Ramadan in Alaska

My friend ML will be observing Ramadan at sunset tonight. According to Wikipedia, “Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and is observed by Muslims worldwide…to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad.”  The annual observance lasts for thirty days and consists of fasting from sunrise until sunset every day.  So, during the daylight hours, “Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations.”  That’s right, no nothing while the sun is in the sky!

So, this led me to wonder what Muslims in Alaska do when they get a time of midnight sun, when the day can last for 24 hours.  That is a long time to go without sexual relations…I mean, eating.  Funny enough, I’m not the first person to ask this question.  Rules have actually been established for Muslims living in areas of the midnight sun.  They can either follow the timetable of Mecca and observe a “day” based on hours rather than the sun in the sky, or they can follow the day/night cycle of the closest country to them.