Ramadan Fast: 15 hours in UAE, 20 in Sweden, just 9 in Argentina
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Published Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Muslims in the Gulf face one of the toughest fasting months this year as Ramadan comes in the middle of the scorching desert summer and involves one of the longest fasting times that exceed 15 hours a day in the first week of the holy month.

Muslims living in the region already know this but most of them probably do not know that such a long fasting period here is dwarfed by the fasting hours for Muslims living in such countries in the Northern Hemisphere as Sweden, Denmark and Finland, where the day could stretch to more than 20 hours.

But this period is an average in the southern parts of those countries, the capital and surrounding areas.

Further north in Sweden and Iceland for example, it never gets dark in most of June and this means that the day could be as long as 24 hours in Ramadan 2015.

“Islam is very clear regarding fasting. It says Muslims must refrain from food and drinks from just before dawn until sunset, but there are exceptions as our religion has always been flexible,” said Sheikh Abdul Basit Dirawi, an Abu Dhabi-based preacher.

“For example, when a fasting Muslims travels by plane to a distant area, the sun could be rising instead of setting. In such a case, he should make a logical estimation. In areas, where the sun never sets, he just has to follow the pattern of the nearest city where it gets dark or seek advice from the nearest scholars if possible.”

On the opposite end of the planet, Muslims in such countries as Argentina enjoy the shortest day, with an average of only around nine hours, below half Sweden’s day.

In Australia, where a large Muslims community lives, the day is little longer than in South America, averaging around 10 hours through Ramadan, which coincides with winter in that continent.


Weather effect

But before you rush to feel sorry for Muslims in the Northern Hemisphere, you should take the weather into consideration.

While the weather in the Northern Hemisphere remains mild in summer and temperatures are relatively low, not exceeding 25 degree, Ramadan in the Arabian Peninsula comes during the hottest period of the year.

Temperatures could be as high as double those in Sweden, with the Saudi government Met centre expecting them to climb to 50 deg C in some areas.

“Ramadan this year comes in the midst of summer which starts on June 21 until September 22. Climatic forecasts show that Ramadan will be very hot and humid and temperatures will climb to record levels in some areas,” the centre said.

It said temperatures in eastern Saudi Arabia, where coastal Gulf countries are located, could soar to 50 degrees in some days during Ramadan while they would range between 40 and 48 in most other parts of the Kingdom.


Sweden & Finland

In recent comments, a Muslim scholar in Sweden said the principles of fasting during Ramadan are clear and that Muslim there must fast all the day.

“There is still day and night, so Muslims should just follow the rule that you fast during the hours of daylight. Sometimes Ramadan falls in the winter, and then the hours of daylight are very short,” Sheikh Mahmoud Khalfi said.

While insisting strict observance of the fasting rules might sound a bit tough on Swedish Muslims, Khalfi noted that fasting can be tough for people in Muslim countries too.

“In very warm countries, such as those in the Sahara, it is not easy, but people fast the whole day anyway,” he said, adding that there were advantages other than the knowledge that people were observing their religious duties.

“It strengthens your will and strengthens your patience. You learn to control your inner desire. It also teaches solidarity with the poor - those who have nothing to eat.”

According to Omar Mustafa, president of the Islamic League in Sweden, there is still no agreement on how Muslims in northern Europe should observe the fast.

"Several imams and organisations have different opinions. It is up to each individual to decide, nut it is not meant that you should fast around the clock. Islam provides many options," Mustafa told a Swedish newspaper recently.

In Finland, a newspaper quoted a Muslim Bangladeshi as saying he was fasting an average 21 hours during Ramadan last year.

“It does not get dark here. It always looks the same.

“The sun is always on the horizon” said Shah Jalal Miah Masud said, who lives in Rovaniemi, nearly 830 kilometres (515 miles) north of the capital Helsinki.

"It is quite difficult to get what the time is actually right now. It is 11 o'clock in the evening and the sun has only just started to dip below the horizon.”

According to a Muslim Imam in Finland, there is another option which reduces the number of fasting hours – mark its duration by the rising and setting of the sun in countries far to the south of Finland.

Imam Abdul Mannan, president of the Islam Society of Northern Finland, said there are two schools of thought in this respect.

"The Egyptian scholars say that if the fasting days are long - more than 18 hours - then you can follow the Mecca time or Medina time, or the nearest Muslim country time,” he said.

“The other point of view from the Saudi scholars says whatever the day is -- long or short -- you have to follow the local time."


http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/ramadan-fast-15-hours-in-uae-20-in-sweden-just-9-in-argentina-2013-07-10-1.513794

Why didn't you tell me this before? I could have gone and sought relocation to the land of Diego Maradona in time for Ramadan. #Joking

May Allah accept our fast wherever in the world we observe it. (Ameen)

Just passing without a comment. 2nd to comment sha

May Allah accept all our duas as an act of ibadah......

Pardon my ignorance but shouldn't all people observe it equally? I am aware that nigerians in the US fast from like 5 in the morning till about 9 pm while those in nigeria fast from 5 till about 7. I get the from dawn to dusk part but shouldn't everyone observe it equally? Just being curious. Not trying to offend anyone here.

Very informative thread.. Subhanalahi..

fasting for 19 hrs aint easy bruv

Quelme: After ramadan what next.? bombing!

i'm fasting, i'd rather not insult you

In Naija here it's 5am to 7pm = roughly 14 hours.

Was in UK last month and subhi (dusk) was around 4.00 am and moghrib (dawn)9.30 pm (that's whopping 17.5 hours!). Thank God I don run to Naija to do my 14 hours fasting jeje. Thsi is a time to holiday in Argentina

Different strokes for different folks!

balium:

i'm fasting, i'd rather not insult you

Public Announcement. You dont tell someone u are fasting, thats hypocrisy

xynerise:
Public Announcement. You dont tell someone u are fasting, thats hypocrisy

No sir. No importation of rule. It's allowed in Islam.

The weather is harsh in some parts of Europe and I think America too. A friend of mine in Russia had to fly to UAE to observe Ramadan. Thank God say na Naija u dey sha

the reason why it cannot be observe equally is just geographcall reason, & the rule for Ramadan is sunrise to sunset , so therefore with different time its cannot be equal . Also in few years to come some countries will have their change for example in UK is between 3:10am till 9:12pm, but in few years to come, it might be same as Nigeria, perhaps in winter would be the best, shorter day and longer night.

erul: sorry u cant all observed d fast at d same time cos u ppl in ur ignorance ar serving d element of d world (sun n moon) wc ar subjected 2 changes.u ar practising idolatry.so pls waistin ur time sayin dt u ar fastin,cos d end of all dis wil b hell fire,so repent n com 2 Jesus d only way to God

Tell me who's more likely to be right:

Humans that just sit down and fix a specific date (e.g December 25), when you and I know time changes (6:15 pm today, you may have sun still full, same 6:15 pm next month, it's dawn already)

or

Humans that follow the dictate of sun and moon (which are natural)?

Which one is more subject to human volition/desire?

Jarus:

No sir. No importation of rule. It's allowed in Islam.

Oh really? Na wa o

Jarus:

Tell me who's more likely to be right:

Humans that just sit down and fix a specific date (e.g December 25), when you and I know time changes (6:15 pm today, you may have sun still full, same 6:15 pm next month, it's dawn already)

or

Humans that follow the dictate of sun and moon (which are natural)?

Jarus u just typed that sh:t? thought u were an "intellectual" from d hype i saw around in d politics section. . .alas,very myopic and poor thinking from u.Dang!!!

erul: sorry u cant all observed d fast at d same time cos u ppl in ur ignorance ar serving d element of d world (sun n moon) wc ar subjected 2 changes.u ar practising idolatry.so pls waistin ur time sayin dt u ar fastin,cos d end of all dis wil b hell fire,so repent n com 2 Jesus d only way to God

u are surely living in darkness, may Allah guide u 2 islam or else , u wil join ur grandpa in hell

3am to 9am

best time to fast is in the winter, you can break at about 3pm

philip0906:
Jarus u just typed that sh:t? thought u were an "intellectual" from d hype i saw around in d politics section. . .alas,very myopic and poor thinking from u.Dang!!!

So because I am an 'intellectual', I should be irreligious or not associate with my religion?

Maybe Wole Soyinka that probably believes in his Yoruba mythology that Sango spits fire from teh mouth, is no longer an 'intellectual'. I'm not a Muslim that hides his religion just to belong or be 'respected', which is what I know people like you like.

xynerise:
Public Announcement. You dont tell someone u are fasting, thats hypocrisy

you can actually tell someonme you are fasting, if you dont want to do or say something that will invalidate your fast

A-town:
Pardon my ignorance but shouldn't all people observe it equally? I am aware that nigerians in the US fast from like 5 in the morning till about 9 pm while those in nigeria fast from 5 till about 7. I get the from dawn to dusk part but shouldn't everyone observe it equally? Just being curious. Not trying to offend anyone here.

You have answered your question by yourself. Fasting is from dawn to dusk irregardless of the number of hours per day it takes.

amobii: the reason why it cannot be observe equally is just geographcall reason, & the rule for Ramadan is sunrise to sunset , so therefore with different time its cannot be equal . Also in few years to come some countries will have their change for example in UK is between 3:10am till 9:12pm, but in few years to come, it might be same as Nigeria, perhaps in winter would be the best, shorter day and longer night.

Thank you for providing an answer. My only worry is that since everyone is equal, shouldn't it be somehow made equal for everybody. Why should some fast for 17-19 while some fast for 12-14 hrs due to geographical locations? I am not trying to create any arguement, i'm just trying to understand it because i'm certain that back in ancient times, geographical location was not put into consideration. What do you think?

Hw much is flight to argentina?

maclatunji:

You have answered your question by yourself. Fasting is from dawn to dusk irregardless of the number of hours per day it takes.

I know it is from dawn to dusk. The only think bothering me is that dawn to dusk is not the same for everyone. Will the people in Alaska get better rewards than those in Nigeria for fasting longer? Again, i'm trying to be educated. I do not want anyone bringing some sort of malice into this.

A-town:


Thank you for providing an answer. My only worry is that since everyone is equal, shouldn't it be somehow made equal for everybody. Why should some fast for 17-19 while some fast for 12-14 hrs due to geographical locations? I am not trying to create any arguement, i'm just trying to understand it because i'm certain that back in ancient times, geographical location was not put into consideration. What do you think?

same reason people dont celebrate new years day at the same time, does it mean there are not equal?

It's 19hours in the UK. From 2:30am to 9:30pm. Not easy since its summer but Alhamdillah no reason yo break it at any time of the day. Ramadan would have been lovely had it come during the winter like someone said.

A-town:
Pardon my ignorance but shouldn't all people observe it equally? I am aware that nigerians in the US fast from like 5 in the morning till about 9 pm while those in nigeria fast from 5 till about 7. I get the from dawn to dusk part but shouldn't everyone observe it equally? Just being curious. Not trying to offend anyone here.

Yes we are to all observe fast equally: from sunrise to sunset. However, sunrise varies from region to region, as stated in the article. Where I live, sun rose at 3.13 am today, and will start to set at 9:25 pm. That is 18 hours plus. In that itself is a lesson of the greatness of Allah. I do not see it as being unequal.

Jarus:

So because I am an 'intellectual', I should be irreligious or not associate with my religion?

Maybe Wole Soyinka that probably believes in his Yoruba mythology that Sango spits fire from teh mouth, is no longer an 'intellectual'. I'm not a Muslim that hides his religion just to belong or be 'respected', which is what I know people like you like.

hehe another fail!poor comprehension. . .was making reference to this-"Humans that just sit down and fix a specific date (e.g December 25), when you and I know time changes (6:15 pm today, you may have sun still full, same 6:15 pm next month, it's dawn already)

or

Humans that follow the dictate of sun and moon (which are natural)?"
sounds like a comment coming from a high school kid.Very immature