Question:
How should a person pray in space?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Space is the air, skies. Outer space is the space around the earth.
According to the book Guidelines of Worship in International Space Station (ISS), prayer should be performed as the following:
First: The Determination of Qibla
According to the capability according to the following order:
- Kaaba
- Projection of the Kaaba
- Earth
- Any direction
Second: The Determination of the Time of Prayer
The five daily prayers in the duration of 24 hours (1 day on earth) using the time for prayer the space shuttle took off (with adjustments for area exceeding 45’ north according to the astronaut’s book Kaedah Panduan Falak Syarie (Guideline for Astronomy According to Syarak))
Third: The Methods of Prayer
- Prayers can be performed either in jamak and qasar and it is not necessary to be replaced (qadha’)
- The fi’li (action) requisite is by tying the astronaut according to the suitability of the situation at the ISS according to the following order:
- If he is unable to stand straight, then he can be in a bowing position.
- If he is unable to stand, then he can sit. A person could perform the bowing (ruku’) with his forehead parallel to his knees or the prioritized is with his forehead parallel to the place of prostration.
- If he is unable to sit, then he should perform prayer by lying on his right side while his face is facing the qibla.
- If he is unable to lie on his right side, then he should pray by lying on his back.
- If he is unable to pray lying on his back, then he should pray with his eyes movement signaling every actions of prayer.
- If he is still unable to do so, then he should pray with his heart, imagining the movements of prayer; standing, bowing, prostrating, etc.
- The qauli (recitation) requisites are performed the same way as prayer performed on earth.