Muslims in Space

[Sashie VII]

See how religion restricts and limits a person?

Actually, Muslims do not need to pray in the direction of Mecca IF

1. They are not sure of the direction
2. They are in a vehicle/vessel that doesn't move in a fixed direction

because at the end of the day, God is everywhere.

 

[Sashie VII]

The discussion in Malaysia should give us all an idea about why muslim countries remained backwards so many centuries. Actually a non-sense discussion, and I do not think that those theologians will reach an easy and practical conclusion but in Islam there is a saying: God is neither above in the skies(or heaven) nor in somewhere else, but God is everywhere and he/she (dunno what is God) is closer to you than the blood in your veins so it would not matter the direction you make your prayers. We, muslims pray 5 times a day (in the morning, before sunrise, in the noon, after noon, in evening and at night not 80 times) and aim with these prayers is being closer to God. Every faithful muslim tries to perform his/her prayers and if the mentioned astronauts are faithful then they also will try to to not to give up their prayers. Well on Earth, we have to face to direction of Mecca during our prayers (or Salat in Arabic, or Namaz in Persian) which is a tradition AFAIK but in the space this will not apply, and if I was to do my prayers I just would face Earth, I do not think that God would reject my prayers. What is important in Islam is the intention not the WAY you do it. Besides God is the most mercifull. I think I clarified some issues in my non-muslim friends If u have any questions about Islam, I can answer.

A fellow muslim civver? Way COOL!

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Everyone who says that the ability to travel in space should somehow mean the end of religion clearly doesn't understand religion at all. It is true that some religious beliefs are made untenable in the face of certain scientific discoveries, but by and large there is no real conflict between science and religion. If God were bound by human laws and abilities, then religion would not make sense; but the very idea is that He is greater than humans and can do what we can't even comprehend.

Science is the attempt by humans to observe the laws of the universe as much as we are able to do so. Religion is the attempt to understand the deeper causes, and in many cases it claims to be dependant on revelation which by definition humans can't initiate (and therefore can't replicate, as with science).

 

[Sashie VII]

Everyone who says that the ability to travel in space should somehow mean the end of religion clearly doesn't understand religion at all. It is true that some religious beliefs are made untenable in the face of certain scientific discoveries, but by and large there is no real conflict between science and religion. If God were bound by human laws and abilities, then religion would not make sense; but the very idea is that He is greater than humans and can do what we can't even comprehend.

Science is the attempt by humans to observe the laws of the universe as much as we are able to do so. Religion is the attempt to understand the deeper causes, and in many cases it claims to be dependant on revelation which by definition humans can't initiate (and therefore can't replicate, as with science).

Very good points.

In Islam, science is actually a way for humans to understand what occurs around them in this world, and how to better use the resources etc given by God for the use of man. That said, humans are created better than other creatures (even angels). Thus, being human carries the great responsibility of protecting this world and everything in it from destruction due to over-harvesting of resources etc. Humans can and should live in harmony with its environment, as that is the will of God.

With great power, comes great responsibilities (Spiderman )

 

[Masquerouge]

What is important in Islam is the intention not the WAY you do it. Besides God is the most mercifull. I think I clarified some issues in my non-muslim friends If u have any questions about Islam, I can answer.

That's what I expected from a mainstream Muslim I'm pretty confident the astronaut will be levelheaded too and not try to pray 80 times in 24 hours because the Space Station circles the Earth 16 times in that period...

How long does a Muslim prayer take ?

 

[Sashie VII]

Muslims do not need to pray 80 times a day, only five. A muslim prayer takes only a few minutes, and each has different lengths in muslim terms actually.

 

[Masquerouge]

Muslims do not need to pray 80 times a day, only five. A muslim prayer takes only a few minutes, and each has different lengths in muslim terms actually.

I KNOW that Muslims do not need to pray 80 times a day. I only use that example because some peope were worried that since the Space Station circles the Earth around 16 times in every 24 hours, each of these revolutions could be seen as a "day", and this could be interpreted as having to pray 16*5 = 80 times per 24-hour period, which is pretty darn stupid.
But Muslim fundamentalists, just like any fundamentalist, are used to stupid things.

 

[Sashie VII]

owkay point taken Masquerouge

 

[Masquerouge]

owkay point taken Masquerouge

Thanks for the prayer length info btw

 

[Sashie VII]

If I can find the English terms for it I'll try to clarify on the lengths

 

[Masquerouge]

If I can find the English terms for it I'll try to clarify on the lengths

You mean like the everyday prayer is shorter than the Friday one ?

 

[Sashie VII]

the Friday prayers only replace the one at the corresponding time. Only necessary for men, women can do the usual prayers if they choose to (often it's more convenient for them).

 

[Favorius]

Muslim prayers take 5-15 mins to finish. For example Morning prayers are 4 REKATs. In 1 REKAT a muslim has to read the Holy Scriptures from Quran (known as ayets) and prostrate two times to God in the end of the rekat. So in morning prayers we read (from memory of course) 4 prayers and 8 prostrations which takes around 5 mins for a healthy male.(old people cannot afford those movements so easily and if they completely cannot do that, then they do not have to do.).On the other hand Noon Prayers are 10 Rekats and they take longer. In a whole day a muslim will make prayers total of 4+10+8+5+13=40 rekats, almost 1 hour a day. Noon Prayers of friday are a different issue. They are much like Sunday ceremonies of Christians, a gathering of believers and enpowerment of public unity. Also in friday prayers the Imam(like priest) reads loud a hutbe to people, memorizing attenders what a true muslim should do about the topic of the hutbe. So for instance if crime rates increase recently, hutbe points out that problem or if it is the Ramadan month, hutbe will be about solidarity and etc... Due to hutbe, friday prayers take a little bit longer. In modern Turkey it is not easy to attend Friday prayers because it is a working day.

 

[Sashie VII]

Muslim prayers take 5-15 mins to finish. For example Morning prayers are 4 REKATs. In 1 REKAT a muslim has to read the Holy Scriptures from Quran (known as ayets) and prostrate two times to God in the end of the rekat. So in morning prayers we read (from memory of course) 4 prayers and 8 prostrations which takes around 5 mins for a healthy male.(old people cannot afford those movements so easily and if they completely cannot do that, then they do not have to do.).On the other hand Noon Prayers are 10 Rekats and they take longer. In a whole day a muslim will make prayers total of 4+10+8+5+13=40 rekats, almost 1 hour a day. Noon Prayers of friday are a different issue. They are much like Sunday ceremonies of Christians, a gathering of believers and enpowerment of public unity. Also in friday prayers the Imam(like priest) reads loud a hutbe to people, memorizing attenders what a true muslim should do about the topic of the hutbe. So for instance if crime rates increase recently, hutbe points out that problem or if it is the Ramadan month, hutbe will be about solidarity and etc... Due to hutbe, friday prayers take a little bit longer. In modern Turkey it is not easy to attend Friday prayers because it is a working day.

huh? Morning is 2, Noon and afternoon 4, sundown 3 and then night 4.

EDIT: 1 rekat is from the start of your reciting the first scripture untill you get up again after prostrating. Didn't read carefully jz now

 

[Favorius]

@Sashie VII,
I didnot enter detail in order prevent our fellow non-muslim have their minds confused. Of course morning is 2, noon, afternoon and night is 4 and evening is 3 if we count only farzs.But I also included sunneth because in Turkey we practise our prayers like that. I am sorry, I do not know about Malaysia. BTW, farz means what God orders to us to do and sunnet means examples of Muhammed(s.a.v). So to clarify, for example noon prayers 10 rekats, 4 of them are farzs, the amount we ought to do and the rest 6 rekats are sunnets, which means our prophet prayed extra 6 rekats in his lifetime and we muslim try to cope his examples.

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

What if, looking at the vastness of space and the pettyness of the Earth, realize "OMG, this is a waste of time!"?

It is a big waste of time, which probably means it'll be abandoned. They'll probably just come up with some modified version of Muslim rites in space that are more convenient. This reminds me of this:


http://www.orionsarm.com/polities/Stellar_Umma.html

 

[Sashie VII]

@Sashie VII,
I didnot enter detail in order prevent our fellow non-muslim have their minds confused. Of course morning is 2, noon, afternoon and night is 4 and evening is 3 if we count only farzs.But I also included sunneth because in Turkey we practise our prayers like that. I am sorry, I do not know about Malaysia. BTW, farz means what God orders to us to do and sunnet means examples of Muhammed(s.a.v). So to clarify, for example noon prayers 10 rekats, 4 of them are farzs, the amount we ought to do and the rest 6 rekats are sunnets, which means our prophet prayed extra 6 rekats in his lifetime and we muslim try to cope his examples.

Apologies. Language probs really getting to me

Hereabouts, sunneth is practised also. However, some are skipped (since it's not compulsory) when it is more convenient to do so. Mostly, a lot of people I know do sunneth prayers (2 rekats) before the farz prayers, when you enter the mosque for Friday prayers etc.