Will it be possible?

Question

.......will it be possible that shops/boutiques will not be closed when prayer time just like other arab countries have done?

.....I observe that shops are closed during prayer time to follow the ordinance set by the govt. because if they will be found out by the authorities, the shop will be closed and banned to operate anymore.....

.......as for me, if all saudis follows the schedule of prayer time (not forcefully enforced but on his own desire).....I think there is no difference if the shops are open or not esp. when the shop is operated by non-saudis.....what is the main reason why the shops are closed during prayer time? is it to show respect or to avoid some saudis not attending prayer time? I observe growing number of saudis now are not going to mosques during prayer time, they also waited outside the shop or malls just like the rest of us.....what's your opinion on this take?

Answer 1

I understand you point. I live in Saudi and this causes some problems to us too when we plan to go out.

The simple answer to your question is, if shops are not closed during prayer times, how would the muslim staff go and pray who will look after the shops?

So it has to be like this to give the opportunity to and ecourage all people to go and pray on time. even if some don't go, but the majority still go and pray.

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Answer 2

i agree im a muslim in libya at prayer times every thing is closed exept for some

Answer 3

It is getting to be a Just Me and Ameen admiration club.lol. Meet up guys you think alike. I agree with your answers too.

Answer 4

Hallelujah...!!! I wish we ad this rule all over the world where there are Muslims, then we can all go and perform the prayers. I envy the people of Saudi where the pursuit of the hereafter is more important than the pursuit of the Riyal.

Answer 5

I totally agree with you.

Worship is what our heart follows and not what others enforce on us

Answer 6

No that is not a good idea.It is an Islaamic law. If they leave the shops open even the one's who pray will get an excuse of not praying on time. The gov has to do it's job if indivduals don't pray then they r answerable 4 their own deeds to Allah.

I mean how much shopping can u do in 20 min .

Answer 7

I often ask this question, especially during Ramadan.  If Christians enforced their religion on everyone for 1 month every year, people would really complain.  Especially considering that during Ramadan, most muslims are sleeping during the day... so what is the point of fasting??

Answer 8

no its not annoying as u cant prevent the muslims who work at the resturants and shops from going 2 their pray and all of the muslims should be at the mosque and pray on the prayers time so its not a wasting of time....................................... WE WONT LEAVE THE PRAYERS COZ U R NOT A MUSLIM AND U WANNA EAT OR BUY SOMETHING IF U DONT LIKE IT SO LEAVE IT....its not annoying 4 muslims

Answer 9

Have you ever waited outside a restaurant for 45 minutes (paryer time), waiting for it to open, you're d**n hungry, and the shawerma standing in front of you, mmmm, you look at it and start drooling! I want a bite.

Or you had to urgently call 905 to find a phone number, and you hear the message "All Staff in prayer, call later" , and "later" means when these people finish prayer, chatting, calling their friends, having coffee, and finally sitting on their desk ?

Or you finish work 20 minutes before ishaa prayer, and you have to buy something from a store that needs 20 minutes driving, and you start thinking, urggggg I have to wait one hour to be able to buy it and go home, OR, if I quickly get to my car, drove at 150 km/hour and passed the traffic lights, bribe the door man to let me in, then..... I may be able to buy it and go home withing 30 minutes! haha

Sometimes prayer times are really frustrating!

Answer 10

true that. Allaah said in the Quran to do that during al-jom'ah prayer, not necessarily all prayers.

Answer 11

Prayer times arent fixed in Islam anyway. You have windows for each prayer. For example, if you dont pray Isha with a group, then its better to do it late, as midnight approaches.

Second thing is, praying in a group is something, and praying, with a certain group at a certain time, is something else that I am against.

Whats wrong with having prayer areas, and hear the call to prayer, and pray there if you havent prayed, when you want to pray, whether its an hour from now, or now, as long as its within the prayer time?

O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew! (Qur'an 62:9)

And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah: and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper.(Qur'an 62:10)

So when the Qur'aan specifies Friday prayers, that excludes other prayers. Otherwise the Qur'aan would have not specified Friday prayers.

So Islamically I believe its wrong, and costs buisness money, and very inconvenient and illogical.

Answer 12

well its a muslim country and it shouldn't make a difference since of the citizens are praying at this time. for those non-muslims, you have to understand this and respect it. This is a part of us and our country.

I wonder why don't people ask the same question to the jews in isreal. The life almost stops in Saturdays!! doesn't that affect non-jews?

Answer 13

This is one of the topics that been discussed among the moderate Saudis, but is out of question for the more conservative groups.

I find Just Me opinion very logical.

However, I tend to be in between. Having shops closed during prayers, gives a certain culture of commitment and encouragement to prayers. A lot of people still go to mosque and pray in groups.

We are not living in ideal world, and business owners care about money more than anything else. I would see it pretty much they will punish staff if they decided to go to prayers and leave store (under staffed) during prayers.

I am with closing during prayers, but:

- I don't thik it should be enforced the way it is now.

- And I don't think it should take this much big time. Prayer itself does not take much. Preparation for prayers takes most of the time. So, closing time can be minimized to 10 minutes rather than 30 or 40 minutes.

It is pretty much like the no smoking areas in Europe and US. No one can enforce you to smoke or not. But, having these limitations gives certain impact to the culture and promote a common desirable behavior.

Answer 14

I agree that it's very frustrating at times.  Especially when you're in line at the grocery store, and you have a cart full of cold and frozen items, and the clerk leaves for prayer, and you're the next customer in line!!!  It's happened to us before.

I understand closing the store for Maghrib because it's much shorter and really should be prayed ASAP after adhan.  Also, it allows people to fast, and makes it easier on employees who work in Ramadhan.  But, there's a window for the other prayers, and a lot of the employees aren't even Muslims, so why should they close?  Also, if it's a small shop, with only a couple employees, then I understand closing, but big stores like Carrefour, etc.  I don't understand that, and I think it's not necessary.  Like Just Me mentioned, I too think it's costing the company a lot of money to close during the prayer.

I also think everything should remain closed on Fridays for Jummah Prayer, but I don't see that being much of a problem.  At least everyone understands why everything is closed on Friday morning/early afternoon.