The Ruling on One Who Is Compelled to Work During Prayer Times

Question:
The first letter in this episode is from one of our brother listeners, who indicated his name with the letter (S) from Riyadh. Our brother titled his letter: “The Subject: Obligations During Prayer Times.” He says: “When the adhan for prayer is called, they assign me errands, and I have grown very tired of these tasks during the time of the adhan. Many times I have lost my composure and my temper has flared, because they do not go out except with the adhan, or at the time of prayer. I have constantly complained to them about this and explained to them that prayer has a great virtue when performed in congregation, and that it is not permissible to postpone it for any purpose that can be delayed. They did not listen to me. Please guide them and those like them. May Allah reward you with good and do you well. And before me is another letter, Your Eminence, that addresses the same issue, so please give us your guidance. May Allah guide you, and may He reward you with good.”

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
There is no doubt that it is obligatory for Muslims to care for the prayer and to perform it in its time, both men and women alike; because it is the pillar of Islam, and the greatest of the pillars after the two testimonies, and because it is the first thing for which the servant will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection. If his prayer is sound, the rest of his deeds will be sound, and if his prayer is rejected, the rest of his deeds will be rejected. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
So it is obligatory for the people of the household, and for employees in any department, to fear Allah in this matter, and to cooperate in performing the prayer in its time in congregation, and to respond to the mu’adhdhin, and not to occupy one another with things that prevent them from praying in congregation, or from praying in its time. This applies to both men and women.
It is obligatory for the people of the household to strive to perform the prayer in its time and to be diligent in doing so. And it is obligatory for men to pray in congregation when they hear the call; they should hasten to do so. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It was said to Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): “What is the excuse?” He said: “Fear, or illness.”
And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him): “That a blind man came to him and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I have no guide to lead me to the mosque, so do I have a dispensation to pray in my house?’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: . Muslim narrated it in al-Sahih.
So if a blind man who has no guide is told: “Respond… pray in congregation in the mosque,” how much more so for other people?! So it is obligatory for all able men to pray in the mosque, and to respond to the mu’adhdhin, and to leave their homes, residences, and departments for the mosques, except for those whom Allah has excused, such as the sick person. The sick person prays according to his condition: [al-Taghabun:16].
Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) — the noble Companion — said: “I have seen us, and none of us would lag behind it” — meaning: the prayer in congregation — “except a known hypocrite, or a sick person.” So it is not permissible for the manager of a department, or the head of a department, or the head of a household to occupy his children, or the employees, with tasks that prevent them from the congregational prayer, or hinder them from praying in congregation. Rather, they must be cooperative in hastening to perform the prayer in congregation, and in postponing other tasks that might hinder it to after the prayer, or bringing them forward before the prayer by some time.
As for occupying the employees with work during the time of prayer such that they lag behind the congregational prayer; this is a great evil. So it is obligatory to leave it and to beware of it. We ask Allah for guidance and success for everyone. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and do you well. What is the obligation of the worker, or the driver, or the servant if he is faced with such a case, Your Eminence! Does he have [the right], or do you advise him to move to another place that enables him to perform the congregational prayer?

The Shaykh: It is obligatory for the driver, the worker, and every employee: to prioritize the right of Allah. He prays in congregation, stops the car, and prays in congregation, and praise be to Allah. The worker stops his work and prays with the Muslims. The times of prayer are excluded; they are not included in the work, unless he is a guard who prays in his place of guard; and he does not neglect his post, or he is sick; then he is excused, or he has something in the car that he fears for; then there is no harm in him delivering it to its destination, and he should strive in the future to be cautious about this matter at all times. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. And if one’s work can be postponed to after the prayer, how do you advise him?

The Shaykh: It is obligatory for him to postpone it. And if the responsible authority does not enable him; he moves to another place, he resigns, and he seeks another place, and Allah will make his affair easy. He, the Exalted, says: [al-Talaq:2] And He says: [al-Talaq:4] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: And he (peace and blessings be upon him) says: .
So the leadership that prevents him from the congregational prayer, or the management, or the head of the work, or something similar to that; it is not permissible for him to obey him in that.

The presenter: Or the head of the family, for example!

The Shaykh: Or the head of the family: It is not permissible for the one who is obligated to obey anyone in disobedience to Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He). Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.