Today (June 18) is the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from dusk till dawn. However, observing the Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, can be difficult when the sun barely sets.
How to fast from dusk till dawn, when there is no dusk?
On the first day of Ramadan the sun rose at 2:45 AM and only sets at two minutes past midnight. Reykjavík will experience between 20 and 21 hours of daylight. Strict observance of fasting from dusk till dawn is obviously difficult under such conditions.
A London based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Usama Hasan has issued a fatwa, saying that that Muslims in Northern Europe can fast according to the timings of the nearest “moderate land”, meaning that Muslims in Northern Europe can fast with Mecca.
Solution: Just move Iceland south!
Salman Tamimi, an Imam and former chairman of Muslim Association of Iceland, the first and largest Muslim congregation in Iceland, tells Iceland mag that Icelandic Muslims have solved this problem by observing a fatwa which states that the fast can never last more than 18 hours. Furthermore, Icelandic Muslims consider Iceland to be located at the 45° parallel north, on the same latitude as France. A timetable for daily prayers and the observance of Ramadan can be found at www.islam.is
“It is impossible to observe the rule of fasting from dusk till dawn when there is no dusk! The rule applies to countries where you have a clear difference between day and night, which we don’t have here in Iceland during the summer,” Salman tells us.
The Icelandic Muslim community welcomes foreign visitors
The mosque of the Muslim Association is located at Ármúli 38, 3rd floor. Daily prayers are open to visitors. Salman Tamimi tells Iceland mag that the evening prayers, which start at 10:30 PM and the Friday prayers at 1:30 PM are always very well attended. Salman adds that the the Icelandic Muslim community, which is composed of people from all corners of the world, welcomes foreign visitors with open arms.
Today (June 18) is the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from dusk till dawn. However, observing the Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, can be difficult when the sun barely sets.
How to fast from dusk till dawn, when there is no dusk?
On the first day of Ramadan the sun rose at 2:45 AM and only sets at two minutes past midnight. Reykjavík will experience between 20 and 21 hours of daylight. Strict observance of fasting from dusk till dawn is obviously difficult under such conditions.
A London based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Usama Hasan has issued a fatwa, saying that that Muslims in Northern Europe can fast according to the timings of the nearest “moderate land”, meaning that Muslims in Northern Europe can fast with Mecca.
Solution: Just move Iceland south!
Salman Tamimi, an Imam and former chairman of Muslim Association of Iceland, the first and largest Muslim congregation in Iceland, tells Iceland mag that Icelandic Muslims have solved this problem by observing a fatwa which states that the fast can never last more than 18 hours. Furthermore, Icelandic Muslims consider Iceland to be located at the 45° parallel north, on the same latitude as France. A timetable for daily prayers and the observance of Ramadan can be found at www.islam.is
“It is impossible to observe the rule of fasting from dusk till dawn when there is no dusk! The rule applies to countries where you have a clear difference between day and night, which we don’t have here in Iceland during the summer,” Salman tells us.
The Icelandic Muslim community welcomes foreign visitors
The mosque of the Muslim Association is located at Ármúli 38, 3rd floor. Daily prayers are open to visitors. Salman Tamimi tells Iceland mag that the evening prayers, which start at 10:30 PM and the Friday prayers at 1:30 PM are always very well attended. Salman adds that the the Icelandic Muslim community, which is composed of people from all corners of the world, welcomes foreign visitors with open arms.
