In the space station, astronaut Sultan Alneyadi observes 16 sunsets each day. He'll observe Ramadan in what way?
March 22, 2023Tweet
Astronaut Sultan Alneyadi is one of fewer than a dozen Muslim astronauts who have traveled to space, and at the end of his mission in about five months, he will have been the first astronaut from the United Arab Emirates to complete a long-duration stay on the floating laboratory. During his stay, Muslims on Earth will observe the month of Ramadan, which runs from March 22 to April 21, and two Muslim festivals, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which begin June 28. Alneyadi explained that as an astronaut he fits the definition of a "traveler," excusing him from attempting to observe Ramadan at the same time as Earth-bound Muslims. He also said that he could fast according to Greenwich Mean Time, or Coordinated Universal Time, which is used as the official time zone on the space station. He added that fasting is a good occasion to fast, and it's actually healthy.
Muslim United-arab-emirates Ramadan Alneyadi