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Ankara, 10
Oct. (AKI) - Turkish Muslims will be allowed to pray
only three times a day from Wednesday instead of the
usual five - without fear of committing a sin.
A member of the scientific council of Istanbul
University, Muhammad Nour Dughan, has issued a
controversial fatwa or religious edict cutting Islamic
prayer requirements from five to three times a day.
The move has provoked widespread debate as well as
opposition from orthodox imams or Muslim clerics.
Sharia law allows for the possibility of praying three
times a day in case of sickness or travel.
The fatwa extends this option allowing Muslims to pray
three times a day, especially when they are heavily
committed with work or personal issues.
The Turkish debate echoes a similar one that has already
taken place in Egypt where the fatwa has also drawn
support.
Jamal al-Banna, brother of the founder of the Muslim
Brotherhood, Hasan al-Banna, endorsed the Turkish move.
"Merging prayers has become a modern necessity," he told
the al-Arabiya website. "In most cases, people do not
always perform the five prayers on time due to the
pressures of modern life."
Al-Banna is often criticised for his modern
interpretation of Islamic rules. He said the Prophet
Mohammad himself had given followers this option that
could be applied when prayers cannot be carried out in a
given time.
A member of Egypt's Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs,
Sheikh Youssef al-Badri, rejected the argument saying it
was unacceptable to merge prayers unless it was due to
travel, illness, rain or pilgrimage. |
