Determining the Qiblah on the Moon

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

:sl:

Question: If a person goes to the Moon, in which direction must he or she pray, since the Ka`bah is on Earth. I know that I m not there and do not need the answer fro practicla purposes, but I would still be interested in the answer for my general knowledge.

Answered by the Scientific Research Committee - IslamToday.net

This is a simple matter. The same rulings in Islamic Law regarding the determination of the qiblah on the Earth are employed for the Moon.

The general rule of Islamic Law is that a person must pray in the general direction of the Ka`bah, not the specific point of the Ka`bah. Since the Moon is so far away from the Earth, the Earth itself would be the general direction of the Ka`bah. Since the Moon is tidally locked to the Earth (it always shows the same face to the Earth), the direction of the Earth never changes relative to any place on the Moon.

Since the Moon, like the Earth, is basically spherical, the qiblah would be determined by reference to the point on the surface on the Moon nearest to the direction of the Earth. The qiblah direction for any location on the Moon would be determined by the shortest straight-line trajectory over the surface of the moon to that point. This is the same way it is determined on Earth. On Earth, the shortest straight-line trajectory to Mecca over the Earth’s surface from any other location in the world is the Qiblah direction for that location.

And Allah knows best. (SOURCE)

:w:

[Muslim Soldier]

thanx

[Mohsin]

:sl:

Question: If a person goes to the Moon, in which direction must he or she pray, since the Ka`bah is on Earth. I know that I m not there and do not need the answer fro practicla purposes, but I would still be interested in the answer for my general knowledge.

Answered by the Scientific Research Committee - IslamToday.net

This is a simple matter. The same rulings in Islamic Law regarding the determination of the qiblah on the Earth are employed for the Moon.

The general rule of Islamic Law is that a person must pray in the general direction of the Ka`bah, not the specific point of the Ka`bah. Since the Moon is so far away from the Earth, the Earth itself would be the general direction of the Ka`bah. Since the Moon is tidally locked to the Earth (it always shows the same face to the Earth), the direction of the Earth never changes relative to any place on the Moon.

Since the Moon, like the Earth, is basically spherical, the qiblah would be determined by reference to the point on the surface on the Moon nearest to the direction of the Earth. The qiblah direction for any location on the Moon would be determined by the shortest straight-line trajectory over the surface of the moon to that point. This is the same way it is determined on Earth. On Earth, the shortest straight-line trajectory to Mecca over the Earth’s surface from any other location in the world is the Qiblah direction for that location.

And Allah knows best. (SOURCE)

:w:

Lol i always find it funny when someone asks in a talk which direction we would pray if we were on the moon or in space exploring, and the scholar would reply "what you doing there come back down to earth and explore the Qur'an first"

Anyway, more seriously, linked to the subject i suppose. When would you pray your 5 times a day prayers, if you were in such a place on earth wher it never got dark. I saw a film one time long ago, Insomnia, where Al pacino was in such a place that it never got dark there. I was thinking to myself what would muslims do if they lived there? any idea?

[saidaharther]

salam alaikum
but isnt those questions not good because no one has been to moon yet (from muslim) so its just asking un necessary question

allahu alim but i dont think they are very useful, many people ask many question that are unuseful these days
salam alaikum