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    • Abnormal Summer Times

    • In the high latitudes in the north of Europe, North Asia and Canada the astronomical signs that signal the start of Ishaa’ and Fajr prayers do not occur for some days in the summer time. This happens because of the  shallow depression of the sun below the horizon in this period, which is the reason for the bright summer nights you may have witnessed in Edinburgh. This lasts for three months, starting in May and ending in August.

      There are a number of ways that scholars suggested to estimate prayer times when their signs disappear. The methodology used in the Mosque for this year is the opinion of the Muslim World League’s Islamic Fiqh Council and the European Council of Fiqh and Research in which the time of the prayer, when its sign disappears or becomes extreme, is estimated based on the time of the same prayer in the nearest place where the sign is observed.

      The ruling reads

      The ruling for the second zone is that the times for Isha’ and Fajr prayers be determined with the proportional measurement on the analogy of the corresponding times in the night of the closest region where the signs of the times of Isha’ and Fajr can be distinguished. The Council of the Academy suggests the latitude of 45 degrees as the closest region where worshipping or recognition is comfortably possible. If Isha’ begins after the third part of the night at the latitude of 45 degrees, it will start similarly in respect of the night of the latitude of the place wherein the time is to be determined, and the same is true regarding Fajr.

      Final Statement of the 12th Ordinary Session of the European Council for Fatwa and Research (https://www.e-cfr.org/twelfth-ordinary-session-european-council-fatwa-research)

      Other mosques may adopt other methodologies, like fixing Fajr time for the full abnormal period around 1:17 am which is also an acceptable approach. We opted for the above solution to make it easier for people to fast in Ramadan. The important thing to remember is to stick to one approach for the full summer. Allah knows best.