Joining prayers at work

Question: In winter the time between Dhuhr and Maghrib in my country is very short. Am I allowed to join prayers while I am at work?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

If praying Dhuhr and Asr on time pose great hardship, due to the nature of one’s work or medical condition, one may combine Dhuhr and Asr either before Maghrib time comes in, or at the beginning of Dhuhr. (Kashhaf al Qina, Bahuti; Bughyat al Mustarshidin, Abd al Rahman Mashhur; Rawdat al Talibin, Nawawi; Kifayat al Akhyar, Hisni; al Awsat, Ibn al Mundhir)

One should be very careful not to abuse this dispensation. There is a big difference between the genuine practical impossibility of praying on time because one’s work requires one to keep watch of something, for example, for the whole prayer time, and the mere awkwardness of asking to go for a prayer break. Joining for the latter reason is cowardice and is sinful.

As the scholars say, one should only take a dispensation when one genuinely feels that Allah Himself wants one to take it. ‘And Allah knows the man who means mischief from the man who means good.’ (Qur’an, 2: 220)

If one’s work does not allow even one to pray Dhuhr and Asr by joining, then one must look for other work.

I pray this helps.

[Shaykh] Farid

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language