.
Equally baffling (at least for me) was the 80 kilometre rule. This may be nonsense but I was told that travellers were excused from fasting but that scholars had decided that only those making journeys of at least 80 kilometres were, in fact, excused. 80 kilometres in this day and age is a mere spit.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Perhaps there are few muslims living in the far north? I'm curious as well what one would do in the face of the long daylight hours.

trapezius · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 6:28 pm Post subject:

ootii · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 2:41 am Post subject:

007 · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:41 am Post subject: Re: Ramadan in the Orkneys

Bebsi · Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 958

I recall asking this very question once of an Islamic scholar, and the explanation I got was pretty similar to the way 007 explains it: in high latitudes, you basically go on the times of Fajr and Maghreb as they are at 45 degs (i.e. exact mid) latitude. This way, if Ramadan falls in June, the faster doesn't have as long a day as he would if he went on, for example, Narvik time. Likewise, when Ramadan comes round in December, he has a longer fast than he would on Narvik time, but overall, it balances out without exposing him to undue health risks. His number of fasting hours in a full cycle of 36 years (the time it takes for Ramadan to return to a given point in a solar year) remains the same.

Makes a lot of sense to me.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

How nice to see such a reasoned description of the Islamic viewpoint on this.

desultude · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 614

The Muslims I went to graduate school, in Seattle, seemed to suffer greatly when Ramadan was in the summer months, but they did fast and they got really thin (no big family feasts to count on).

Bebsi · Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 958

No, Stephen, it would be a problem from now on UNTIL Ramdan fell in february...well, actually April. The holy month is now starting to fall in the northern summer, which means a very long day indeed for a faster.
Mind you, any Muslims in Antartica will have an easy time for the next 15 years or so!!!! Very Happy

The 45 degs latitude approach is actally the most sensible one. Of course, Muslims don't have to adhere to it, they can extend their day past that in summer if they wish, to bring it closer to real-time at their specific location.

If I were a Muslim, I think I would go for the 45 degs option. It would mean a 15 hour day (...ish) in summer, and a 9 hour day in winter. Manageable, I would think?

Any more Muslims out there reading this, can you help us on this question? Your insights would be appreciated.