Islam in Orbit
Charles Johnson
Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 3:28 pm PDT • Views: 367
Coming soon to a space station near you: Islam in orbit. (Hat tip: TS.)
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - How do Muslim astronauts pray in space? Malaysia’s National Space Agency is holding a conference to consider such questions as the country prepares to send its first citizen into orbit.
A nationwide competition in the majority-Muslim country has narrowed the field to four astronaut candidates, three of whom are Muslims. Two will eventually be trained and sent into space by Russia, and Malaysia’s space agency — or Angkasa — said it had been scratching its head over how Muslim rituals could be carried out properly.
Performing ablutions for Muslim prayers with water rationing in space and preparing food according to Islamic standards will be among issues discussed, said Angkasa’s director-general, Mazlan Othman. …
The astronaut will also visit the International Space Station, which circles the earth 16 times in 24 hours, so another thorny question is how to pray five times a day as required by Islam, she said.
Muslims also have to turn towards Mecca to pray and working out which direction that will be while hovering above the earth might also be challenging.
Frank says: