Praying during working hours: religious and legal guidance

Five daily prayers, two or three of which usually fall within a standard working day: for many Muslim employees, organising prayer is the most common practical question. It arises differently depending on the season, working hours, the job and the employer's openness. The good news is that, with a little planning, the vast majority of situations can be resolved.

This page brings together the religious guidance commonly recalled by scholars and the general legal framework in France, with notes for readers in the UK, and then proposes practical solutions. For a specific question of practice, ask an imam or a qualified scholar; for a legal question, contact the official bodies.

Prayer times and the working day

Each prayer has a time window, not a single fixed time. The midday prayer (dhuhr) can be performed from just after the sun passes its zenith until the afternoon prayer ('asr) begins; the afternoon prayer lasts, according to the most common view, until sunset, although it is disliked to delay it until the sun turns yellow without good reason. This flexibility usually makes it possible to pray during a break.

The seasons change the picture. In France and the UK, winter puts dhuhr, 'asr and sometimes maghrib within office hours, whereas summer often places 'asr late in the day and maghrib after work. Checking a local prayer timetable helps you plan ahead.

Concessions in Islamic jurisprudence

Combining prayers

The hadith reported by Muslim on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas states that the Prophet combined the midday and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers, in Medina without any fear or rain, so as not to cause hardship to his community. On this basis, some scholars, notably in the Hanbali school, allow combining prayers in cases of genuine and occasional need, without making it a habit. Other schools are more restrictive. This point is worth checking with a scholar you trust.

Ablutions and place of prayer

Ablutions can be made easier by wiping wet hands over socks or shoes put on in a state of purity (al-mash 'ala al-khuffayn), under the conditions set out by the jurists. As for the place, any clean surface will do: a closed office, a free meeting room, a quiet corner or even an outdoor space.

What employment law says

The French Labour Code does not create a specific right to breaks for prayer. It does, however, require a break of at least 20 consecutive minutes once daily working time reaches six hours (Article L3121-16), unless a collective agreement is more favourable. During breaks, employees are free to use their time as they wish, which includes the possibility of praying, provided this does not disrupt organisation, safety or hygiene. In the UK, the Working Time Regulations 1998 likewise give adult workers a 20-minute rest break when they work more than six hours a day.

Praying during actual working time requires the employer's agreement. The employer is not obliged to provide a room but may not discipline an employee because of their religion. Any restriction must be justified by the nature of the task and be proportionate. In the French public sector, the duty of neutrality applies to staff while on duty. The general framework is explained on our page about employment law and religion.

Friday prayer

The congregational Friday prayer (jumu'a) is an obligation for men according to all the schools of law. It falls at lunchtime, which often makes it easier to fit into the lunch break. When the mosque is far away, several solutions are possible:

• extending the Friday lunch break as an exception and making up the time on another day;
• taking time off in lieu or asking for staggered hours that day, if the organisation allows it;
• finding a mosque near your workplace that holds several Friday services.

Some scholars accept that a person whose job would genuinely be at risk, with no alternative, may occasionally be excused from jumu'a and pray dhuhr instead; this is a question to discuss with a scholar.

Solutions by type of job

• Office: pray in a free room during a break, in a few minutes.
• Retail and hospitality: agree with colleagues to cover the counter.
• Construction and industry: pray during the break, in a clean room or a parked vehicle.
• Healthcare: occasional combining, or praying at the end of a shift, depending on the time windows.
• Remote work: free organisation, provided you complete your tasks and remain available.

During Ramadan, the time of breaking the fast adds to these constraints; see our page on Ramadan and working hours.

Raising the subject with your employer

1. Present the request simply: a few minutes, taken from your break.
2. Stress that it has no impact on your work or on the team.
3. Offer solutions rather than demands.
4. Stay discreet and respectful of colleagues and premises.
5. Keep a written record of what has been agreed.

If you believe you are being penalised or sidelined because of your religious practice, you can seek information from the Défenseur des droits or the labour inspectorate in France, or from Acas in the UK. This subject connects with that of discrimination based on religion, which can also arise at the recruitment stage. Jobseekers in France can also find out about their rights from France Travail, the public employment service.