STAR CITY, Russia (AP) --
Among the things Malaysia's first astronaut will be worrying about next month:
How does an observant Muslim pray toward Mecca while soaring hundreds of miles
above the Earth?
Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will blast off aboard a
Russian-built Soyuz space craft en route to the International Space Station
along with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut
Peggy Whitson.
They blast off from the
Russian-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 10.
Speaking at a news
conference Thursday at Russia's cosmonaut training center in Star City, on
Moscow's outskirts, Shukor said during his 10 days in space, he hoped to
perform life science and other research, but said he would not ignore the
responsibilities of his faith.
"I do agree that I am
a Muslim, I am Islamic, but my main priority is more of conducting
experiments,'' the 35-year-old astronaut said. "As a Muslim, I do hope to
do my responsibilities, I do hope to fast in space.''
After months of discussion
and two international conferences, the Islamic National Fatwa Council came up
with guidelines as to how Muslim astronauts should observe daily rituals. The rules were
published in 12-page booklet titled "Muslim Obligations in the
International Space Station.''
Observant Muslims are
required to turn toward Mecca -- located in Saudi Arabia -- and kneel and pray
five times a day. However, with the space station circling the Earth 16 times a
day, kneeling in zero gravity to pray -- or facing toward Mecca for that matter
-- makes fulfilling those religious obligations difficult.
Malaysia's National Fatwa
Council ruled that Muslim astronauts will not be required to kneel to pray if
the absence of gravity makes it too hard. Facing Mecca while praying will be
left to the "best abilities'' of the astronaut, the council said.
Adding to the difficulties
is the fact that the launch coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- when
Muslims are expected to fast from dawn until dusk. The fatwa decided the
fasting may be postponed until returning to Earth.
Other exceptions include
allowing simple silent prayer if performing physical rituals is impossible.
Shukor will return to Earth
Oct. 20 along with two members of the station's current crew -- cosmonauts
Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov.
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