Combining the two prayers due to work conditions
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 17766 )
Q: I am a nurse in one of the hospitals, and the department I work in is the (Intensive Care Unit).
The nature of the work in this department is that critical and urgent cases are brought to it, and these cases suffer from cardiac arrest, which requires performing the necessary first aid, including artificial respiration. This requires me to monitor the patient’s condition, not to be negligent in this monitoring, and not to leave the intensive care room. This monitoring may continue for a long period, reaching several hours, and consequently, I am unable to perform the obligatory prayers of that period. In some cases, I am unable to perform three obligatory prayers. There is a shortage of female workers in that department, so there is no one to take my place so that I can perform the obligatory prayer at its time . Sometimes, my work requires me to monitor two or more cases at the same time. I would like to clarify to your Excellency that I work because I have a need for employment. As for the cases that come to this department, most of them, after receiving first aid, meet their end, and a small number of them have their hearts restart and leave the department in good health. For the cases that die, we fulfill our duty toward them, and their death is not the result of our negligence, but it is the decree of Allah. After this presentation, I ask your Excellency to clarify what I can do regarding these obligatory prayers that accumulate on me and are delayed past their time, after explaining the reason for the delay.
A: If you are able to pray each prayer at its time in the workplace, then it is obligatory for you to pray according to your ability. If that is not possible, then you must combine the two prayers, Zuhr with 'Asr and Maghrib with 'Isha', either by combining them early in the time of Zuhr or Maghrib before entering work, or by combining them late in the time of 'Asr or 'Isha after finishing work. The Fajr prayer is performed alone at its time. Combining the prayers in any manner other than the two methods mentioned is not valid. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Q: I am a nurse in one of the hospitals, and the department I work in is the (Intensive Care Unit).
The nature of the work in this department is that critical and urgent cases are brought to it, and these cases suffer from cardiac arrest, which requires performing the necessary first aid, including artificial respiration. This requires me to monitor the patient’s condition, not to be negligent in this monitoring, and not to leave the intensive care room. This monitoring may continue for a long period, reaching several hours, and consequently, I am unable to perform the obligatory prayers of that period. In some cases, I am unable to perform three obligatory prayers. There is a shortage of female workers in that department, so there is no one to take my place so that I can perform the obligatory prayer at its time . Sometimes, my work requires me to monitor two or more cases at the same time. I would like to clarify to your Excellency that I work because I have a need for employment. As for the cases that come to this department, most of them, after receiving first aid, meet their end, and a small number of them have their hearts restart and leave the department in good health. For the cases that die, we fulfill our duty toward them, and their death is not the result of our negligence, but it is the decree of Allah. After this presentation, I ask your Excellency to clarify what I can do regarding these obligatory prayers that accumulate on me and are delayed past their time, after explaining the reason for the delay.
A: If you are able to pray each prayer at its time in the workplace, then it is obligatory for you to pray according to your ability. If that is not possible, then you must combine the two prayers, Zuhr with 'Asr and Maghrib with 'Isha', either by combining them early in the time of Zuhr or Maghrib before entering work, or by combining them late in the time of 'Asr or 'Isha after finishing work. The Fajr prayer is performed alone at its time. Combining the prayers in any manner other than the two methods mentioned is not valid. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.