I work as a full-time GP and would like to share some points on praying at work:
What do others do when it comes to wudhu/salaat whilst at work?
Practical considerations:
1. Doing wudhu - making masah would help as the sink is sooo small and awkward to get my foot in...I use Sealskin waterproof socks (as recommended by Sidi Fraz Rabbani of Sunni Path).
Whilst this works well, I do get some weird looks as the socks are thick and v out of place with my suite/shoes.
2. Getting all your salah (zohr/Asr/Mughrib) done on time when your sooo busy with being on call, seeing extra pts, home visits, meetings, etc etc.
Any thoughts or advice on this would be appreciated
7 comments:
Salams Sidi
I do agree this is a major concern for me on a daily basis and I wish it wasn't so much after reading Sheikh Abdal Hakim Murad's contentions:
"A busy life makes the Prayer harder; but the Prayer makes a busy life easier."
Sealskinz are a relief, but even more so I've recently heard we can use 1000 mile hiking socks. The beauty of these is that they don't look much thicker than normal socks. I know we can use Tencel 1000 mile hiking socks but am not sure if we can use any brand. I shall definitely be getting some when I find out as Sealskinz are just so bulky.
Another thing I often do is pray Asr at the Shafi'i time if it fits better with my surgery times. Something I learnt when my daughter was born and would cry during my prayer was that I must try and pray at the beginning of any prayer time so I don't have the worry looming that she'd start crying, now its the worry that I might be called to an emergency and completely miss the salat.
Recently I was speaking with Umm al Khayr during the Hayd (menstruation) class on Sunnipath.
She mentioned to Yasmeen that she'd worked (presumably in the US) for 17 years and hadn't ever been prevented from praying because of these issues. I believe she was an English teacher. We were talking in the context of having to make ghusl at work at the time when hayd finishes, which is much more complex a scenario than wudu! That's a discussion for another day!
I don't think my colleagues know I pray but the receptionists do. Sometimes I put a sign on the door "Do not disturb, Please knock and wait :o) "
otherwise I used to find they'd just knock and enter. I do lock the door when I pray now because despite the sign some of them do knock and enter. I do feel uncomfortable locking it as they must wonder what I'm doing in there.
What do others do?
May Allah give us tawfiq,
wasalam
Umm Safiya
Bismilah
Assalamu alaykum,
Allah wants to give thawab to those who persevere and pray despite the difficulty. He puts this test to us because it is one we can overcome..... no one is tested beyond their means
Advice about wudhu from Shaykh A Aziz Ahmed (glasgow) in the presence of non Muslim,do the minimum as that is daawah.
I prayed between my patients in clinic sessions for a whole year before they realised I had disappeared to pray.( they thought I had constipated big time)
What I found useful was to do solat hajat every night and ask for taufiq to perform this.
Shaykh Syed Muhammad AnNinowy said," it is choice, your work or your prayer.
He gives you rizk and He maintains you in your job."another issue work related the Shaykh said" So find a way.."
Habib Ali said cut the time for lunch and use it to pray instead
Wallahu alam. May we be saved
Umm Nur
AsSalaamualaykum
JazakAllah khair for these points - I didnt know about Tencel but will look into it.
Sealskin have introduced an ultralight version of their sock- its thinner and there is no irritating bright blue marking at the top of the sock! Have used this for about a week and its nicer but still bulky; it may be worth considering this.
Having recently started work in a rural setting where there arent any muslims or mosque- its an interesting experience for all!! I drive to the town on Fridays for Jumma (they changed my afternoon clinic start time from 1.30pm to 2pm and the reception staff stay an extra half an hour at the end due to me) otherwise pray in my office/room.
I told the practice manager on my first day that I pray at lunchtimes, so far no one has actually walked in but im sure this will happen in the next few days!!I dont think the others know I pray.
When people walk in and you are praying most people tend to quietly leave; it can be hard to to maintain concentration (kushoo)in the prayer. The practical difficulties include the phone ringing etc.
One of the most memorable experiences I had was when I was doing wudhu in my room and my GP trainner walked in just as I was washing my foot in the sink! Her look was comical...she almost reversed out without saying a word.
JazakAllah khair for the advice and encouragement, time to roll up my sleeves and 'get millitant'...!
Salaams
Stranger in a strange land
In the winter, I will join the prayers, as does my colleague, if the clinics will over-run the time. You can join the prayers as long as it is not a habit and I feel fine about that.
AsSalaamualaykum
I couldnt find the Tencel 1000 mile hiking socks. Any ideas where to get some? I tried camping shops but no Tencel brand...
Also is this position ie using hiking socks from the Hanafi School?
Jazak Allah khair
MasSalaam
I saw Umm al Khayr using them so I assume we can as she is a Hanafi. I've e-mailed her to find out but I think we can use any 1000 mile ones.
sorry all, i meant tactel not tencel.
anyway i don't think that matters, my teacher said,
"As for the ‘1000 mile’ hiking socks – if they fulfil the conditions i.e. don’t let water through when wiped and cover the ankles on their own, then one can wipe over them."
so they don't have to be totally waterproof then, like sealskinz, i presume.
wasalam
umm safiya
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