--- title: "Muslim Astronaut Posts Stunning Video of Mecca From Space" description: "Powerful While Muslims commemorated one of Ramadan's holiest nights below, an Arab astronaut showed how brightly Mecca and Medina are lit up while looking down from space. In a video posted to Twitter, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan al-Neyadi posted video from aboard the International Space Station on the night of Laylat Al Qadr, which […]" date: "2023-04-21" modified: "2023-04-21" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/muslim-astronaut-mecca-space" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "international space station" - "religion" - "the digest" - "united arab emirates" --- # Muslim Astronaut Posts Stunning Video of Mecca From Space ![While Muslims commemorated one of Ramadan's holiest nights below, an Arab astronaut showed how brightly Mecca is lit up while looking down from space.]() *\Image: Sultan al-Neyadi\* ## Powerful While Muslims commemorated one of Ramadan's holiest nights below, an Arab astronaut showed how brightly Mecca and Medina are lit up while looking down from space. In a [video posted to Twitter](), United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan al-Neyadi showed off video from aboard the International Space Station on the night of Laylat al-Qadr, or the "[Night of Power]()" during Ramadan, of the glittering Saudi Arabian holy cities as worshippers flocked to them during the holy month. In the video, the lights surrounding the Grand Mosque and its holiest region the Kaaba are on full display, allowing viewers an incredible opportunity to see how such hallowed human landmarks are visible from space. https://twitter.com/Astro\_Alneyadi/status/1648014861807263772 Dedicating the video to "[Salman's children]()" — which, yes, is a reference to the [infamous Saudi royal family]() — this "Najmonaut" (which is the new term for [Arab astronauts]()) is, as his Twitter bio notes, currently on the UAE's longest-ever mission to the ISS. ## Fasting Times Al-Neyadi's trip to the space station [happened to coincide with Ramadan](), the holiest month in Islam that requires observant Muslims to fast from sunrise to sunset. Though he didn't say exactly what his plans were, the Najmonaut said prior to his ISS trip that there are exemptions from fasting during Ramadan, including travel and illness. "So in that regard — anything that can jeopardize the mission or maybe put the crew member at risk — we’re actually allowed to eat sufficient food to prevent any escalation of lack of food or nutrition or hydration," he told reporters during a [January press conference](), adding that he would "wait and see how it goes." Though it's unclear if or how al-Neyadi has observed Ramadan aboard the ISS, it's clear that even while off-world, Mecca is close to his heart — and that he wanted to be able to share his rarefied view with followers on terra firma. **More on ISS photography:** [*Astronaut Snaps Mind-Melting Photo of Northern Lights Way Down Below*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()