By Asma bint Shameem
Salaah is *“THE absolute, most important”* part of a Muslim’s life.
It’s the very first thing we’ll be asked about when we stand in front of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala.
If the Salaah is good, everything else will be good.
If the Salaah is lacking, then everything else is of no use.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound.
And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad."
(al-Tabarani; saheeh by al-Albaani, Saheeh al-Jami, vol.1, p. 503)
After all, what distinguishes us from the non Muslims?
*It’s the Salaah*, of course.
So we MUST do our BEST to pray on time.
And *exert every effort* that we can to make it possible.
I’m sure it’s busy at work.
But I’m *also* sure you would have a break, even if it’s for just ‘five’ minutes.
It could be a bathroom break.
Or a lunch break.
Or any thing else.
So ask them for a coffee break but don’t drink coffee.
Use that time to pray instead.
Or tell them you want a lunch break.
But before eating, go pray.
*You MUST strive hard* to find a way, somehow, to offer your prayers and take the few minutes they give you and pray.
Some suggestions for you
1. Pray JUST the fardh.
This way it would take less than five minutes for you to pray the four rak’aat of Dhuhr.
Or four rak’aat of Asr.
2. Make wudhu before you leave home then put on socks.
This way you wouldn’t have to wash your feet when making wudhu.
All you would do is simply wipe over the socks.
And you can also wipe over your hijaab.
So it will save you time.
3. If there’s absolutely nothing you can do, and your taking a break would jeopardize the safety of others or is harmful to you or others in some way, you ‘may’ combine the Dhuhr and Asr prayers.
So for example, if you’re a surgeon or someone who works in the operating room and you can’t leave your patient in the middle of surgery, or you’re a soldier that guards the borders, or you’re a security officer, or you’re in the some other serious situations, you may combine the prayers.
But that’s a last resort.
4. If none of these things will
work, and you don’t have even five minutes for coffee, lunch, bathroom etc, and there’s no way for you to even combine your prayers, then you must *leave this job*.
Start ACTIVELY looking for another job ASAP that allows you a few minutes to pray.
*Remember there’s no good in a job that keeps you away from your Rabb and your obligatory duties.*
*There will NEVER be any Khair in it.*
*There will be NO Barakah.*
Shaikh Salah as-Sawy said to a man who couldn’t go for Jumu’ah prayers because of his job:
“It is not befitting for you to take a job that consistently distracts you from performing Friday Prayer.
So, either you manage the situation with the administration so that you are allowed to perform it, or you consider this job a temporary one and exert great effort in searching for a lawful alternative that enables you to perform this obligation.
When you find that alternative, you should go for it at the first opportunity.”
*Another point to keep in mind*.
A Muslim should NEVER by “shy” or “embarrassed” to offer prayers in front of the non Muslims.
Alhamdulillaah *everyone* knows about our Deen, our Salaah and what islaam is.
So instead of being ‘embarrassed’ or ‘shy’, we should be PROUD to be Muslim.
Show them with your good work ethics, honesty and hard work what Islaam is all about.
Talk to them about our five daily prayers and how important they are in a Muslim’s life.
Tell them THAT’S what keeps you connected to your Rabb.
And THAT’S the source of your inspiration.
If we’re proud of our Deen, that reflects in our attitude and dealings.
It gives us *confidence* and that comes off as something very *positive* for our selves, our relationships, our jobs and careers and *fortifies* us as a person of *integrity*.
So hold you head up high and pray when it’s time.
It’s the least we can do, if we are Muslim.
As they say in English:
“When there’s a will, there’s a way.”
And Allaah knows best
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