Finally, it's out - the guidebook on how a Malaysian Muslim is perform prayers, fast and cleaning oneself when in space. It is specifically for our Malaysian astronaut who will soon be visiting the International Space Station (ISS). I have to salute the Malaysia Islamic authority, Jakim, for taking the initiative to resolve these issues.

However, I am puzzled that these matters have not been addressed now that we are able to break free of earth's gravity. Let's go a bit further than the ISS, the Moon. Let's say 20 years from now, we are able to set up a station on the moon and we decide to send Muslim Malaysians to the moon. What would the direction for praying be? If it's Earth, what is the position we ought to be in order to face Earth?

In the guidebook issued by Jakim, it says that in deciding the direction for praying, 'anywhere' would do. Perhaps that would be a plausible option when we are on the moon. This somehow reminded me of a verse in Quran stating '... God is not in the east nor west, he is anywhere (or everywhere)...' Perhaps the learned could assist me in this matter.

When it comes to determine the time for each prayer, very likely our ulama would say, 'We should follow the time of the place where the astronaut lifted off from earth (this is also what is written in the Jakim guidebook). If so, then that would probably be somewhere in Russia. But I thought it should be Mecca. Shouldn't we follow the Mecca time?

Let's go a bit further than the Moon, let's say, Mars. With the current effort taken by the developed nations, well, maybe in 50 years or more, we would have a research station on Mars. Perhaps during our 150th Merdeka celebrations, our PM will announce that we are sending astronauts to Mars. The issues then are:

  • How do we pray in terms of the direction?

  • How do we fast? Mars rotation around the Sun is 687 earth days.

From biological standpoint, can our body sustain a 12-hour fast when on aboard the ISS, let alone Mars? As we go further from Earth, three out of the five tenets of Islam will be tested. And as we travel away from Earth, how would we perform the pilgrimage if the journey to the frontiers of space were more than a lifetime? How do we pray if we were to colonise another planet in another solar system?

This might not happen 100 years from now, but taking into consideration the spirit of exploration that we have, perhaps one day it's possible. In addition, when making a long space journey, astronauts would more often than not undergo 'extended sleep'.

Thus for a Muslim, he would have to forego the five-times prayer requirement. As we move along, somehow three out of the five tenets of Islam - praying five times a day, fasting during Ramadan and performing the pilgrimage, would be challenged by the test of time, place and situation.

Now I am confused. Not about God as am I fully aware that it is He is the Almighty, the One, that is not born nor will he bear a child. It's the tenets - how do handle them in space?