Prayer and Fasting Times in Extreme Northern Latitudes: Can You Follow Another City Due to Hardship?

Prayer and Fasting Times in Extreme Northern Latitudes: Can You Follow Another City Due to Hardship?

Question
Assalamu Alaykum,

I am currently in Inuvik, NWT (68°N), and seeking your advice on prayer times. Inuvik still has a real sunset, but it is happening close to 1:00 AM. As a traveller, I combine Maghrib and Isha, which means I am praying around 1:00 AM and waking again around 4:00 AM for Fajr — only about three hours apart. This is very tiring and I sometimes miss Maghrib.

I am aware of three positions:

1. Follow actual Inuvik times while there is a real sunset
2. Follow the nearest latitude with a normal day/night cycle
3. Follow Makkah times

I have been following opinion (1), but the hardship is significant. Is it permissible for me to switch to opinion (2) due to this genuine difficulty, even though Inuvik technically still has a real sunset? Also, for the fasts of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah, should I follow the second option for sahur and iftar?

Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.

1. The Shari Context

The default rule in Islam is that prayer and fasting are tied to the actual observable signs.

Allah says:

“Establish prayer from the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night…”
Surat al Isra 17:78

And He says regarding fasting:

“Then complete the fast until the night.”
Surat al Baqarah 2:187

At the same time, Allah says:

“Allah intends for you ease and does not intend hardship for you.”
Surat al Baqarah 2:185

2. Scholarly Discussion

The scholars discussing high-latitude regions distinguish between:

• Places where the signs disappear entirely
• Places where the signs still exist, but with extreme hardship

Regarding prayer:

Many contemporary scholars and fiqh councils allow estimation when the hardship becomes excessive, even if the signs technically remain, especially in cases of:

• Extremely delayed nightfall
• Very short nights
• Significant hardship affecting worship and daily life

Regarding fasting:

The majority of scholars maintain that as long as:

• A real dawn exists
• And a real sunset exists

then the fast remains tied to the actual local timings.

However, if the fasting becomes genuinely unbearable or harmful, then the person may:

• Break the fast
• Make it up later if obligatory
• Or, in voluntary fasting, simply stop fasting and still hope for reward based on intention

3. Application to Your Situation

Prayer

In your situation:

• Maghrib is extremely late
• The gap between Isha and Fajr is extremely short
• You are experiencing real hardship and exhaustion

Therefore:

• It is permissible for you to follow the opinion of estimating prayer times using the nearest moderate locality
• Especially as a traveller and due to the significant hardship

Fasting

As for fasting the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah:

• Since there is an actual sunset in Inuvik, the default rule is that you should fast until the real sunset
• You should not estimate iftar based on another city while the sign still exists

However:

• If the hardship becomes too difficult
• Or you genuinely cannot continue

then you may break your fast, and Allah rewards you according to your intention and effort.

Especially since:

• These fasts are voluntary
• Islam does not intend destruction or unbearable hardship

4. Relevant Usul Principle

المشقة تجلب التيسير
Hardship brings about ease

إذا ضاق الأمر اتسع
When a matter becomes constrained, the ruling is broadened

At the same time, fasting remains connected to the actual sunset when it exists, because:

الحكم يدور مع علته وجودا وعدما
A ruling revolves with its effective cause, present or absent

So as long as sunset exists, the fasting ruling remains tied to it.

Final Ruling

Due to the significant hardship in Inuvik, it is permissible for you to estimate prayer times according to a nearby moderate locality. However, for fasting, as long as there is a real sunset, you should fast until sunset according to your local time. If the hardship becomes genuinely unbearable, then you may break the fast, and Allah rewards you for your sincere intention and effort.

And Allah knows best.