I work in the Riyadh Grand Court and I arrive for work at eight in the morning and leave after noon, depending on the judge's arrival and departure, as I work in his office.
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The questioner : I work in the Riyadh Grand Court and I arrive for work at eight in the morning and leave after noon, depending on the judge's arrival and departure, as I work in his office. My question is: Is that permissible for me, given that working hours are from seven-thirty to two-thirty, and that my work is tied to the judge's schedule? With my sincere regards.
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for a Muslim, if he commits to a contract with the government or anyone else, to fulfill it, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:1], and as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Isra 17:34]. If that is the case, and it is known between the employee and the state that work begins at seven o'clock and ends at...
The questioner : ...two-thirty.
The Shaykh : ...two-thirty, then it is obligatory for the employee to spend the entire time at his place of work, whether he has people dependent on him or not. There is no difference in this between court employees and others. In fact, it is obligatory for court employees to be a model in applying what is obligatory for them based on their contract with the government.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because many people who have no connection to the Shari'ah courts, when they see the negligence and laxity of the officials in the Shari'ah courts, they take that as a path to argument when they are advised to perform their duties.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And even if this path does not benefit them before Allah (Mighty and Majestic), a person is not excused by the negligence of others before Allah. It may only serve as a weak argument for the one who is advising and reprimanding him for wasting the state's time, which he committed to according to the job classification scale.
So my advice to my brothers in the courts and elsewhere is to fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and to fulfill what Allah has made obligatory upon them, namely fulfilling contracts and keeping promises, so that matters are set right and the trust is upheld, and no one is left with an excuse. We hear often that Shari'ah documents and people's needs are delayed for a long time in the courts, and one of the causes may be what this questioner pointed out.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The delay of some judges in arriving early or their departure before the end of working hours. In my opinion, this is not unknown to them, because it is known to everyone that it is obligatory for every Muslim to fulfill the contract he has entered into, whether he contracted with the state or with a private party.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And Allah is the One who grants success.
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for a Muslim, if he commits to a contract with the government or anyone else, to fulfill it, as Allah the Exalted said:
O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِAnd fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.
وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًاThe questioner : ...two-thirty.
The Shaykh : ...two-thirty, then it is obligatory for the employee to spend the entire time at his place of work, whether he has people dependent on him or not. There is no difference in this between court employees and others. In fact, it is obligatory for court employees to be a model in applying what is obligatory for them based on their contract with the government.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because many people who have no connection to the Shari'ah courts, when they see the negligence and laxity of the officials in the Shari'ah courts, they take that as a path to argument when they are advised to perform their duties.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And even if this path does not benefit them before Allah (Mighty and Majestic), a person is not excused by the negligence of others before Allah. It may only serve as a weak argument for the one who is advising and reprimanding him for wasting the state's time, which he committed to according to the job classification scale.
So my advice to my brothers in the courts and elsewhere is to fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and to fulfill what Allah has made obligatory upon them, namely fulfilling contracts and keeping promises, so that matters are set right and the trust is upheld, and no one is left with an excuse. We hear often that Shari'ah documents and people's needs are delayed for a long time in the courts, and one of the causes may be what this questioner pointed out.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The delay of some judges in arriving early or their departure before the end of working hours. In my opinion, this is not unknown to them, because it is known to everyone that it is obligatory for every Muslim to fulfill the contract he has entered into, whether he contracted with the state or with a private party.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And Allah is the One who grants success.