Muslims in Space: You Can't Hear Them Scream

[Matt308]

Malaysia Creates Religious Guidelines for Muslim Astronauts

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Muslim-majority Malaysia's first astronaut will get guidelines allowing flexibility in praying in zero gravity and eating space meals under Islamic rules, the country space chief said Monday.

The government-prepared advice is for a Malaysian joining a Russian scientific mission on the International Space Station in October, Malaysia's National Space Agency chief Mazlan Othman told The Associated Press.

Officials have previously said an Islamic code of conduct in space is necessary because few Muslims have embarked on such expeditions, and there have been no standardized guidelines for them.

Malaysia's two finalists for the voyage, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Faiz Khaleed, are now training in Moscow. They were selected from more than 10,000 candidates.

Malaysia held a forum for Islamic scholars in April 2006 to discuss problems Muslim space travelers might face, such as pinpointing the Saudi holy city of Mecca, which Muslims are expected face when they pray five times a day.

The guideline booklet, published this month, says the direction should be determined "according to the capability" of the astronaut.

Those in space during the holy fasting month of Ramadan — when Muslims are required to go without food or water from sunrise to sunset — can choose to fast then or to make up for it when they return, the booklet says.

The first Malaysian astronaut's stint will likely overlap with Ramadan, which starts in mid-September this year.

If Muslim astronauts doubt whether a meal is halal, or prepared according to Islamic rules, they "should consume it only to the extent of restraining hunger," the guidelines say.

The astronaut must be dressed decently whenever in public view, which involves covering at least the portion of the body between the navel and the knees for men. Both of the finalists for Malaysia's first astronaut are males.

Maintaining Islamic beliefs "is mandatory for Muslims in every situation, time and place," Mustafa Abdul Rahman, who heads Malaysia's state-run Department of Islamic Development, said in the guidelines.

"Circumstances on the ISS which are different from circumstances on Earth are not an obstacle for an astronaut to fulfill a Muslim's obligations," he said.

Other Muslims who have gone to space include Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan bin Salman, who went aboard the U.S. shuttle Discovery in 1985, and Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American telecommunications entrepreneur who went to the ISS in September 2006.

[Erich]

well hear ya go astro lunes suck on your striped bass and listen to this you space=cadets

YouTube - Holy Wars / MEGADETH

[DOUGRD]

I wonder if the Ragheads will smell as much in the ISS as they do here?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by Erich

well hear ya go astro lunes suck on your striped bass and listen to this you space=cadets

YouTube - Holy Wars / MEGADETH

Hell yeah! I will be hearing that live in less than 4 weeks.

Okay sorry I got off topic, lets get back on topic.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by DOUGRD

I wonder if the Ragheads will smell as much in the ISS as they do here?

While your post does not offend me (hell I used the term as well especially when I was in the middle east), bit lets try and refrain from using the term Ragheads. We dont like people calling other derogatory names or whatever based off there herritage or home so lets not do it either to the Arabs.

Just call them Arabs.

[Matt308]

That's my fault Adler. I set the tone by stereotyping all Muslims. And I shouldn't have. But dang if I don't get a bit upset that they don't police themselves and their crazies like the rest of the world.

Wonder if they will have to interrupt ISS activities to allow for prayers or if EVAs will have to be bootless? Inquiring minds want to know.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I hear you Matt...

[Erich]

the world is spending so much time on their kind it's nauseating............sorry gents but I find this whole space thing a crack up.

let's get on with life shall we

[amrit]

Originally Posted by Erich

the world is spending so much time on their kind it's nauseating............

I'm not sure you mean by "their kind". Whilst not being a Muslim myself, I am of a different ethnicity and religion from most of the other members. It has been interesting reading about peoples' views on Islam, especially in light of the media focus on the activities of some of them. On the whole, I think people have been asking genuine questions. For example, the above question on the stipulations on Muslims going into space seems valid - I've just been reading on the Koran's stipulations on fasting during Ramadhan and there are passgaes that state that a Muslim who is travelling may defer fasting to a later date.

However, I do find it troublesome that some members' only comments on Islam seem to be in the negative. Maybe as an ethnic minority, I am being overly sensitive but I have often faced situations where the majority have been lumped in with the minority. My personal experience of this is the death of family members who were innocently killed after the assassination of the Indian PM Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguard.

The fact that the majority of Sikhs had nothing to do with this act, and did not follow the politics of this fringe group didn't stop the aggressive reactions of the mobs of attacked them.

Other everyday examples of racism based purely on the way I look, or what religion I may follow, or even mistaking me for another group altogether (which is no excuse) does make life rather difficult.

So, whilst I applaud the forum for discussing current politics, I would just ask one thing - you can't lump everyone together.

Cheers
A

p.s. I'm not accussing anyone of racism - so I hope no-one takes offence at my little contribution.

[Matt308]

Your right, amrit. And, as I noted above, I am guilty of stereotyping muslims. However, I also believe that being politically correct and not discussing the origins of these stereotypes hides some truths that are important to understanding these differences and affecting change.

I have very succinct problem with Muslims and their religion. Their religion appears to not just be "less than mainstream". Rather, their religion appears to be more than mildly oppressive as a minimum and perhaps extremely violent in basis at the other end of the spectrum. Irrespective, I am supremely dis-gusted that the supposed "Muslim moderates" do not better police their fringe fanatics that have hijacked their "peaceful" religion. Sure there are examples, but for the most part it appears that voicing intolerance with Western culture and insipid activities to change the rest of the world are more important than exhibiting intolerance of these violent offshoots of their own religion.

Actions speak louder than words and, with the exception of some trivial lipservice, I don't see the Muslim community up in arms over either of these actions.

Thus, my stereotyping will continue.

[Njaco]

My feelings exactly, Matt. I have no bias for the Muslim religion but when it fosters death across the earth without restraints, I'll always speak out against it.

And don't think that its not just Arab muslims. American Muslims headed by Farakhan are just as bad with their racist garbage.

[amrit]

I can understand what you are saying Matt, but I think history shows that the majority in any do not or cannot "police" the fringe elements within them, without help and understanding. This had previously been the case in Christianity (e.g. the IRA/UVF), Sikhism (the Khalsa movement was an ultra-religious fringe group, who in many ways make current Islamic extremists look like pussies - the only reason that they didn't receive the same international coverage is because of the size of the Sikh population and the localised activities), Judaism (the West Bank settlers were perceived as an extreme by most of my Jewish friends - however, for a long time they were supported by a state apparatus - only when opinions started changing within Israel itself did some action start taking place)......and so on.

Neither am I saying that shy away from discussing these issues due to a "fear" or whatever term one wants to use, of PCism.

But the vast majority of Muslims live in poor, mainly ill-educated communities, whose many concern is the day-to-day survival of themselves and their families. Again, I would draw a parallel with Northern Ireland. Whilst the majority of Catholics did not actively support the IRA and their armed activities, a lot did support their basic principle of stopping discrimination against the Catholics. However, the media activelly interpreted this as overtly supporting and colluding with them. Even when Catholics actively demonstrated against IRA activities, the hype never stopped.

It was only after the governments of both Ireland and Britain started negotiating, and supporting this "silent" majority, that the IRA saw that they didn't have the support they thought or needed to continue.

How would this work within Islamic countries? I honestly don't know. But I think a basically starting principle should be acknowledging that the majority aren't at fault, and building up their support AGAINST the fringe minority. Look at Afghanistan - for the continuing problems, the fall of the Taliban has had a profound affect on their society. The Taliban may still be a military threat - but socially, the Afghans are trying to sort out their problems in their own way, as befits their societal needs. What did it take? Help and understanding.

Sorry matt, this has turned into an essay

[Matt308]

Yep.

Sorry amrit, our posts collided. I was responding to Njaco.

And you post was not an essay. A well thought out post actually.

[Erich]

do not assume anything of what I said as being racist. Maybe I should of put Muslim maybe Islam. Ever since 9/11 we as a nation in fact the world have been so concerned about everything the Mulsims do, whether it be movements in the world, what they eat, what they believe, where they live, when they have sex and now space travel.

let's give it a break shall we ? I hope now my point is clear. I did not come onto these forums some years ago to talk about a nation of people that has an adjenda whether anyone sees that as being truthful or not, I came on this forums to talk about a/c WW 2 and otherwise ............... I think we have all strayed

[Matt308]

I recognize its a sore point, Erich. But these discussions on issue unrelated to WWII aircraft are healthy too.

I'm just converting the world one person at a time.