Muslims have been warned in a Fatwa not to go and
live on Mars because it would pose "a real risk to life", according
to a Dubai news organization.
A fatwā
in the Islamic faith
is the term for the legal judgment or learned interpretation that a qualified
jurist or mufti can
give on issues pertaining to the Islamic law. The
person who issues a fatwā is called, in that respect, a Mufti.
This is not necessarily a formal position
since most Muslims argue that anyone trained in Islamic law may give an opinion
(fatwā) on its teachings. If a fatwā does not break new ground, then it is
simply called a ruling.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs and
Endowment (GAIAE) in the United Arab Emirates said that anyone making such a
"hazardous trip" is likely to die for "no righteous
reason". They would therefore be
liable to a "punishment similar to that of suicide in the Hereafter",
the Khaleej Times reported.
Vision of The GAIAE
is a UAE leading entity promoting social
awareness and progress according to the tolerant teachings of Islam that
recognize the current realities and understand the future challenges.
Mission of The GAIAE
works on enhancing religious awareness by
building and maintaining mosques and memorization centers, managing Haj and
Umra affairs and investing in Waqf (endowment) for the good of society.
The Fatwa was apparently issued in response to the
proposal from the Dutch company Mars One last year to send four people on a
one-way journey to the red planet in 2022.
"Such a one-way journey poses a real risk to
life, and that can never be justified in Islam," the committee said.
"There is a possibility that an individual who travels to planet Mars may
not be able to remain alive there, and is more vulnerable to death."
"Protecting life against all possible dangers
and keeping it safe is an issue agreed upon by all religions and is clearly
stipulated in verse 4/29 of the Holy Koran: Do not kill yourselves or one
another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful," the committee, chaired by
Professor Dr Farooq Hamada, said.
Over 200,000 people have applied to be
civilian-astronauts on the Mars One mission. Experts have questioned both the
financial and practical viability of the mission.
The Mars One website states: "It is Mars One's goal
to establish a human settlement on Mars. Human settlement of Mars is the next
giant leap for humankind. Exploring the solar system as a united
humanity will bring us all closer together. Mars is the stepping stone of the
human race on its voyage into the universe."
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