UAE's first long-duration astronaut observes Ramadan in space

Al Neyadi is only one of a handful of Muslim astronauts that have been to space.

MARCH 24, 2023 19:45

THE INTERNATIONAL Space Station, photographed by Expedition 66 crew member Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov, in an image released April 20, 2022. (photo credit: Pyotr Dubrov/Roscosmos/handout to Reuters) — THE INTERNATIONAL Space Station, photographed by Expedition 66 crew member Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov, in an image released April 20, 2022.

(photo credit: Pyotr Dubrov/Roscosmos/handout to Reuters)

Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi tweeted a video of himself at the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, saying "Ramadan Mubarak" and wishing his followers "a month filled with blessings."

Al Neyadi is only one of a handful of Muslim astronauts that have been to space, according to CNN, and in about five months, he'll be the first Emirati astronaut to complete a long-duration stay at the ISS.

مبارك عليكم الشهر اسأل الله ان يهل علينا شهر رمضان بالخير والبركة على الجميع..اهديكم هذه المشاهد الليلية الجميلة من محطة الفضاء الدولية.Ramadan Mubarak Wishing you all a month filled with blessingsSharing the beautiful night time scenery from the International Space… pic.twitter.com/oF3557vXtm
— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) March 23, 2023

Ramadan started this year on Wednesday and will end on April 21.

However, Al Neyadi explained that he is excused from observing Ramadan because of his status as a "traveler" and that "fasting is not compulsory if you’re feeling not well," the CNN report quoted him as saying.

"Fasting is not compulsory if you’re feeling not well."
Sultan Al Neyadi

This is not the first time that astronauts have spent holidays in space during missions. Crew members of Apollo 8 spent Christmas circling the moon in 1968 and also took turns to read the opening verses of the Book of Genesis. Malaysian astronaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor was the first practicing Muslim to be on the ISS in 2007, CNN reported.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 mission, that includes NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, the United Arab Emirates Sultan Al-Neyadi and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, launches to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, March 2, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/JOE SKIPPER)

Astronauts have also celebrated Thanksgiving and New Year's in Space.

What about Jewish holidays?

NASA astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman, celebrated the first Hanukkah off-planet aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, the space agency stated on its website.

With regards to Shabbat, not all Jewish astronauts were able to observe the sabbath, CNN reported. However, in 2003, Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon attempted to do so when he flew in the Space Shuttle Columbia mission and observed Shabbat according to the Cape Canaveral, Florida. Ramon received advice from leading rabbinical experts in order to observe the holiday while on mission.