April 27, 2006
TMC:
How do Muslim astronauts pray five times a day in space when a "day" in orbit is only 90 minutes? How does one determine where Mecca is in a constantly moving space station?These were some of the questions Islamic scholars and scientists wrangled with in a seminar Tuesday, as Malaysia, a Muslim country, prepares to send its first citizen into space next year....
"Our astronaut will stay in the International Space Station for about seven to eight days. Among the important needs of this astronaut, should he be a Muslim, is a guide on how to perform the prayer ritual in space," Mohamad Ruddin Abdul Ghani, permanent secretary of Malaysia's Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, said in a speech at the "Islam and Life in Space" seminar.
Parenthetically, this is the same moderate country that fines people for not attending Friday prayers.
But as Zainal Abidin Abdul Rashid of Malaysia National University pointed out at the seminar, the space station circles the Earth 16 times in 24 hours, with a sunrise and sunset occurring about every 90 minutes."Does this mean we have to perform 80 prayers a day," he said in his seminar paper.
He proposed that Earth time, especially the time zone in Mecca, be used as the reference point to determine the prayer schedule.
On the issue of "qiblat" or the direction of Mecca, suggestions range from installing a special rotating seat so that the Muslim astronaut could turn easily toward Mecca, to using calculator that can determine qiblat direction and the prayer schedule.
Then there is also the question of how to perform ablution, a ritual cleansing of the body, with water-rationing in space.
Also, how does one do the prayer ritual of kneeling and prostrating under zero gravity?
So, while the West was busy putting people into space, the Ummah was busy worrying about whether or not it's halal to drink Tang? Brilliant.
This goes a long way in explaining the myth of the 'Golden Age of Islam'. Never. Happened.
One important question not addressed at the conference is this: Does the prohibition against eating pork extend to outer space? And if it does, is there at least a Miss Piggy exception?
Hat tip Joel who found it at Nobody's business.
Posted by: Rusty at
10:09 AM
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Post contains 431 words, total size 3 kb.
Posted by: Brad at April 27, 2006 10:34 AM (gj4zU)
Posted by: sugiero at April 27, 2006 10:42 AM (ss9pi)
Posted by: caspera at April 27, 2006 10:45 AM (jylGY)
Posted by: Fred Fry at April 27, 2006 11:09 AM (JXdhy)
It's always funny watching primitives play with technology, after they send this guy perhaps we can compare with a video of a chimp trying to use a VCR?
Posted by: davec at April 27, 2006 11:32 AM (CcXvt)
Let islam build its own space program - they've got plenty of spare cash lying around - then they can figure it out on their own time.
I imagine a muslim space program like a Benny Hill episode - 'cept with towels, robes, beards and burkas.
Posted by: hondo at April 27, 2006 11:39 AM (SeBrl)
==============================
The first 3-man space shuttle came splashing down from the moon and the ship the U.S.S. Seagull picked up the capsule.
The first man who got out of the capsule was Protestant and his minister asked him, "How was it, my son?" The Protestant astronaut answered with a big healthy smile, "It was truly a great experience."
The second man was Catholic and when he emerged from the capsule his priest blessed him and asked him, "In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost --How was it?" He replied, "It was fabulous, Father!"
The third man was Jewish and with great effort left the space ship. He was still huffing and puffing as his Rabbi came up to him and asked, "How come -- nu, what happened? The other two astronauts came out composed and refreshed -- and you, nu?"
The Jewish astronaut answered, breathing heavily, "Every 90 minutes, Shacharit-mincha-ma'ariv, Shacharit-mincha-ma'ariv!"
=========================================
NOTE: For those unfamiliar, "Shacharit-mincha-ma'ariv" are the names of the three prayers Jews are supposed to pray every day.
Posted by: Izzy at April 27, 2006 11:58 AM (jPvjS)
Funny! Haven't heard that one in years! Last time I heard it I was teaching at CUNY - hangin' out in the cafeteria with friends from the Physics Dept.
lil' twist
Rabbi smacks him in the head ... "what's the matter with you! Don't you have a watch? What are you - a Polish Jew?"
Posted by: hondo at April 27, 2006 12:23 PM (SeBrl)
But How Do Muslims Stone the devil [ramy al-jamarāt] from Space?
No problem, Help is on the Way
Muslims can piss up a rope.
Posted by: Rubin at April 27, 2006 12:24 PM (4Wcq1)
When religious people like Secretary Ghani are involved in a technological advance they become insecure about their beliefs, so often they make a display of piety to compensate for it. This is how "What hath God wrought" got to be the first message sent by telegraph, even though God had as little to do with telegraphy as He does with the Malaysian space program.
Posted by: ShannonKW at April 27, 2006 01:01 PM (dT1MB)
Posted by: Leatherneck at April 27, 2006 01:36 PM (D2g/j)
Posted by: sandpiper at April 27, 2006 02:12 PM (V8weA)
Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at April 27, 2006 05:02 PM (0yYS2)
And what happens when the station crosses the International Dateline?
Posted by: reverse_vampyr at April 28, 2006 08:31 AM (Ns5kk)
Posted by: Aaron's cc: at April 28, 2006 01:39 PM (ov6Vw)
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