A Fatwa has been issued against living on Mars by clerics who say that trying to set up home there would be un-Islamic.
The fatwa – or ruling – was issued by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment (GAIAE) in the UAE after the Mars One organisation announced that it would try and establish a permanent human settlement on Mars.
The committee argued that an attempt to dwell on the planet would be so hazardous as to be suicidal and killing oneself is not permitted by Islam.
According to Khaleejtimes.com it said: ‘Such a one-way journey poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam. 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.’
The astronauts, the committee said, would end up dying for no ‘righteous reason’ and would face the same punishment in the afterlife as someone who’d committed suicide.
The committee, led by Professor Dr Farooq Hamada, said: ‘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 Quran: Do not kill yourselves or one another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.’
However, Mars One pointed out that the Quran encourages exploration.
In a written response to the Fatwa it highlighted a verse that says 'and among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors: verily in that are Signs for those who know (Quran 30: 22)'.
It said: 'The Muslim world has a rich tradition of exploration. The verse from the Quran above encourages Muslims to go out and see the signs of God’s creation in the "heavens and the earth". The most influential example of this was the Moroccan Muslim traveller Ibn Battuta, who from 1325 to 1355 travelled 73,000 miles, visiting the equivalent of 44 modern countries.'
Mars One also disputed that the mission was tantamount to suicide.
The organisation said: 'Space exploration, just like Earth exploration, will come with risks and rewards. It may seem extremely dangerous to send humans to Mars today, but the humans will be preceded by at least eight cargo missions.
'Robotic unmanned vehicles will prepare the habitable settlement. Water and a breathable atmosphere will be produced inside the habitat and the settlement will be operational for two years, even before the first crew leaves Earth.
'If we may be so bold: the GAIAE should not analyze the risk as they perceive it today. The GAIAE should assess the potential risk for humans as if an unmanned habitable outpost is ready and waiting on Mars.'
It added: 'Mars One respectfully requests GAIAE to cancel the Fatwa and make the greatest Rihla, or journey, of all times open for Muslims, too. They can be the first Muslims to witness the signs of God’s creation in heaven, drawing upon the rich culture of travel and exploration of early Islam.
'The lives and journey of the first Mars settlers will tell us more about our place in the universe than any other humans before us. As Ibn Battuta also wrote: "Travelling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller."'
The GAIAE has issued around two million Fatwas through its Official Fatwa Centre since its inception in 2008.
The multi-billion pound Mars One mission hopes to establish a human colony on Mars in 2025.
Over 200,000 people, including 500 Saudis and Arabs, have applied to take part in the missions so far.
In December Mars One short-listed 1,058 people to take part in trials for the ambitious project.
Co-founder Bas Lansdorp said: ‘We’re extremely appreciative and impressed with the sheer number of people who submitted their applications.
'However, the challenge with 200,000 applicants is separating those who we feel are physically and mentally adept to become human ambassadors on Mars from those who are obviously taking the mission much less seriously. We even had a couple of applicants submit their videos in the nude!’
Mars lies on average 141.6million miles from the Sun and has an average temperature of -85F (-65C). Its atmosphere is desperately thin - one per cent of Earth's pressure - and is 95 per cent carbon dioxide.
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