Islam Question and Answer - He works as a receptionist in a block of furnished apartments; does he have an excuse for not praying Jumu‘ah or offering the prayers in congregation in the mosque?

Thu 11/8/1434 - 20/6/2013

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Principles of Fiqh » Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings » Acts of Worship » Prayer » Prayers on various occasions » Friday Prayers

He works as a receptionist in a block of furnished apartments; does he have an excuse for not praying Jumu‘ah or offering the prayers in congregation in the mosque?

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I live in one of the Gulf countries, and I work as a receptionist in a block of furnished apartments. There is a mosque fifty meters away from me, and I can hear the adhaan and iqaamah very well, but I cannot go because my boss does not agree, and he says that someone may come to rent an apartment during the prayer time, and he says: Pray here; it is permissible. (So I pray in the reception area with a cleaner who works with me in the apartment block. Please note that this cleaner was Hindu and he became Muslim – praise be to Allah – and he and I pray in the reception room in the apartment block). And we share Jumu‘ah: one time I go to Jumu‘ah prayer, and the next time this worker goes, because we cannot leave the place with no one in the reception area.
Please note that I could go without my boss knowing, but I am afraid that if I go to offer the obligatory prayers in the mosque and I leave the reception area and I leave that worker there, a renter who is single may come with a woman and take her into the apartment, and the Indian worker does not understand what is going on. That happened to me once but – praise be to Allah – I prevented any evil happening, and Allah is witness to what I say.
I could leave this job, because I am not sponsored by the boss with whom I work, but I think that perhaps I am here and I could prevent problems of zina that could happen, Allah forbid.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

The basic principle is that prayers should be offered in congregation in the mosque, where the call is given. It is permissible to pray in congregation in the workplace if the workers going to the mosque will lead to the work being affected. This has been discussed in the answer to question no. 74978

With regard to praying Jumu‘ah, it is more important and the obligation is more emphatic; it is not permissible to miss it except within very strict guidelines, such as the risk of damage or harm, or if there is an interest to be served for the Muslims, such as dealing with emergencies in hospitals, and the like. This has been discussed in the answer to question no. 36530

Based on that, you have to go to Jumu‘ah, and advise the owner of the apartments and explain that it is not permissible to stay away from Jumu‘ah, and he will not be harmed by the loss of a few customers; many customers, if they find the building locked, will come back after the prayer. You should go out to Jumu‘ah just before the adhaan, and go to a nearby mosque where the khutbah is not too long.

And Allah knows best.

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