Islamic views on fasting in the polar regions

Because the Ramadan fast is defined by dawn and sunset, Muslim communities living in the Arctic, where the ordinary day and night cycle can disappear for parts of the year, developed several distinct approaches once Islam reached the region relatively late in its history. Some scholars permit substituting the fast with days observed at another time of year when practical or health obstacles are severe; some communities follow the prayer and fasting schedule of the nearest Muslim community with a normal day and night cycle, as Arctic Canadian Muslims in Iqaluit and Inuvik have followed the timings of Ottawa and Edmonton respectively; and others follow the timings of Mecca, the approach adopted by a Muslim community in Tromso in 2013. Despite these options, many Arctic Muslims still choose to fast for as long as the sun sets at all each day. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/