Islamic marriage advice and family advice

Missing prayers because of work

salat - men in a row

How can I catch up with prayers?

My name is Mohamed and I am doing my work in the night, I get to bed at around 9.30 am, so most of the time I miss my day time prayer, could you please give me any solution for it.

- Mohamed


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3 Responses »

  1. Asalaamualaykum 'Akbar123'

    Night shifts can be so difficult, I know the feeling. Alhumdulillah you are concerned about your Salaah. It's one of the first things we will be asked about in the grave. Some scholars say that we should make up all the Salaah we have missed by performing extra Fard, some scholars say that because this may be impractical, we should just do tawbah and vow to always do our salaah on time in future.

    In your case Bro, I do not believe it is permissible to delay your salaah due to work and sleep routines. In the winter times, Zuhr starts at around 11.45am, Asr at 1.50pm, Maghrib at 4pm and Isha at 6pm. Perhaps you could (try to) sleep till 1pm, then awake to pray your Dhur and Asr and then sleep again till Maghrib. I know this means your sleep pattern will be quite disturbed, but I cannot think of any other way, other than you trying to change your job.

    I appreciate that its not easy to find a job in the current economical climate. Brother keep striving with your Salaah, I guarantee you that when you make a firm intention to want to pray, you will find a way inshaAllah because Allah will see the purity of your intention and goal - Salaah and He will make it easy for you.

    Best Wishes,

    SisterZ
    IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  2. Mohamed,

    You have following options which you can follow acc. to your circumstances:

    1. You can also take shorter periods of sleep and wake up with an alarm clock when its time for salah. E.g. go to sleep immediately after finishing work and sleep till Dhur. Then after Dhur take a short sleep till Asr, then if needed sleep till Maghrib or until its time for you to go to work to start your night shift. Our bodies need maximum 7-8 hours of sleep, and we do not need to sleep continuously but can take short intervals.

    2. If you find it difficult to take intervals, then sleep continuously from time you finish work, and wake up just in time that Zuhr time is about to finish and Asr is about to start. I am sure you will complete about 7-8 hours this way. You will need to calculate the exact solar times of Salah in your geographical location for this to work, so that you do not over sleep and miss any prayer time. Qur'an says that movement of sun and moon is for us to calculate timings. So you should adjust your daily work-sleep pattern by such calculations

    3. If you are compelled and forced by your employers in such a manner that you are unable to perform your salah, then acc. to Qur'an, you may shorten and combine the prayer:

    "And when you go forth in the land (for livelihood), it is no sin for you to shorten [your]
    Salah (prayer) if you fear that those who disbelieve may captivate you. In truth the
    disbelievers are an open enemy to you." (4:101)

    In shortened prayer (Salat al Qasr) four rakaats of Zuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon) and Isha (night) time prayers are shortened to two Rakaats. Three Rakaats of Maghrib (sunset) time is performed fully. Also you can combine Zuhr and Asr and Maghrib and Isha in shortened format. But this applies to you only if your employer forces or compells you such a way that you are unable to perrform timely prayers. I think in your case, 1 & 2 are more practical and advisable.

    • I worked on graveyard as well. I sometimes have to finish work either at 9am or 11am. My shift starts at 11pm or 1am. Now my options are either wait till zhur and pray at the masjid. Then I sleep, no FB or anything, then wake up close to Magrib to pray Asr. Then proceed to the masjid for Magrib and Isha. Please note that while waiting for Zhur I'm still able to go the grocery and cook lunch and dinner. I hope Allah swt will accept my prayer done at home and with some delay.

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