Determining the Qiblah in Prayer on an Airplane
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa No. ( 2645 )
Q: I hope your highness will inform me about the problem of prayer on an airplane while traveling on it, when it is flying in the air, separated from the ground by a number of kilometers, and sometimes deviating from the Qiblah. We have researched this issue; some say that the prayer is valid because it is flying in the air adjacent to the earth, while others say it is between the earth and the clouds, and since the one praying has separated from the earth, the prayer is invalid.
A: It is permissible for a person to pray on an airplane; due to the generality of the evidence for the obligation of performing prayer when its time enters, and there is no difference in this between one who is on land, in the air, or at sea. One should face the Qiblah as much as possible, and if the airplane deviates from the Qiblah during the prayer, one should continue in his prayer facing the Qiblah as much as possible, and there is no blame on him for that; due to the generality of the evidence for the ease of the Shari'ah, including the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:286]
As for the voluntary prayer, he may pray in the direction of its movement. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I hope your highness will inform me about the problem of prayer on an airplane while traveling on it, when it is flying in the air, separated from the ground by a number of kilometers, and sometimes deviating from the Qiblah. We have researched this issue; some say that the prayer is valid because it is flying in the air adjacent to the earth, while others say it is between the earth and the clouds, and since the one praying has separated from the earth, the prayer is invalid.
A: It is permissible for a person to pray on an airplane; due to the generality of the evidence for the obligation of performing prayer when its time enters, and there is no difference in this between one who is on land, in the air, or at sea. One should face the Qiblah as much as possible, and if the airplane deviates from the Qiblah during the prayer, one should continue in his prayer facing the Qiblah as much as possible, and there is no blame on him for that; due to the generality of the evidence for the ease of the Shari'ah, including the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلا وُسْعَهَاAs for the voluntary prayer, he may pray in the direction of its movement. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.