A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, August 8, 2011

Iftar is Later for Those on Upper Floors of Burj Khalifa

In case you missed this over the weekend, the Grand Mufti of Dubai announced that for those living in the the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building (until the Saudis build this half-mile high one), has announced that during Ramadan, residents of the 160-storey-tall building must observe three different times for iftar (breaking their fast), dependent for when the sun sinks below the horizon at their altitude. Those up to the 80th floor may break fast when the ground-dwellers do; those on floors 80 to 150 must wait two minutes after the muezzin's Maghreb prayer call; also after the evening call; and those above the 150th floor must wait three minutes. The same in reverse for the Fajr prayer at dawn, since the high-dwellers can see the sun earlier. It all makes perfect sense, since Ramadan is always regulated by when one actually can discern the dawn. It's just refining the rules for those who live at unprecedented heights.

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