INTERACTIVE: How geography shapes Malaysia's Ramadan experience

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI

PETALING JAYA: Muslims fast from dawn to dusk in Ramadan, but fasting times and durations can vary according to elevation and location.

Datuk Dr Mohd Zambri Zainuddin from Universiti Malaya (UM) said elevation plays a role in determining sunrise and sunset times.

“In high-altitude areas you can see the sunrise earlier and the sunset later compared to lower areas, as there is a wider view of the horizon.

“For every 400 meters in elevation, fasting time increases by approximately four minutes,” said Dr Mohd Zambri, an honorary professor at UM’s Department of Fiqh & Usul, Academy of Islamic Studies.

As all of Malaysia follows a single time zone, the imsak (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (breaking of fast) times are also earlier in the country’s east.

“This is due to the east-west movement of the sun, where eastern regions experience sunrise and sunset earlier than western ones.

“Hence, Sabah and Sarawak have imsak and iftar times earlier than Peninsular Malaysia,” said Dr Mohd Zambri.


Longest and shortest fasting duration

Based on the imsak and iftar timetable released by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), Malaysia’s longest fasting hours for this year will be at Mount Kinabalu, Sabah and Gunung Jerai, Kedah.

At both locations, fasting will last 13 hours and 37 minutes.

Mount Kinabalu which is Malaysia’s highest peak at 4,110m will record the longest fasting duration on March 29, with imsak at 4.55am and iftar at 6.32pm.

At Gunung Jerai, fasting will last 13 hours and 37 minutes on multiple days; March 27 (imsak at 5.56am and iftar at 7.33pm) and March 29 and 30 (imsak at 5.55am and iftar at 7.32pm).

In contrast, the shortest fasting duration - at 13 hours and 19 minutes - will occur on March 2 for areas in Sabah’s Zone 5, with imsak at 5.06am and iftar at 6.25pm.

The areas within Sabah’s Zone 5 are Pulau Banggi, Pitas, Kota Marudu, Matunggong and Kudat.

 

 

 

 

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