As we approach the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan in Morocco, those who appreciate relative uniformity and consistency in our daily routine might be counting themselves fortunate when they learn of the fasting duration for Muslims who live far from the equator. Most would agree that it’s an open-and-shut case on the procedures for observing the Holy Month–refrain from food and drinks from sunrise to sunset–, regardless of geographic location.
However, most have never contemplated the conundrum Muslims who live in the far northern–and to a lesser extent due to geography and lower population density, southern latitudes–face when fasting during their summer months, when “the sun never sets.”
For this year’s Ramadan, as it falls near the vernal equinox (i.e., spring solstice), the variations of fasting hours across the globe are greatly minimized. However, when the Holy Month applies to May, June, and July, Scandinavian, Siberian, and Canadian Muslims who face upwards of 20 hours of daily abstinence certainly have their work cut out for them as compared to Patagonians and New Zealanders who observe the fast, which is of course their winter. Conversely, when Ramadan occurs in November, December, or January, it must feel like an awkward–though unintentional–form of “cheating the system,” when the sun never actually “rises.”
The directive to address this temporal discrepancy of astronomic proportions–pun intended–should, as always, be first addressed via what is noted in the Qur’an, along with its interpretation by the highest of Muslim clerics. Interestingly, though, there does not seem to be a tremendous amount of agreement up to this point in time among the experts.
As it is quite understandable as to why the highly unique topic of midnight fasting was not specifically addressed by the Prophet (peace be upon him), interpretation has been left open for scholars and laypersons alike to interpret to the best of their ability and to their own personal “compass.” Let us delve into some of these perspectives.
A CNBC article from 2018 focuses on the Muslim community in Iceland, most of which actually lies just below the Arctic Circle, but just barely, rendering 22-hour fasting periods when Ramadan falls in June. On June 21, for example, fajr in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, occurs at 2:32 A.M., while maghrib does not arrive until five minutes after midnight (the next day). That amounts to a whopping 21 hours, 33 minutes of fasting.
Many Icelandic Muslims are steadfast about their obligation and desire to strictly observe this monumental sacrifice. As of 2018, two mosques in the Reykjavik had agreed to follow local dawn and dusk schedules to decide at which time to break their fast. Furthermore, many Muslims in Iceland who originally hail from hotter climates do indeed make the compelling argument that it is easier to abstain in Iceland’s cool summers for 22 hours than it is to eschew hydration in extreme heat for 15 or 16 in the MENA region.
Yet, interestingly, other mosques and community centers in far northern Europe have approached things a bit differently, by following the timetables of other European countries. Some clerics have even issued the directive that it is perfectly acceptable to observe the fasting timetable of the nearest predominantly Muslim country to that particular high-latitude locale. Many in Scandinavia look to Turkey for that schedule.
While as of 2018 there were approximately 2,500 Muslims in Reykjavik, the Islamic community was 200,000-strong a tad further south in Norway, where June daylight ranges from 18-24 hours. Many in these northerly communities argue that there is and that there should actually be flexibility, enabling a personalized decision, and that as they all break their fast with dates and water, there is no monolithic directive for Muslims at the earth’s most extreme corners. Some would argue, indeed, that this encompasses the beauty of the faith.
Yet, even within families, this scenario presents a push-pull type of argument between rigid and flexible interpretations. Hyphen.com, an online news destination which focuses on issues important to Muslims across the UK and the rest of Europe, last month made available to the public a fascinating article on this topic covered by Nora Adin Fares, entitled “Ramadan Where the Sun Never Sets.”
Many within the faith who live above or even near the Arctic Circle choose to follow the diurnal solar cycle of Mecca, as that option has also been accepted by a number of clerical leaders. Others choose to follow the timetable of their country’s capital. In 2015, the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) traveled to Norrland, Sweden’s northernmost district, which geographically happens to cover half the country.
Though it has not yet reached consensus, it did issue a recommendation that prayer and fasting times be calculated according to the last day with a clear sunrise and sunset. In some cases, that duration amounts to less than one hour; however, this does not work for many of the region’s Muslims, although some choose to use Norrland’s regional “metropolis,” Umea–which sits slightly below the Arctic Circle–as a guide.
One Lebanese woman who now makes her home in Umea disagreed with the idea that Muslims can adapt the rules according to their circumstances. “The Qur’an says to fast from dawn to dusk, so that is how we have to do it,” she proclaimed. She also expressed an immense sense of gratitude that she has been provided the opportunity to show her resolve, as opposed to looking upon her environment as simple misfortune.
It was not easy to adapt to -40 Celsius winter temperatures and to achieve 22-hour fasting, but she is resolute about the Holy Book’s directive. She admitted that her body can struggle and that she is usually bedridden with a migraine for the first couple days of Ramadan when it falls in summer, but asserts that she adjusts quickly. She also adds that practicing prior to the start of summer helps.
An Egyptian man spent his first Ramadan in Lulea–even closer to the Arctic Circle than Umea–in 2018 when it fell between late May and early June. This father of four quickly ascertained that his new community was deeply divided as to how to manage the fast.
“We were very confused and didn’t know what to do. How should we break the fast when the sky never gets dark? There was no dawn at all, the sky was orange in the middle of the night,” he recollected.
After consulting various imams and fatwas, he decided that his family would follow Mecca time. However, he expressed feelings of guilt, pondering, “It felt so strange, like we did something wrong. What if our (fast) would not be received by God?”
Essentially, therefore, in northern Sweden alone, there are Muslims who choose to observe the fasting times of the regional capital, the national capital, those of Turkey, those of their original homeland if born elsewhere, and of Mecca. So many options have, as discussed, had a propensity to divide communities and even families. Even more significantly, the directive as to whether a strict or individualized interpretation of the Qur’an is appropriate has further ignited the controversy.
Now that we’ve explored the challenges of fasting in the far north when Ramadan occurs in that region’s summer months, we transition to what it is like for Muslim communities this Ramadan in the far southern extremities, where each fast during the Holy Month has been getting noticeably shorter. Let us travel to Chile, where there is a sizeable Muslim community in the capital city of Santiago.
Like all Muslims around the world, Ramadan in Chile is a month of spirituality, conviviality and fraternity, bringing together people of different nationalities and origins around the sacred values of this blessed month.
According to solar data, the shortest fasting period in the southernmost Chilean city of Punta Arenas on the last day of Ramadan–expected to be April 9–will amount to approximately 12.5 hours. At 53 degrees south latitude, it is thousands of kilometers away from the Antarctic Circle, the boundary within which will experience zero daylight hours commencing June 21 (their winter). As one of the southernmost inhabited settlements on the globe, the duration between fajr and maghrib on June 21 will amount to a paltry 9.5 hours, however.
The Ramadan atmosphere plunges members of the Chilean Muslim communities–around 4300 strong–back into memories, customs, and rituals of their respective countries, encouraging some to recall their childhood in those locales and to partake in the customs and delights of the ftour and shour tables, and the rites accompanying the celebration of Eid Al Fitr in their countries of origin.
In the capital, Santiago, the Islamic Center of Chile and the Mosque of As-Salam (peace)–the first and one of the largest mosques built in that South American country, respectively–became two distinct destinations for believers to perform religious rites, attend preaching classes, study the Qur’an, and participate in collective breakfasts organized for the occasion.
Fareed Maymoun, a Moroccan immigrant, is used to waking up early to arrive at his job as a construction worker. However, when Ramadan begins, he wakes up 30 minutes before sunrise, as he recounted to Bihar Anjuman. “It’s an important time for me. For the three years that I have been living in Chile, Ramadan has a very special meaning for me. The first day is marked by a reunion at the mosque to celebrate another year, and we break the fast together with the rest of the community.”
He added, “Christian co-workers are now used to my fasting. When we are on our lunch break, many openly admire the will of those who are fasting, although they do not understand why we do it.”
“The problematic part is that we are not permitted to depart until shortly before Maghrib (sunset) prayers. It is essential for us to attend prayers and breakfast with our family. Normally, we offer to work during lunch breaks as compensation,” he added.
However, Fareed noted that bosses do not always accept. “In Chile, the situation is more challenging than in other nations since there are fewer Muslim immigrants. In France and Germany, there are enterprises where Muslims constitute the majority and they may regulate their work hours,” he concluded.
As previously mentioned, countless factors influence perceptions of this Muslim Holy Month and the individual, regional intricacies and details of fasting, along with the practices which accompany it. Obviously, Muslims across the world employ various strategies to navigate the challenges posed by differing fasting durations.
As with Scandinavian communities, local mosques and Islamic centers in Chile organize communal iftars, and provide resources to support individuals during Ramadan, especially halal food which could be unavailable in some countries, thereby fostering a sense of unity and solidarity within the Muslim community.
Though there remains the rather pervasive “strict versus loose” interpretation of fasting guidelines, Islamic scholars and organizations do actually conduct educational programs and disseminate information to help individuals understand and adapt to the unique fasting experiences in their respective regions.
Increasingly, these efforts are indeed showing positive results, as Muslims living in traditionally non-Muslim regions do confide that their faith, knowledge about their religion, confidence, and connection to their community are all strengthened, particularly when it comes to practices and behaviors.
Muslims engage in personal reflection and spiritual introspection, seeking to deepen their connection with their faith and strengthen their resolve to observe Ramadan faithfully, regardless of the challenges they may face. These parameters do not vary based on length of daylight hours, and never will.