Muslims in Space

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Computer will tell Muslim astronaut how to pray in space
By Sebastien Berger in Bangi
(Filed: 27/04/2006)

Malaysian scientists and religious scholars are trying to determine how Muslims should behave in space, as the predominantly Islamic country prepares to dispatch its first astronaut next year.

More than 150 delegates attended a seminar to consider how to pray in space given the difficulties of locating Mecca and holding the prayer position in zero gravity; as well as other questions such as halal food and washing.

"It's as important as sending the astronaut," said Mustafa Din bin Subari, deputy director of Angkasa, Malaysia's space agency. "We want to stress that being a Muslim does not restrict you from doing anything."

The application of a religion founded in the 7th century Arabian desert to space travel in the 21st century is complex. The International Space Station (ISS) moves at almost 17,000 mph, so the relative position of Mecca is constantly shifting. With 16 orbits a day, and the timing of five daily prayers determined in relation to sunrise and sunset, devout Muslim astronauts could find themselves intoning their chants 80 times in 24 hours.

"This is not possible," said Mohamad Sa'ari Mohamad Isa, of the National Technical University College of Malaysia at the meeting in Bangi, near Kuala Lumpur. The electronics lecturer has helped to develop a computer programme called Muslims in Space to determine when prayers should be made.

The Malaysian government is planning to send one of its citizens on a Russian-led mission to the ISS in October 2007. Three of the final four candidates for the trip are Muslim men, the other a Hindu woman, who were selected from 30,000 applicants. The only known Muslim to travel into space before is a Saudi prince, on Nasa's space shuttle in 1985.

Delegates to the conference, which ended on Tuesday, were also reminded that scientific progress used to be most advanced in the Islamic world, which gave the West algebra, the zero and Arabic numerals. It was a failure of individuals and leaders, rather than the religion, according to Syed Kamarulzaman Syed Kabeer, vice-president of the Islamic Astronomers' Association of Malaysia, that led to Islamic peoples giving up their lead.
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What if, looking at the vastness of space and the pettyness of the Earth, realize "OMG, this is a waste of time!"?
 
MobBoss said:
I saw the title of this thread and was instantly reminded of the funny skit that was on "The Muppet Show".
Click to expand...

I immediately thought of "Jews in Space."
 
Of course God is a pedant.:) Your hearts in the right place, but your trigonometry isn't, sorry: eternal damnation.
 
See how religion restricts and limits a person?
 
Ummm....with that kind of views, do they have a place/should they go in space?
MobBoss said:
I saw the title of this thread and was instantly reminded of the funny skit that was on "The Muppet Show".
Click to expand...
When I saw the thread's title I thought that someone crazy proposed to expell Muslims in space! :lol:
 
From my discussions with mainstream Muslims, I had the impression that Islam was much more tolerant than that, meaning you're not supposed to do ridiculous/dangerous/impossible things in order to uphold one of the five pillars (like the five prayers a day).
 
What a waste of government funding! :rotfl:

Worrying about how to apply thier religion to every daily aspect and being so god fearing is the exact reason why islamic cultures are being left behind in technology.
 
the article said:
Malaysian scientists and religious scholars are trying to determine how Muslims should behave in space,...

More than 150 delegates attended a seminar to consider how to pray in space given the difficulties of locating Mecca and holding the prayer position in zero gravity; as well as other questions such as halal food and washing.
Click to expand...
Remember what they have to do and how they have to act.
the article said:
"We want to stress that being a Muslim does not restrict you from doing anything."
Click to expand...
Hmm...why it seems to be in contrast with the previous?
 
Masquerouge said:
Praying 80 times a day on a space station is neither dangerous nor ridiculous ?
Click to expand...

I don't claim to be an expert on Islamic prayer, but I don't see why it would be dangerous, unless an extra hand is needed and the prayer can't wait, and ridiculous is in the eye of the beholder, so to speak.
 
Be careful we dont want to turn this into a muslim bashing thread. Im being sincere about this please dont think this is sarcasm.
 
^ That's the second ignorant post you've made in this thread. Please stop flaming religion. You've been on a roll lately.
 
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