hello everyone! i'm a lurker, someone who's considering islam, but hasn't taken shahada yet. i have a question about prayers. i watched a video about prayers on islamicity.com and it gave a very good demonstration of how prayers should be performed etc. I guess my question is to the working muslimah...do you find it difficult to perform the requisite prayers during the day at work? If your work environment wouldn't permit you to perform prayers during the workday what is a muslim advised to do?
thanks in advance for you answers...
Staar
0
question about prayers
Started by
Guest_Staar_*
, Dec 18 2004 01:50 PM
6 replies to this topic
#2
Posted 18 December 2004 - 02:54 PM
Hi Staar,
First of all welcome to the forum and looking forward to reading your posts.
As for your question about praying during work time, I have no problem with that although in my company there is no place for praying but that is never an obstacle, i sometimes use the meeting room if its not occupied or i go to any office with ladies only (no men in that office) and pray there. as for the timing, it only takes a few minutes so it won't disturb the work that much.
Incaseyour work conditions won't allow you to pray, well i don't want to give an opinion in that regards maybe another sister can help in that.
Mona
First of all welcome to the forum and looking forward to reading your posts.
As for your question about praying during work time, I have no problem with that although in my company there is no place for praying but that is never an obstacle, i sometimes use the meeting room if its not occupied or i go to any office with ladies only (no men in that office) and pray there. as for the timing, it only takes a few minutes so it won't disturb the work that much.
Incaseyour work conditions won't allow you to pray, well i don't want to give an opinion in that regards maybe another sister can help in that.
Mona
#3
Posted 19 December 2004 - 02:19 AM
Peace be with you (Assalamualaikum) Staar,
Welcome to the forum--it's good to have ya here.
Like the other sister said, it's not much of a problem unless you make it one. If someone says "People will treat me awkwardly when they see me pray" then that's just an excuse. However, if they actually try and find a place, they'll see that it's no problem.
Though I don't work, I'm in high school. The environment there doesn't have a place to pray but I pray in a teacher's classroom. Also, some of my other Muslim friends come in there to pray as well.
Good luck and I hope we are of help to you on this forum.
Zahra
Welcome to the forum--it's good to have ya here.
Like the other sister said, it's not much of a problem unless you make it one. If someone says "People will treat me awkwardly when they see me pray" then that's just an excuse. However, if they actually try and find a place, they'll see that it's no problem.
Though I don't work, I'm in high school. The environment there doesn't have a place to pray but I pray in a teacher's classroom. Also, some of my other Muslim friends come in there to pray as well.
Good luck and I hope we are of help to you on this forum.
Zahra
#4
Posted 19 December 2004 - 03:59 AM
salam aleikum Staar and WELCOME 
I have one of those jobs where it is sometimes difficult to make time to pray. I work at a call center and we are tied to the phones all day. I usually try to work my prayers in with my breaks, but sometimes it just doesn't fall that way in which case I spoke with my supervisor and explained to him that it was something that I must do. We have a few rooms that are designated as "quiet rooms" that have locks on the doors and no windows. They are located right next to a private bathroom so it makes performing wudo easier. Although sometimes i do have to perform wudo in the womens bathroom with others present. It was difficult at first, but eventually you get used to it. Larger companies will usually accomodate employees when religion is envolved. As for having a job that doesn't allow you to pray, I couldn't work for any place that did not respect my religious obligations.
Roxanne
I have one of those jobs where it is sometimes difficult to make time to pray. I work at a call center and we are tied to the phones all day. I usually try to work my prayers in with my breaks, but sometimes it just doesn't fall that way in which case I spoke with my supervisor and explained to him that it was something that I must do. We have a few rooms that are designated as "quiet rooms" that have locks on the doors and no windows. They are located right next to a private bathroom so it makes performing wudo easier. Although sometimes i do have to perform wudo in the womens bathroom with others present. It was difficult at first, but eventually you get used to it. Larger companies will usually accomodate employees when religion is envolved. As for having a job that doesn't allow you to pray, I couldn't work for any place that did not respect my religious obligations.
Roxanne
#5 Guest_Staar_*
Posted 19 December 2004 - 04:32 AM
thanks for all the responses so far.
let me clarify when i said a job that doesn't accomodate i didn't mean that they wouldn't allow it; i meant more the functions of your position don't allow it. like, if you're a receptionist, you can't just leave the front desk unmanned. hope that clarifies the scenario.
it isn't about what people think.
again, thanks for the responses...
let me clarify when i said a job that doesn't accomodate i didn't mean that they wouldn't allow it; i meant more the functions of your position don't allow it. like, if you're a receptionist, you can't just leave the front desk unmanned. hope that clarifies the scenario.
it isn't about what people think.
again, thanks for the responses...
#6
Posted 19 December 2004 - 04:49 AM
ah ok sorry for the misunderstanding OOPS :? :wink:
when I go into work each day i go in early and preplan my day. I keep a copy of my prayer times right next to my break schedule. If I notice that I do not get a break between Maghrib and Isha (which I don't) then I see if I can get time off the phone. Now given that in the environment I work in is a little different, but the principle of your scenario is the same. I know before I log in exactly when I need to go to my prayers. Now...lets say I get on a call and I miss my break completely...(which happens :oops: )and Maghrib is over by the time I finally get off the phone...well I have been told that Maghrib and Isha can be combined. So I just make it up later on. I have also been told that Dhukr and Asr can be combined if by some chance you miss that prayer. Please sisters correct me on this if i'm wrong because this is what the other muslims at work have told me that they do in that situation.
Thanks
when I go into work each day i go in early and preplan my day. I keep a copy of my prayer times right next to my break schedule. If I notice that I do not get a break between Maghrib and Isha (which I don't) then I see if I can get time off the phone. Now given that in the environment I work in is a little different, but the principle of your scenario is the same. I know before I log in exactly when I need to go to my prayers. Now...lets say I get on a call and I miss my break completely...(which happens :oops: )and Maghrib is over by the time I finally get off the phone...well I have been told that Maghrib and Isha can be combined. So I just make it up later on. I have also been told that Dhukr and Asr can be combined if by some chance you miss that prayer. Please sisters correct me on this if i'm wrong because this is what the other muslims at work have told me that they do in that situation.
Thanks
#7
Posted 19 December 2004 - 08:56 AM
as salam alaikum dear sisters, Hi Staar WELCOME to the forum, nice to hear from you.
Prayer is something that becomes part of life as a muslimah and the longer I am muslim the more I realise the benefits of praying 5 times a day in the times prescribed by ALLAH. Of course as sister roxanne said you can join prayers but this is ONLY when you are travelling and there are certain rulings on what is considered "travelling" and what is not. If we are not on a journey, which is most of the time, it is compulsory to pray in the times you find in prayer calendars for your area. You can obtain this is the mosque or even online, times differ from city to city as you probably already know. It is not permisable to make prayers up, or miss a prayer, once the time for prayer is there it becomes obligatory upon each muslim to offer that prayer within the time till the next prayer but the best time is as soon as the prayer time is there.
You asked about having the time to pray at work in a situation where you can't leave easily ie. in a reception position. The average hours a person works is around 8 hours full time and around 4 part time, so obviously the times to offer all five prayers are not all in those 8 hours or 4 hours. The most you will offer at work is three prayers, in summer depending on the times only one prayer will be prayed at work. I think the best way to approach the situation you explained is to just speak to your supervisor, explain you need to go off to pray at certain times and it takes around 5-10 minutes and mention how often it will be. Perhaps line up another collegue who can relieve your position till you come back. What happens when you go to lunch there must be someone else who sits in your position if it is such that someone always needs to be there? What happens when you need to go to the bathroom? Surely they can permit you to go off and offer your prayers? You will be surprised how easy things work out, really, things I made such a deal about before becoming muslim were not an issue once I approached it and dealt with it.
If you speak with your supervisor and it is stated you cannot offer your prayers at work, which I highly doubt - they are descriminating against your religious rights if they do, then deal with that when it happens.
Hope this helps your enquiries....looking forward to hearing more from you...
Love and salam
Umbilal
Prayer is something that becomes part of life as a muslimah and the longer I am muslim the more I realise the benefits of praying 5 times a day in the times prescribed by ALLAH. Of course as sister roxanne said you can join prayers but this is ONLY when you are travelling and there are certain rulings on what is considered "travelling" and what is not. If we are not on a journey, which is most of the time, it is compulsory to pray in the times you find in prayer calendars for your area. You can obtain this is the mosque or even online, times differ from city to city as you probably already know. It is not permisable to make prayers up, or miss a prayer, once the time for prayer is there it becomes obligatory upon each muslim to offer that prayer within the time till the next prayer but the best time is as soon as the prayer time is there.
You asked about having the time to pray at work in a situation where you can't leave easily ie. in a reception position. The average hours a person works is around 8 hours full time and around 4 part time, so obviously the times to offer all five prayers are not all in those 8 hours or 4 hours. The most you will offer at work is three prayers, in summer depending on the times only one prayer will be prayed at work. I think the best way to approach the situation you explained is to just speak to your supervisor, explain you need to go off to pray at certain times and it takes around 5-10 minutes and mention how often it will be. Perhaps line up another collegue who can relieve your position till you come back. What happens when you go to lunch there must be someone else who sits in your position if it is such that someone always needs to be there? What happens when you need to go to the bathroom? Surely they can permit you to go off and offer your prayers? You will be surprised how easy things work out, really, things I made such a deal about before becoming muslim were not an issue once I approached it and dealt with it.
If you speak with your supervisor and it is stated you cannot offer your prayers at work, which I highly doubt - they are descriminating against your religious rights if they do, then deal with that when it happens.
Hope this helps your enquiries....looking forward to hearing more from you...
Love and salam
Umbilal
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