Anyone miss salat at work?

[nomad]

This was posted to another board which i belong to and it really inspired me. She isnt too old either.

Asalamu Alaykum sisters,

Something interesting happened to me at work recently, and I just wanted to share the story...

I work part time in an office, and the other day I was slotted for my first evening shift. Evening shifts are rare except when the workload is heavy, and we rotate even then. I work mostly with non-Muslims but aside from a few glances here and there because of my hijab and surprise at me not being arab, alhamdulilah they're pretty nice.

So, with maghrib coming earlier these days, I was a bit worried before work because it coincided with the start of my shift. They don't allow employees taking breaks so early, but what was I to do...? I really had no other options. I was so nervous to ask the supervisor if it was okay, and the particular one that was there that night was looking even more stressed than usual. But of course, missing maghrib was not an option, so, after logging onto my computer and assessing my workload for the night, I (nervously) proceeded to the corner office to let her know I needed to pray. I had it all worked out, I would explain the time change and offer to provide a prayer schedule so she would know when I needed to pray, and in my mind she would say it was fine and to go ahead .

I was in for a RUDE awakening!

I got to her office, and before I got a few sentences out, she basically told me to get back to work, and that I could pray later because she knew a little about Islam and how people are allowed to pray at different times!!!! I was really, really shocked. SubhannaAllah. But I tried to explain that with maghrib it is with the sunset and that the timeframe is somewhat smaller than some of the other prayers, (like dhuhr, which is the prayer I usually pray at work, with my lunch break) and that I preferred to pray it on time even if I had to use one of my breaks for it. At which she said, " I said no." And dismissed me by saying I could either get back to work or talk to the boss (lead manager of my office and high in the exec chain of the company! eek!) .

At this point, this was me . Like, honestly. I was just standing outside her office for a good minute in total shock, thinking, this isn't how it was supposed to gooo! None of my previous employers ever gave me half as much trouble as this...I was so incredibly torn and confused, because I'm like, I HAVE to pray, and basically, she was laying a threat at my feet by telling me to go to the boss, because NO ONE goes directly to the boss around here after having dealt with the supervisors unless they have a really, really good reason. So many scenarios ran through my head in that minute, everything up to me being fired for disturbing the boss, and the fact that this isn't an easy job to come by, especially not for a university student who needs it to pay tuition!!!!!!

But then I looked out the window, and it was already completely dark outside. And in that instant Allah gave me the inspiration I needed . It was like an iron lock of conviction settled around my heart, and so I got on the elevator and went straight to the boss's office. I can't really explain it, I just felt 100% sure that I would not miss my prayer even if I had to pray right outside that woman's office!

After waiting a few minutes to be admitted to his office, I was allowed in, and after I sat down and introduced myself briefly, I told him everything that had happened and told him everything about my prayer needs straight up. I didn't sugar coat it because I figured if he's gonna find a reason to fire me, let it at least be for prayer! lol.

And you know what happened? He said he knew all about the Islamic prayers and that it is more than alright for me to take the time I need to pray on any day!!!! Again, this was me ...lol!! I was even more shocked this time around. lol. I was really expecting a struggle of some sort! SubhannaAllah! But I was able to regain composure enough to thank him and hear him say that he would have a talk with that supervisor and all the others so I wouldn't have to deal with that again. He even apologized! I thanked him again and said I would only need a few minutes to pray, and he went on to ask if I wanted to attend an upcoming training seminar for execs about the needs of different groups on the job .

Needless to say I left that office in a MUCH better mood than when I went in! SubhannaAllah and Alhamdulilah!!!!

[Abu Shu'aib]

alhamdullilah

[Umm Ahmed]

MashaAllaah sometimes "we have nothing to fear but fear itself"

[ibnYaseen]

alhamdulilah.

It can be very daunting to approach supervisors and managers about arranging prayer times because it's like asking for "special treatment", in a secular society there is this premise that religion is personal and confined to your personal time wheras the work environment is superior to all else because THIS makes the world go round... but things like this are proof that many kufaar, even if they have weirdness towards Islam and Muslims, they aren't hellbent on trying to make things impossible for you if you need to pray.

My wife when she was studying went through a lot and to be able to pray between lessons, but it was a good result: even a room was allocated specifically for her and other Muslims, even though there were less than a handful. After that initial hardship comes ease.

In my current job, on my first day, I felt daunted to approach my manager about my prayer needs so went to the HR manager who seemed a lot softer and alhamdulilah it turned out to be a wise decision because I got a very accommodating arrangement and can do salaah at work.

Shaytaan will try hard to deceive you -- but remind yourself this: what is more important than Salaah?

[Abu Treika]

by law in the u.k every organisation has to supply a prayer room, it isnt specifically a muslim prayer room, it is for anyone to pray in but kuffar generally dont pray, you can approach your manager, then your senior manager or HR boss and demand this (politely) and they will have to oblige inshAllah, if not then you can get a trade union involved and it will change, these actions are necessary and important and everyone who works in the west should make these demands and not fear the repercussions as indeed Allah is Ar-Razzaq