We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this interesting religion news from the Associated Press out of Malaysia: Malaysian cosmonaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will be part of a Russian crew heading to the International Space Station next month.
Sheikh Muszaphar, a medical doctor, was a finalist in the Malaysian Angkasawan space program (space camp for adults). He has trained in Star City, Russia, for 18 months and ended up chosen for the top spot on the crew. He’s also a model and does commercials. He will be Malaysia’s first person in outer space.
But that’s not the most interesting part of the story, according to the AP. Sheikh Muszaphar is a Muslim and takes his faith seriously, which raises the interesting question of how he will determine the direction of Mecca when he prays. And how in the world is Sheikh Muszaphar supposed to kneel when there is no gravity?
“I do agree that I am a Muslim, I am Islamic, but my main priority is more of conducting experiments,” the 35-year-old astronaut said. “As a Muslim, I do hope to do my responsibilities, I do hope to fast in space.”
After months of discussion and two international conferences, the Islamic National Fatwa Council came up with guidelines as to how Muslim astronauts should observe daily rituals. The rules were published in 12-page booklet titled “Muslim Obligations in the International Space Station.”
Observant Muslims are required to turn toward Mecca — located in Saudi Arabia — and kneel and pray five times a day. However, with the space station circling the Earth 16 times a day, kneeling in zero gravity to pray — or facing toward Mecca for that matter — makes fulfilling those religious obligations difficult.
Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council ruled that Muslim astronauts will not be required to kneel to pray if the absence of gravity makes it too hard. Facing Mecca while praying will be left to the “best abilities” of the astronaut, the council said.
Why did it take two conferences and so much talk to come up with such basic and sensible rules? The story doesn’t tell us what the controversies and sides were, which is too bad.
Space travel has always posed interesting theological questions to people of all faiths. Politician-fighter pilot-ordained Presbyterian elder-corporate executive John Glenn faced a difficult life-or-death situation in 1962 when questions arose about whether the heat shield on the Mercury Atlas 6 might fail. Friends assured Glenn’s mother that if Glenn died in space, God was still in control of Glenn’s soul outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
Sheikh Muszaphar’s spiritual challenges and questions will hopefully rest at how and where he should pray while in space.
Time had a great article in 1969 about the spiritual issues in space travel. Apparently space travel was a hot topic for pastors in their sermons, and — believe it or not — politics played a part back then in theological issues:
Certainly one of the biggest spiritual problems posed by man’s conquest of space is the new perspective that he will have from which to contemplate himself and God. Although the question is not a new one, man’s journey in the cosmos raises again the issue of whether he and his planet enjoy the special favor of God, as set forth in Scripture. Space exploration, suggests Dr. Bernard Loomer of Berkeley Baptist Divinity School, “may reinforce the idea that man may not be the most important thing in creation. Say that out there we find persons superior to us, as we consider ourselves superior to dogs?”
… The Rev. Jules Moreau, professor of church history at Seabury-Western (Episcopal) Seminary in Evanston, Ill., suggests that the moral issues of imperialism and religious elitism, which were raised by Europeans when they began colonizing the rest of the world, also confront modern man as he prepares to colonize space. A modest but perplexing dilemma would result from the discovery of intelligent beings elsewhere in the universe. The question then would be: Should Christians attempt to convert their celestial neighbors? Extraterrestrial evangelism might not be necessary, suggests Dr. Per Massing of the Boston University School of Theology. “If God has revealed himself to people on another planet,” he says, “that revelation must be essentially in agreement with that which he revealed to us — given the assumption that the Christian faith in its essence is true.”
There’s no mention in Time’s article about the troubles a Muslim could have in praying toward Mecca. I guess it wasn’t an issue back then to the publication’s predominantly American readership. It makes me wonder what other issues could be raised in a thorough study. Unfortunately the issue hasn’t been explored that significantly since. Perhaps it’s time for an update?
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Comments (19) |
September 24, 2007, at 12:42 pm
And when is Shabbes in orbit? Must one rest every seventh revolution? Or go by sunset at the launch site?
Since Moslems in North America have trouble agreeing on which way to face for prayers, it should not be surprising that space travel presents difficulty.
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September 24, 2007, at 12:52 pm
With all due respect, being spiritual is not primarily about ritual observance of any Tradition. There was a succinct statement in this holy book I heard about somewhere … Something about “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly …” And then some prophet guy said something, if memory serves, about loving thy neighbor as thyself. You may have heard similar stuff, I think it’s kind of out there in the culture.
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September 24, 2007, at 1:05 pm
Extraterrestrial evangelism! Whoa. Times have changed. This sounds like a bad movie idea now (though humorous).
Thanks for the Time magazine reference.
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September 24, 2007, at 2:06 pm
“With all due respect, being spiritual is not primarily about ritual observance of any Tradition.”
Says your tradition…
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September 24, 2007, at 2:15 pm
A somewhat older but related bit of news here.
That Time article is very interesting. It reminded me of The Sparrow, a science fiction novel about extraterrestrial evangelism. The protagonist is a jesuit, appropriately enough. Another jesuit-in-space novel is James Blish’s “A case of conscience”.
Also, the problem of organizing muslim prayer in strange new environments is not new. For example, Tamerlane’s armies reached far to the north, to regions of very long summer days. That required some adjustements.
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September 24, 2007, at 2:21 pm
From what I read on the MSNBC site http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18404517/ the need for the extended discussion was not just a matter of those two items but a review of many different factors such as what to do if there is no Halal food, dress codes, possibly postponing the Ramadan fast.
But the real issue I have is that no where can I find a link to the actual booklet. That is a great, gaping hole in the coverage.
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September 24, 2007, at 3:37 pm
Is there a similar problem for those whose tradition requires facing east when praying morning prayers?
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September 24, 2007, at 4:09 pm
I agree with Jerry that a link to the booklet would be nice. The issues of religion in space at present might best be looked at as the problem of mixing religions in a pressurized tin can travelling at 17,500 mph. How about rules for prayer for the other astronauts? I wonder if other faiths have manuals as well. Let’s see, Compline every 16 revolutions anyone?
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September 24, 2007, at 4:24 pm
I’m trying to remeber if the Muslim cleric in the movie “Pitch Dark” did any praying, and if so, which way he faced.
Anyone recall? They were on another planed entirely.
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September 24, 2007, at 5:29 pm
I suppose he could simply face forward; the ISS passes over that region regularly, so Mecca in a sense is always “ahead.”
Space flight brings some new quandries to the religious practices table. One of the Expedition 13 crew, Col. Jeff Williams, brought along consecrated communion elements on his mission (or they were sent up on supply missions; I’m not certain which.) What is salutary practice re: the Lord’s Supper when flying space missions, perhaps especially when one considers the possibility of extended-duration space travel (e.g., a mission to Mars)?
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September 24, 2007, at 9:39 pm
If a particula side or poiint would continue toace the earth all the tie wherever the space capsule is at any time , the one who wants to face Mecca or any city can do his prayers facing that poin which will b in alignment with the center of the earth,In soafar as he space capsue is concerned , the earth is the point at which mecca or any city is located ..The problem of dirction woud be there only on earth and not in spce where there is no direction at all.
If there are other lives inany planet elsewher in space , it is immaterial iof ‘god had revealsed himself to them or ot ,mankind should be intelligent enough to let them remain inpeace withuot interfereing with rthem in any manner and not disturb their peace by resorting to idiotic coversion Holy chrushade and Jihad etc.Humanity should not arrogate toi tiself the fucntion of god in the new planet as god Knows what to when to do and whre to do.God should already be repenting that the man on earthhad sought him out and killed the peace of he planet .Let god be in peace elsewhere at least where the man of the earth is not present now .
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September 25, 2007, at 12:44 am
Tim mentioned one of my interests: science fiction with religious themes from Cordwainer Smith’s use of “old strong religion” to refer to Christianity in his “Rediscovery of Man” stories to the only Tibetan Buddhist science fiction story I’ve ever read, “Neon Lotus”, to the TV show Babylon 5’s use of religion, Orson Scott Card’s Mormon-inspired stories etc.
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September 25, 2007, at 1:05 am
Actually, Will, the subject of Sabbath in space has been addressed. The space shuttle Columbia on its ill-fated final flight carried an Israeli astronaut. And the rabbinical scholars had great debates about how this person was to observe the Sabbath. Seems the Sabbath is not defined by a calender but by when the sixth sundown arrives. As the shuttle orbits earth, two or three “sundowns” occur each day. So, should the Israeli astronaut rest for several hours every other day?
Interestingly a group of rabbis claimed Sabbath did not need to be observed if the person was performing duties upon which the lives of others were dependent. But even that was in dispute.
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September 25, 2007, at 9:20 am
Cracking post, Raghavan - the idea of God running away to another planet in order to escape these meddling humans and have peace makes me quite happy somehow. Maybe I should become screenwriter
Linked to the ‘Sabbath in Space’ question: do Muslims observing Ramadan (which is happening at present) get to eat every time the Sun dips behind the Earth? And how about behind the Moon? There’s evening and morning up there too …
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September 25, 2007, at 10:33 am
hi,
this question is absolutely confusing but i’m sure that he can do well in his journey on space,somehow i have a belief that he would be safe and God won’t let him die because he is in an important mission.i’m proud of him and i know that he would succeed with flying colors.
he’s a true malaysian and a true muslim.
i wish him good luck and safe journey.
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September 25, 2007, at 3:53 pm
Luna,
May God be with all of the space travellers.
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September 25, 2007, at 7:54 pm
> As the shuttle orbits earth, two or
> three “sundowns†occur each day.
Even more, in fact. The shuttle (and ISS) orbit the earth approximately every 90 minutes, so they see 15 or 16 sundowns each Earth day!
Ilan Ramon, the STS-107 crew member, was not the first Jew in space, but he was the first Israeli, and as such wanted to be a good example. He observed the Sabbath in sync with Kennedy Space Center. The rabbi he consulted with deemed that the point of departure from Earth served as the touchpoint for such things.
I found it ironic that Ramon characterized himself as a “secular” Jew on Earth, and apparently was not observant of Jewish law or custom. But as the first Israeli he wanted to honor his country and heritage. There were some necessary compromises to that; while he could eat kosher on the mission, he had to work on the Sabbath.
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September 26, 2007, at 9:20 am
Ah, but Judy’s tradition, as I recall, has a good number of rituals, so it makes a rather poor excuse for claiming the moral high ground because “We are more Spiritual than Them.”
I do not know of any Judaeo-Christian branch which COMMANDS facing a particular direction, on a level with the qibla. (I think Bahais are supposed to face Acre (there is a qibla calculator on the Web), and Thelemites have to face toward Boleskine for certain rituals.) Nowadays, when churches are built according to the street grid, or just facing any old way, liturgists treat wherever the high altar is as “east” — or “liturgical east”.
(You know the difference between a terrorist and a liturgist? You can negotiate with a terrorist.)
In one of Poul Anderson’s stories a character feels like praying “but Mecca was probably in a ridiculous direction.”
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September 26, 2007, at 10:44 am
The Muslim in ISS guideline is available below.
http://www.islam.gov.my/portal/pdf/ibadahIss.pdf
it is not in English!..
.
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