The General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment in the UAE on February 19 issued a fatwa (Islamic ruling) prohibiting Muslims from volunteering to live the rest of their lives on Mars. The fatwa comes in response to a planned space mission called Mars One which aims to settle a permanent human colony on Mars in 2023. “Such a one-way journey poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam,” the committee said, adding “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.”
Comparing taking such a risk to committing suicide, the ruling stated that death there was no “righteous reason” for Muslims to give their lives for such a mission. “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 Qur’ān: Do not kill yourselves or one another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful,” the fatwa quoted.