519. What To Do If I Don’t Have ‘Time’ To Pray At My Job?

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 all the non Muslims out there?

*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 at work and take the few minutes they give you and pray. 

*Some suggestions*

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 for work 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 even wipe over your hijaab, as well. 

This 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 some other serious situations, you may combine the prayers and Dhuhr with Asr. 

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. 

You ‘may’ stay in this job until you find another appropriate job in the meantime. 

But hate it in your heart. 

*Remember there’s no good in a job that keeps you away from the remembrance of your Rabb and your obligatory duties.*

*There will be no Khair in it.*

*There will be NO Barakah.*

*NOTHING is worth losing your Salaah over.*

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 Islaam. 

So instead of being ‘embarrassed’ or ‘shy’, we should be PROUD to be Muslim. 

After all, you’re *obeying* Allaah. 

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 talk, our attitude and our dealings. 

It gives us *confidence* and gives us *integrity*. 

This comes off as something very *positive* for our jobs and careers and *establishes us as a person of virtue and principles*. 

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