Has a job which does not permit him to pray

19-7-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

I am a student in the United States. During this summer I was able to find a job. While working I can't pray, therefore before leaving home I used to pray Dhuhr and Asr. Then when I finish work, I pray Maghrib and Isha.
That job is the only one available right now, and I really don't know if I should stay in it or not, even if the answer is obvious. Please advice me what to do.

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

It is unlawful to combine two prayers (Dhuhr and Asr or Maghrib and Isha) if the person has the choice between combining them and praying each one in its fixed time.

But if there is a necessity or an excuse for doing so, it becomes lawful. Necessity here is like traveling, being too sick to be able to pray each prayer in its fixed time or having to do some important work that would be missed if one does not combine prayers or fearing for one's life or money.

So, we think that if the work you do is lawful itself and if you need its returns and will be harmed by leaving it and if failing to combine prayers might result in some harm or in considerable loss, then it is lawful for you to combine prayers in the way you described. But combining two prayers should be before the fixed time of the last of them ends (before sunset for Dhuhr and Asr and before Fajr (down) for Maghrib and Isha).

Finally, we advise you to adhere fully and completely to the rites of your religion, above all the prayer since it is the foundation of Islam. So, adhere to it and do not spare any effort to get a lawful job that allows you perform the prayers in their right time and with the Muslims in congregation. Befriend good pious people and beware of bad company. May Allah help us and you.

Allah knows best.