As Salam u Alaikum. I would like to ask you a hypothetical question and please don't be upset or angry with me for asking something that may sound as a waste of time or of no immediate benefit to us. I seek Allah's refuge if my question makes you uncomfortable in any way.
As Science and Technology is exponentially leaping forward with time, the question may get relevant in a few centuries from today. I am sure that the Ulama of that time will come to an ijmaa that will satisfy the Muslims, but I am curious to do the thought experiment now to understand how an Islamic Scholar comes to the conclusion on a particular controversial topic.
Assume a time when human being starts colonizing different planets in different solar systems. For our example, one group of Muslims migrate to a planet where a day consists of one-fifth of earth time i.e. 4 hours 48 minutes a day. And another group of Muslims migrate to a planet where a day is 5 times longer compared to earth i.e. 120 hours a day. So the day and night cycle happens very quickly in first planet and very slowly in the other planet. We further assume that no major biological change happened to human beings in the meantime and hence people sleeps for 6 hours in every 24 hours time no matter in which planet they inhabit. Compared to standard earth time then, in 120 hours (i.e. 5 days on earth), a Muslim on earth will pray for 5 * 5 i.e. 25 times. In your opinion, how many times should the Muslims of first (small) planet and last (large) planet pray during that same amount of time?
I could think of choosing from one of the below two possibilities.
1) Follow 5 times a day prayer cycle no matter how long is the planet's own day/night cycle time is compared to earth. In this case, in small planet, Muslims will still continue to pray 5 times a day and hence in earth standard 120 hours, Muslims will pray 5 * 5 * 5 = 125 times while on earth during that same time a Muslim will pray 5 * 5 = 25 times and in the large planet a Muslim will pray 5 times only in that same amount of time.
2) Follow earth's standard time to decide how many times you pray in other planets. In this case, all of small planet, large planet and earth the prayer will be performed exactly the same number of times i.e. 5 * 5 = 25 times in 120 hours earth standard time (which is equivalent to 1 day in large planet but 25 days in small planet). However, it will end up being that in the small planet a Muslim will pray only once a day (day of that small planet) while in the large planet Muslims will end up praying 25 times a day (day of that large planet).
What would you think as the more reasonable option be? #1 or #2? Or would you rather think of a different option other than these 2?
JAK
As Science and Technology is exponentially leaping forward with time, the question may get relevant in a few centuries from today. I am sure that the Ulama of that time will come to an ijmaa that will satisfy the Muslims, but I am curious to do the thought experiment now to understand how an Islamic Scholar comes to the conclusion on a particular controversial topic.
Assume a time when human being starts colonizing different planets in different solar systems. For our example, one group of Muslims migrate to a planet where a day consists of one-fifth of earth time i.e. 4 hours 48 minutes a day. And another group of Muslims migrate to a planet where a day is 5 times longer compared to earth i.e. 120 hours a day. So the day and night cycle happens very quickly in first planet and very slowly in the other planet. We further assume that no major biological change happened to human beings in the meantime and hence people sleeps for 6 hours in every 24 hours time no matter in which planet they inhabit. Compared to standard earth time then, in 120 hours (i.e. 5 days on earth), a Muslim on earth will pray for 5 * 5 i.e. 25 times. In your opinion, how many times should the Muslims of first (small) planet and last (large) planet pray during that same amount of time?
I could think of choosing from one of the below two possibilities.
1) Follow 5 times a day prayer cycle no matter how long is the planet's own day/night cycle time is compared to earth. In this case, in small planet, Muslims will still continue to pray 5 times a day and hence in earth standard 120 hours, Muslims will pray 5 * 5 * 5 = 125 times while on earth during that same time a Muslim will pray 5 * 5 = 25 times and in the large planet a Muslim will pray 5 times only in that same amount of time.
2) Follow earth's standard time to decide how many times you pray in other planets. In this case, all of small planet, large planet and earth the prayer will be performed exactly the same number of times i.e. 5 * 5 = 25 times in 120 hours earth standard time (which is equivalent to 1 day in large planet but 25 days in small planet). However, it will end up being that in the small planet a Muslim will pray only once a day (day of that small planet) while in the large planet Muslims will end up praying 25 times a day (day of that large planet).
What would you think as the more reasonable option be? #1 or #2? Or would you rather think of a different option other than these 2?
JAK
I asked this question in the following islamic web site and waiting for an answer.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.justaskislam.com/7902/what-should-be-the-rule-for-daily-5-times-prayer-on-planets-where-the-day-night-length-is-different-than-on-earth/
http://knowledgenuts.com/2014/02/01/islam-has-rules-for-praying-in-space/
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