8 Aug 2011

Height calculations included in Ramadan rules

5:34 am on 8 August 2011

The senior Muslim cleric in Dubai has ruled that people on the top floors of the Burj Khalifa, the world tallest building, must continue their fast longer than those at ground level during Ramadan.

Muslims are supposed to not eat or drink between dawn and dusk during Ramadan.

''Burj Khalifa is almost 1km high, which means people in higher floors can still see the sun after it has set on the ground," said Ahmed Abdul Aziz al-Haddad.

He said they should break their fast two minutes after those on the ground.

Another Dubai cleric, Mohammed al-Qubaisi, has been quoted as saying that people living above the 80th floor should fast for an extra two minutes, while those on the 150th floor and higher should wait for three more minutes before eating or drinking.

The Burj Khalifa has 160 floors and was opened in 2010. It is 828 metres high.

The BBC reports the clerics say there are ancient precedents in Islamic law and people living on mountains should also break their fast after those at ground level.

Ramadan began last week.