Thursday, November 11, 2010

Mosque in the Land of the Midnight Sun

There's a new mosque in Canada but its out of the ordinary because of its remote northern location. Its being called Little Mosque on the Tundra. It was shipped all the way from Manitoba. Poor immigrants freezing all the way up there is what I'm thinking but just think how far Islam has spread! Masha Allah we are seeing something unprecedented. The sun is rising in the west, my fellow Canadians. I'm guessing they have to adjust their prayers accordingly.

Question G3: At polar regions day and night are several months long, so how do Muslims fast and pray in those regions?
Answer: The answer is simpler than what you may think. Polar regions like Norway, Finland, and Alaska have areas where the sun stays below horizon for several months in winter, and stays above horizon for several months in summer. However, there comes a time in every day when the sun is at its highset point (Noon) and at lowest point (Midnight). At temperate latitudes, the highest point is visible but lowest point is below horizon. But at higher latitudes (Polar region, like Norway, Finland, and Alaska) the highest and lowest point occur below horizon in winter (meaning several months long night), and above horizon in summer when the sun never sets for several months (meaning several months long day). But we can calculate those two points and determine Prayer times around those two known times every day. Having determined the prayer times, the fasting time is already set.
For more information in Polar regions read on: http://moonsighting.com/6monthdays.html

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