Question
How should people perform Salaat and fast in such places where the day is 23 hours long, or in places where the sun does not set for six months? In these places of abnormal times, I have been confused by some weird ‘fatwas’ issued recently by a sheikh. Another person writes the following: “Now in the UK, as well as Canada, Norway and any country above 48.5 degrees latitude, the whiteness never actually disappears at some times of the year. Also, for any place above 54.5 degrees latitude, which includes my birth town of Middlesbrough, the redness in the sky also does not disappear. This happens from around May 18th until July 25th (depending on where you are located.” In the sixth Islamic century, Muhammad ibn Abi Qasim al-Baqali al-Khawarizmi issued the following ruling (‘fatwa’) “The time of Isha does not occur and therefore there is no Isha prayer”, Shams al-Aimmah al-Hilwani al-Bukhari disagreed and said that “there is Isha prayer because there is compulsion of prayer within the religion and this (compulsion) is not lifted due to the time (not occurring).” Imam Baqali responded by giving the following pertinent example: “When a person has his hand cut off, does he need to do a
Answer
The conundrum is the effect of modernists latching on to technicalities to find the easiest way out, and the easiest way in terms of the technicalities of some Ulama is that in certain abnormal times zones Salaat is Fardh five times in the whole year.
We are simple people and we set aside the technicalities for it is easy for us to understand that one of the fundamental articled of Imaan is the performance of five Fardh Salaat in 24 hours.
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had informed the Sahaabah that Dajjaal will dwell on earth for 40 days. One day will be as long as a year, one day as long as a month, one day as long as a week, and the balance of the days will be as normal. They asked whether Salaat on the day equal to a year will be only five times (in that whole year). Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) responded: “NO!” Calculate the time.” That is, in the 24 hours perform the five Salaat. Divide the time suitably to accommodate the five Salaat.
How should this time be calculated? The Fuqaha have explained several ways. One way is to take the times of the nearest location in that region where sunrise, sunset, etc. are normal. This is the simplest solution. In
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