Is It Permissible to Keep My Shop Open During the Friday Prayer?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question: Assalamu alaykum

My family and I just opened a new shop in Australia and we have a non-muslim employee who can stay in the shop during Friday Prayers while we all attend it. Is it permissible to keep the shop open and business happening while we are in the Mosque?

Answer:  Walaikum assalam,

I hope you’re doing well, insha’Allah.

Allah Most High commands: “Believers, when the call to prayer is given on Friday, then hasten to prayer and leave all transaction. That is better for you, if you truly knew.” [Qur’an, 62.9]

The impermissibility of buying, selling, and working during Friday prayers applies to those for whom the Friday prayer is obligatory—namely, adult Muslim males. It is not impermissible for Muslim women (who can also pray Zuhr without dislike) or non-Muslims to buy and sell during the time of Friday prayer, even in a Muslim-owned business.

[ref: Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]

And Allah is the giver of success and facilitation.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a scholar and researcher of Islamic law and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance Global After ten years overseas, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in the Summer of 2007. In May 2008 he founded SeekersGuidance Global to deal with the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge—both online and on the ground—in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He has been repeatedly listed as one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims (The Muslim500).