It is that time of year where thousands of people start travelling all over the world to enjoy some time away from their daily routines and to make the most of the summer break. For those of us who live in Australia, that almost always means taking long-haul flights to reach the final destination, whether that be 7 hours or 14 hours. These flights aren’t always the easiest; many people have difficulty sleeping in such confined spaces, the food isn’t the best and it may seem like the time just isn’t passing. Due to the unfavourable conditions of these flights, many Muslims will miss prayer times, or just pray from their seats. While it is true that long flights don’t provide the most ideal setting, it is extremely important to understand that being on a flight does not justify missing the obligatory prayers. The five daily prayers are obligatory on every day of the year, and this does not change just because a person is on a plane. In fact, praying on the plane is not as difficult as many people may think, and it is definitely possible and achievable in most cases. Praying in the seat may be an option but it is the last resort, i.e. you must have tried your best and explored every possible way to pray but were unable to do so (due to turbulence, physical disability etc.). There are also rulings and regulations in the Sharia with regards to praying on the flight such as finding prayer times etc, so be sure to check what your marji’ says for jurisprudential guidance.

There are a few inconvenient yet manageable challenges when trying to pray in a plane, so here are some tips to help you on your next holiday so that it is blessed with the pleasure of Allah (swt):

1) Be aware of the prayer times before you get on your flight.

It is important that you try to calculate and plan for prayer times to figure out which prayers you may need to pray on your flight before you board. This is helpful since internet access is limited on the plane, but more importantly, it means you are prepared and ready to pray while on your flight and are therefore less likely to miss it. When taking flights from Australia, you gain time due to the changing time zone so you may only need to pray once or twice. When going to Australia however, it is a fight against time since you are travelling to the eastern part of the earth and therefore losing time in that direction, and there may even be cases where you will have to pray all five prayers. In any case, it is very helpful to plan ahead and check the prayer times according to your location and flight times. Additionally, there are some online resources that can help calculate in-flight prayer times, like this handy online calculator.

2) Know how to find the qibla.

We are fortunate that most of the major international airlines are associated with Muslim and/or Arab countries and therefore display the direction of the qibla during the flight, which makes it much easier to pray. If you can’t find the direction of the qibla you can ask a staff member, or you can even check the flight map and see what direction Makkah is in relation to your plane.

 

 

3) Pray at the back of the plane near the emergency exit where there is some space.

A great place to pray is at the very back of the plane as there is usually some space next to the emergency exit door. Most people won’t even notice you have prayed as they will have their backs to you, so you will feel like you have some privacy. If there are flight attendants near that area, you can let them know you will pray there and they will almost always respect your wishes. After all, prayer only takes a few minutes. Also, the blanket provided on your flight will make a perfect prayer mat if you don’t have one. Keep in mind also that some airlines even have dedicated prayer spaces which means you don’t have to worry about finding an appropriate space. 

 

4) Have someone stand next to you while you are praying.

If you are travelling with other family members, ask one of them to come with you so that they can stand next to you while you pray. This is useful if there is turbulence, in which case they can make sure you don’t fall. Also, since the place is quite small and restricted, your family member will be aware of the surroundings and protect you from people/trolleys that need to pass.

5) Be confident.

Salah is a means of connection with our Lord, an opportunity to express all our feelings and worries to Him. It is an intimate one-on-one interaction that is so powerful – we are communicating with the One who created us and Who created the skies and the very forces that are allowing the plane to make this journey. There is therefore something so special about praying so high up into the sky – you may feel tired, vulnerable, worried about your journey, so pray to Allah (swt) to ease any difficulties in your way. Also use this unique opportunity of praying in the sky to thank Allah (swt) for His mercy and for giving you the health and wealth to take a break from your daily life and to enjoy some time on holiday – it is a luxury that not everyone can afford.   

Also, finding a fully secluded area for prayer may not always be possible inside a plane, and some might see this as an issue. However, praying on the plane is a proud moment, as it is a display to the rest of the world – and to yourself – that being a servant of Allah (swt) comes first and foremost in your life, and that no matter what the circumstances are you will find a way to worship your Lord. It is a valuable reminder that Allah (swt) is always there, whether you are on the earth or in the sky, and therefore this prayer instils a sense of closeness to Him.

Others might be reluctant to pray in-flight due to the ‘Muslim terrorist’ stereotype that may exist in regards to Muslims on planes. As we all know this stereotype is entirely untrue, and it is very, very unlikely that this will be a problem. More importantly, it doesn’t matter what others may think since the pleasure of our Creator is immeasurably more important than the pleasure of people.

In addition, it is very likely that there are other Muslims on your flight. Seeing you pray may just be the inspiration and encouragement they need to pray on the plane, especially if they were reluctant and leaning towards skipping prayer. Imagine the reward you can receive for inspiring another Muslim to pray on time!

6) Don’t let staff members prevent you from praying.

Some airlines instruct passengers to pray in their seats. This, however, is not a valid reason for a Muslim to pray in their seat if it is possible to pray standing. If a staff member tries to stop you from praying, tell them it will only take a few minutes and that this is something you will not compromise on.

 

No matter how long your flight is or how exhausted you are, Allah (swt) is watching and waiting to see which of his servants will go against all odds to pray to Him. Allah (swt) says in the Holy Qur’an:

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the sky and what ascends therein; and He is with you wherever you are. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing.

[Qur’an 57:4]

So, know that although you are thousands of metres up into the sky, Allah (swt) is with you. Once He sees that you make every effort to pray despite the difficulties, He will ease all other obstacles in your way.

 

By Noor Alsaffar