Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Implications of Uniform Time Zone for ASEAN Countries on Muslim Prayer (Solah) Timings in Malaysia

Mohd Hafiz Safiai, Ibnor Azli Ibrahim, Salmah Abu Hasan, Ezad Azraai Jamsari, Mohd Izhar Ariff Mohd Kashim

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v12-i8/14241

Open access

A time zone is an area on the Earth globe that observes a uniform or standard time in its area, better known as local time. The time zones worldwide differ according to the longitude of a country and ASEAN countries have four time zones, namely, GMT+6.5, GMT+7, GMT+8 and GMT+9. Time zones result in different environments in the aspects of socio-ibadah (religious worship), working hours and timings for other purposes. Indeed, there have been many suggestions to standardize the time zones of ASEAN countries in order to facilitate the ideal directness of economic activity, however a thorough study needs to be conducted so that any decision taken will harmonize all parties. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to assess the Muslim prayer time schedule in Malaysia by analyzing the Muslim prayer times for ASEAN countries compared to if the time zones were converted to a standard or uniform time zone, namely GMT+7. This is qualitative research using the methods of document analysis, interview and observation. This research focused on the prayer schedule of the easternmost state time zone and westernmost state time zone in Malaysia. Research results finds that a change in the time zone of Malaysia to GMT+7 would delay prayer timings in Malaysia by one hour. This would more or less change social activity and working hours for society in Malaysia. This research indirectly gives an early picture of the effect of applying a uniform time zone, GMT+7, so that ASEAN countries, including Malaysia, may be prepared.

Abdullah, A., Hassan, N. A., and Lyndon, N. (2019). Ethnicity at workplace: Value and culture of Malaysian Malay tradition in organization. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences 6(11): 92-101.
Audoin, C., & Guinot, B. (2001). The Measurement of Time - Time, Frequency and the Atomic Clock. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Barnes, C. M., & Wagner, D. T. (2009). Changing to daylight saving time cuts into sleep and increases workplace injuries. Journal of Applied Psychology 94(5): 1305-1317.
Bikos, K., Buckle, A., Hocken, V., & Kher, A. (2020a). Time Zone Abbreviations-Worldwide List (1995-2020). http://www.timeanddate.com/time/zones [7 March 2022].
Bikos, K., Buckle, A., Hocken, V., & Kher. A. (2020b). Time Zone in Yangon, Myammar (1995-2020). https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zone/myanmar/yangon [7 March 2022].
Frost, A. (1992). Prinsip dan Amalan Ilmu Pelayaran. (Terj.) Wan Ahmad Wan Omar & Zainal Ashirin Shahardin. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Grigoryev, R. A. (2018). Prime meridian: Consequences for modeling financial nonsynchronous time series. Terra Economicus 16(3): 16-34.
Hamdan, A., Syahrin, S., Peter, W. S. O., Hailan, S., & Razi, Y. (2017). The change of Malaysian standard time: A motion and debate in the Malaysian parliament. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences 7(12): 962-971.
Islamic Finder. (2022). Prayer times in Rakhine State. https://www.islamicfinder.org/worl d/myanmar-burma/40992400/rakhine-state-prayer-times/?language=m [7 March 2022].
Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia. (2022). Aplikasi e-solat. http://www.e-solat.gov.my [29 January 2022].
Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia. (2022). Bimas Islam: Jadual Solat Jakarta. https://bimasislam.kemenag.go.id/jadwalshalat [7 March 2022].
Malys, S., Seago, J. H., Pavlis, N. K., Seidelmann, P. K., & Kaplan G. H. (2017). How gravity and continuity in UT1 moved the Greenwich meridian. Astrophysic and Space Science Proceedings 50: 227-241.
Ratinawati, R. (2017). Rohinya Penduduk Asal Rakhine. Berita Harian Online. https://www.bharian.com.my/dunia/asia/2017/09/323439/rohingya-penduduk- asal-rakhine [15 March 2022].
Republik Indonesia. (1987). Keputusan Presiden Republik Indonesia. Pembahagian Wilayah Republik Indonesia menjadi 3 bahagian (3 Wilayah Waktu). No.41. Jakarta: Indonesia.
Roenneberg, T., Winnebeck, E. C., & Klerman, E. B. (2019). Daylight saving time and artificial time zones - A battle between biological and social times. Frontiers in Phisiology 10(July): 544.
Safiai, M. H., Ashari, M. Z. A. H., & Jamsari, E. A. (2021). Astrolabe alternative learning based on software and interactive application. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences 8(6): 103-109.
Seago, J. H., & Seidelmann, P. K. (2017). Mean solar time and its connection to universal time. Astrophysic and Space Science Proceedings 50: 205-226.
Zerubavel, E. (1982). The standardization of time: A sociohistorical perspective.
American Journal of Sociology 88(1): 1-23.

In-Text Citation: (Safiai et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Safiai, M. H., Ibrahim, I. A., Hasan, S. A., Jamsari, E. A., & Kashim, M. I. A. M. (2022). Implications of Uniform Time Zone for ASEAN Countries on Muslim Prayer (Solah) Timings in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(8), 529 – 537.