Regarding the Muslims who live in the northern hemisphere and the length of their nights and days, how do they determine the times of prayer?
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The questioner : May Allah keep you safe, O Shaykh. Regarding the Muslims who live in the northern hemisphere, and what happens to them, I mean regarding the times, the day in summer is very long.
The Shaykh : Do you live there?
The questioner : No, O Shaykh, I went there.
The Shaykh : Yes, and I lived with them.
The questioner : No, they asked me.
The Shaykh : Okay, how long did you stay with them?
The questioner : I stayed for two weeks, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Okay, what did you do?
The questioner : No, I didn’t go to the region itself, but I was south of them.
The Shaykh : You said you went to them now?
The questioner : No, the ones who live there asked me. I met them in the south, in the same country.
The Shaykh : And what did you say?
The questioner : I did not issue a fatwa for them. I know, O Shaykh, that your fatwa is that...
The Shaykh : I am asking you what you said, not asking about my fatwa.
The questioner : I did not issue a fatwa for them, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I said, I do not know.
The questioner : Yes, but I remember the fatwa is to estimate it for them. However, I did not imagine, I mean, specifying this estimate.
The Shaykh : Yes, in any case, there is no doubt that they estimate it for them, because when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke about the Dajjal, and that the first day would be like a year, they said, “O Messenger of Allah, will one day’s prayer suffice us in it?” He said, “No, estimate it for them.” And based on this, we say to these people: estimate it for them. Then, what is the estimate? Some scholars say to estimate it as half and half, meaning twenty-four hours are considered a day and a night with five prayers. Some say to look at the nearest place to them that has night and day, and they take that as their standard. Some say to refer to the timing of Makkah in this matter, because Allah named it the Mother of Cities, so it is the mother and the reference. And as long as it is difficult to act in the region, they refer to the original, which is the mother. The closest opinion to me among these three opinions is that they consider what is around them and follow it.
The questioner : ... twenty hours.
The Shaykh : Yes, but did you not know that twenty hours are cold? They do not suffer hardship from thirst, correct? They suffer hardship from hunger. And if it is estimated that they suffer hardship and they cannot bear it, they break their fast and make up the days on other days.
The questioner : ... three hours...
The Shaykh : There are only two prayers during the day.
The questioner : No, but I mean Fajr...
The Shaykh : The important thing is to estimate it. Now, do you think the difference between Dhuhr and Asr...
The Shaykh : Do you live there?
The questioner : No, O Shaykh, I went there.
The Shaykh : Yes, and I lived with them.
The questioner : No, they asked me.
The Shaykh : Okay, how long did you stay with them?
The questioner : I stayed for two weeks, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Okay, what did you do?
The questioner : No, I didn’t go to the region itself, but I was south of them.
The Shaykh : You said you went to them now?
The questioner : No, the ones who live there asked me. I met them in the south, in the same country.
The Shaykh : And what did you say?
The questioner : I did not issue a fatwa for them. I know, O Shaykh, that your fatwa is that...
The Shaykh : I am asking you what you said, not asking about my fatwa.
The questioner : I did not issue a fatwa for them, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I said, I do not know.
The questioner : Yes, but I remember the fatwa is to estimate it for them. However, I did not imagine, I mean, specifying this estimate.
The Shaykh : Yes, in any case, there is no doubt that they estimate it for them, because when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke about the Dajjal, and that the first day would be like a year, they said, “O Messenger of Allah, will one day’s prayer suffice us in it?” He said, “No, estimate it for them.” And based on this, we say to these people: estimate it for them. Then, what is the estimate? Some scholars say to estimate it as half and half, meaning twenty-four hours are considered a day and a night with five prayers. Some say to look at the nearest place to them that has night and day, and they take that as their standard. Some say to refer to the timing of Makkah in this matter, because Allah named it the Mother of Cities, so it is the mother and the reference. And as long as it is difficult to act in the region, they refer to the original, which is the mother. The closest opinion to me among these three opinions is that they consider what is around them and follow it.
The questioner : ... twenty hours.
The Shaykh : Yes, but did you not know that twenty hours are cold? They do not suffer hardship from thirst, correct? They suffer hardship from hunger. And if it is estimated that they suffer hardship and they cannot bear it, they break their fast and make up the days on other days.
The questioner : ... three hours...
The Shaykh : There are only two prayers during the day.
The questioner : No, but I mean Fajr...
The Shaykh : The important thing is to estimate it. Now, do you think the difference between Dhuhr and Asr...