Friday Prayer at the Workplace
Adil Salahi, Arab News
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=5§ion=0&article=67681&d=29&m=7&y=2005
Question
A Canadian company gave its 30 Muslim workers space for prayers. Some of them claim that it is not permissible to organize Friday prayer in this space, because there is a mosque at about 10 minutes walk, and the workers in this company could use their lunch break to attend the prayer in the mosque. Please comment.
Answer
Different schools of Fiqh specify certain conditions for the validity of Friday prayers. These normally relate to the number of people in attendance and the place where the prayer is offered, and the sort of sermon, or khutbah, given. A highly reputable scholar analyzed these conditions and concluded that none of them carries much weight. Indeed there is no specific Hadith that requires the Friday prayer to be conducted in a place designated as a mosque. Like all prayers, it can be performed in any place. It does not have to be in a mosque.
In the situation you have mentioned, it is the convenience that should be the determining factor. These employees can go to the mosque to attend the prayer during their lunch hour, but they will be without lunch, which could be a strain affecting their performance at work. It is certainly more convenient for them and their employers that they should organize their Friday prayer at their workplace. They can have a quick lunch before or after the prayer. This is a much better arrangement all round. There is nothing in Islam that prevents them from doing so. Their number is more than sufficient for Friday prayers. They should go ahead and organize it.
AB
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