Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Thanks for this facility (Jazakumulla Khair) My working hours are 7am to 5.30 pm and lunch hours 12 pm to 1pm.

I am praying Zuhar Salah during lunch hours without permission from the superior because i.e my lunch time.

Can I pray `Salathul-Asar` during the working hours without permission from the boss who is non-muslim. I am reaching back home around 6.30pm and I cannot pray Asar.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Pray without permission at job

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Beloved brother, regardless of whether your employer is a muslim or a non-muslim, it is obligatory upon you to perform your prayers on time and also fulfill and complete the trust your employer has laid upon you by working your allotted time.

Under the circumstances described, the best way to fulfill both trusts is for you to take a 10-15 minute break to pray your ‘asr’ prayers on time, and subsequently compensate that time by working an additional 15 minutes until 5:45pm. That way you will be able to fulfill both your trusts. Although one does not need permission from a human being to perform one’s obligatory prayers, it would be best to inform your immediate superior your intention of taking a 15-minute break for asr prayers, which you intend to compensate by working an extra 15 minutes at the end of the working day.

If you have other believers working in the same organization, then it would be best for all of you to pray your prayers in congregation.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and sincere well wisher in Islam,

Burhan