REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Ikhwanul Kiram Mashuri

How do you Ramadan fasting when you’re in the country where the sun never sets? For example, as happened in the city of Tromso, in the heart of the northern regions of Norway. In the period from late May to late July, the island city surrounded by snow-covered mountains was familiar with what was called the phenomenon of 'midnight sun', namely the sunset was not visible until midnight. The city was located about 250 km north of the Arctic Circle, Norway, was now there were about 1000 Muslims.

Or, how do you fasting in a country that have very long time afternoon until it reach 21 hours as in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland?

Subhanallah. Glory to Allah, Who created the heaven, and the earth, Who created night and day and evening and morning. Glory to Allah, Who has created a different time in between countries. In the month of Ramadan today, for example, there are countries which have very long afternoon and on the contrary some countries has very short afternoon.

In Denmark, for example, the duration of dawn until sunset reached 21 hours, while in Sweden, Norway, and Iceland reached an average of 20 hours, in the England reached 18 hours 59 minutes, and in Germany reached 18 hours 9 minutes. While in Argentina, the distance of dawn till Maghrib just 12 hours 21 minutes, in Brazil and Chile 12.5 hours to 13 hours. In Canada 18 hours 9 minutes, while in the United States, precisely in Washington DC the duration of dawn until Maghrib reached 16 hours 44 minutes.

Meanwhile, in Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia reached 16 hours 13 minutes, United Arab Emirates 15 hours 23 minutes, and Kuwait 15 hours 59 minutes. However, in the Ramadan month, the air temperature in these countries was expected to reach over 50 degrees Celsius alias a half of boiling hot water. Meanwhile in African countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria the distance of dawn till Maghrib reached 16 to 17.5 hours per day.

How about in India and Pakistan? In the two countries, the distance of dawn till Maghrib reached 17 hours and 16.5 hours. Whereas in the Asia-Russia the time almost the same as in Europe, namely 20 hours 49 minutes. The shortest duration occurred in Australia, which was only 10 hours.

Then how about Muslims in these countries do the Ramadan fasting now?

Sheikh Hussein Mohammed Halawa, Secretary General of the European Council for Fatwa and Research / ECFR said that Islam is an easy religion. Citing Surah al-Baqarah verse 185, he said, 'Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you.'

In the previous paragraph, al-Baqarah 184, Allah said, '' So whoever among you is ill or on a journey (and he breaking the fast), then (he is obligated to fasting) from days that he left it on other days. And it is obligatory for people who felt heavy when do it (if they do not fast) to pay fidyah, (namely) to feed a poor person. ''

Based on the Quran’s verses, he said further, as quoted Aljazeera.net, ECFR need to issue a fatwa for Muslims which were residing in Europe, especially in countries with a very long afternoon. ECFR fatwa was released after an international conference held in Dublin, Ireland’s capital last week.

This conference involved the scholars, jurisprudents, psychologists, doctors, and astronomers. Before the meeting, the delegates of ECFR had gone to the area north of Sweden and Norway, where the sun never sets. Sheikh Halawa said fatwa issued by ECFR this time was the 'new fatwa for Muslims in Europe'.

ECFR was an agency based in Dublin. It was established in London in 1997 by the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE). One of the initiators was Sheikh Yusuf Qardhawi, the chairman of the World Scholars Association. ECFR members consisted of a number of ulama and Muslim scholars.

Among the fatwa which currently released, related to Muslims who were in a country where the sun never sets, was that they take time in days that day and night in the same length, as a measure of determining a time of fasting and prayer in Ramadan. In other words, times of Ramadan fasting adjusted for the months in which the duration of day and night were equal.

Whereas in countries that were very short night in which no clear sign of dawn and not enough for evening prayers, tarawih, and pre-dawn meal (suhoor), ECFR gave fatwa for two things.

First, look at the last day on which the mark of sunrise and sunset, and Isha time were clearly enough, to be used as guidelines for times of Ramadan worship. Such time usually occurs in late April or early Mei. Second, to Muslims in countries where the night is very short, it is allowed for them to end a pre-dawn meal and fajr prayer before 1 hour 5 minutes from the rising of the sun.

Of the opinion that in countries with a very long afternoon for guided to Mecca at the time of fasting, according to Sheikh Halawah, there was such a view. However, he added, it was the opinion of individual interpretation (ijtihad) of certain scholars, and should not be taken as a hint to the public. The reason, a sign of the five daily prayers in Mecca throughout the year is very clear. It is different from in Europe.

Because of that, in European countries that afternoon are very long, ECFR gave fatwa that they should not be merge Dhuhr prayer with Asr prayer because the sign is clear. While praying Maghrib, Isha, and tarawih, they allowed to merge the prayer in one time because the timing sign is not clear.

As for the countries that the sign time of Isha is clear but very close to the fajr (dawn), it is possible to pray Maghrib and then immediately tarawih prayers before Isha with deadlines 45 minutes. After tarawih, and then Isha prayer. Tarawih prayer is possible in advance of Isha, because tarawih allowed to be implemented anytime in the evening time.

Regarding Muslims who find it difficult to fast during the long afternoon, Sheikh Halawa asserted, Islam is an easy religion. For those who are not strong fasting by some cause, including a long afternoon, is allowed for not fasting and replace it on another day. However, Sheikh Halawa affirmed that fasting is worship imaniyah ruhiyah alias fasting to measure someone’s faith.

By doing so, strong or not strong enough the person to do fasting is return to the person concerned. They could measure themselves. However, if he was not fasting on purpose and there was no reason whatsoever, he was also at a loss, because fasting is the matter between servant / man with his God.

Underscoring the new fatwa for Muslims in Europe from ECFR, I would like to express a few notes. First, Islam is an easy religion but does not oversimplify it. Second, Islam will always be relevant to the times, places, and conditions. Third, all worship is related to the relationship between servant / man and God. Therefore, worship is basically to measure the level of someone's individual faith.

Happy Ramadan fasting. Hopefully with Ramadan fasting and other worship related could make us as human beings of a higher quality. Amen.

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