The relationship between Islam and space exploration is evolving as more Muslim-majority nations venture into space activities, writes Béatrice Hainaut (IRSEM, Institute for Strategic Research, Paris) in the online Bulletin de l’Observatoire international du religieux (October, in French). The first instance of a Muslim in space was in 1985, and to date, 18 Muslim astronauts have traveled to space. Over the past decade, Gulf and Middle Eastern states have significantly increased their investments in space exploration. Countries like Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia have established space agencies and published ambitious space strategies. Other states, such as Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan are also showing interest in space research and possible applications derived from it. These endeavors are driven by various motivations, including economic development, national pride, and the desire to project a modern and technologically advanced image. However, Hainaut remarks, for many of these nations, it is crucial to demonstrate that their space ambitions are not only compatible with Islam but are actively encouraged by it. Many nations explicitly ground their space programs in Islamic scripture, citing verses from the Quran on the pursuit of knowledge and exploration. This serves to legitimize their projects in the eyes of their citizens and the broader Muslim world.
Malaysian astronauts performing prayer in the International Space Station (ISS) in October 2007 (source: https://www.kompas.id/baca/english/2024/06/18/en-muslim-dan-muslimat-di-luar-angkasa).
Particularly interesting is how the UAE frames its space program within the context of Islamic history. The nation explicitly connects its current space achievements to the Islamic Golden Age (8th-14th centuries), when Arab scholars made significant contributions to astronomy and mathematics. The UAE’s Mars mission, named “Hope,” is presented not just as an Emirati achievement but as an Arab-Islamic endeavor, positioning the UAE as a modern leader in the Arab-Muslim world. This aspiration, however, brings the UAE into competition with Saudi Arabia, another major player in the Muslim space race. While Saudi Arabia has yet to release a comprehensive space policy, its commitment to human spaceflight is evident in its recent astronaut missions to the ISS. The contrasting approaches of these two nations—the UAE’s proactive engagement with religious discourse and Saudi Arabia’s more cautious stance—reflect the diversity within the Muslim world and the varying interpretations of Islam’s role in space exploration.
Religious authorities have grappled with the practical challenges of practicing Islam in space, issuing guidelines on prayer times, orientation towards Mecca, and fasting while in orbit. Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council published a comprehensive guide for Muslim astronauts. Recent Muslim astronauts, like the UAE’s Sultan Al Neyadi and Saudi Arabia’s Rayyanah Barnawi, have actively shared their religious practices in space through social media, demonstrating the compatibility of Islamic faith with space exploration. These adaptations highlight the flexibility of religious interpretation in the face of scientific progress. However, certain limitations exist, such as the prohibition of one-way trips to Mars, which are considered equivalent to suicide under Islamic law by the UAE’s General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments. There had been critical voices from Wahhabi leaders regarding space tourism. But Hainaut observes that “today…the influence of the Wahhabi clergy on educational and scientific programs is limited. The Saudi political authorities no longer allow it to have a say in these matters.” The convergence of Islamic faith, scientific advancement, and political ambition in space exploration represents a new chapter in Muslim nations’ development. As these countries continue to expand their space capabilities, they are eager to demonstrate that religious values and scientific progress can coexist and mutually reinforce each other, while serving broader national and regional objectives.
(Bulletin de l’Observatoire international du religieux, https://obsreligion.cnrs.fr/bulletin/?num=51)
