Dear brothers and sisters around the globe
Fasting times days during summer in North Pole nations (like Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland) is found very long. I remember, in the year 1989 during summer season, I had to fast almost 21 hours. Those are the longest days I fasted in my life. The more surprising than this is, during the month of July and August in many Northern nations son sets for an hour or so and some places it does not sets for days. The fasting in those places almost become impossible as one may hardly observe sunset. This year, we all will insh-Allah be fasting during the month of August. It will be the same situation in many nations as I experienced in 1989. Alhamdulillah, there are many Muslim brothers and sisters in those countries and observe fasting and prayers as commanded by Rabbe Karim Allah.
One of our dear Swedish sister in Islam Ms. Farhat Gunnarsdottir, forwarded a mail, which I received from my dear sister in Islam Ms. Halima Herborg in Iceland, where a Fatwa from Al-Azhar is quoted about the timing of Ramadhan (Fasting) in North pole nations during summer time.
Thanks for their kind sending of the following mail to us. I want to share the views with all of you.
Translation from Arabic to English
An extract from a Fatwa no. 575/2010-11-21 by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif
__________________________________________________________ In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
We believe that Muslims living near to the North and South poles and what is close to them; in which the days are long and nights short; have two choices when it comes to fasting Ramadan:
- Either to abide by the timings of the countries in which the Islamic legislations appeared and in which day and night hours are in moderation (Mecca and Medina). That is, to fast the same number of hours as these two cities.
-Or to calculate the hours of fasting in the closest country, in which day and night hours are in moderation; and in which the wisdom of Allah Almighty’s decree of Prayers and Fasting is maintained without resulting in too much exhaustion or fatigue.
As it might not be easy to calculate the closest country to Sweden that maintains this status, we are more inclined towards proposing that Muslims who live in Sweden and other countries with the same situation, to fast the exact number of hours that Muslims fast in Mecca and Medina. Taking into factor, that their fasting starts at the time of Fadjr in their location [Sweden, etc.], without taking into account their day and night hours, nor having to wait for sunset or nightfall to stop fasting.
We reached this conclusion in accordance with what scholars pursue when it comes to estimating the timings of Prayers and Fasting and following the orders of Allah and His guidance in the Holy Quran, as Allah in His mercy says: {Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.} (Surat Albaqarah 2: 185). Allah Almighty also says: {Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity.} (Surat Albaqarah 2: 286).
Allah Almighty knows best.
Members of the Fatwa committee
1- Sheikh / Ashour Al-Wakil (Signature)
2- Sheikh /Mohammad Mohammad Awis (Signature)
3- Sheikh / Gamal Abd Al-Samih (Signature)
4- Sheikh / Al-Sayed Al-Kasas (Signature)
Secretary of the committee
Said Amer (Signature)
Seal:* Al-Azhar Al-Sharif
Islamic research complex
*ملاحظات المترجم.
أشهد أن هذه الترجمة مطابقة للنص الأصلي باللغة الإنجليزية:
That it is a true translation to Arabic language of the attached document in the English language certifies:
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Nabil Saad/ نبيل سعد
Arabic translatorمترجم عربي
Maskrosg. 17, 417 20 GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN Tel. +46 (0) 707217772
This posting brings for all of our Muslim brothers and sisters in those nations
