• Article Listing
• |
• Search Articles
• |
• More Articles in Middle East and Islam
• |
• More Articles by Carol Fleming

What Does It Mean When It Is Prayer Time?

by Carol Fleming - 07/18/2010

"This is an article which explains about the Muslim call to prayer. In some GCC countries, the call to pray may mean business as usual. However in other GCC countries, schools, shops and businesses will shut down during prayer. What does an expat do?"

For anyone working in the GCC, the sound of the adhan, the Muslim call to prayer, will become a regular occurrence in life. Prayers are to be said five times a day and each time the mosques will echo with the sound of the adhan. For most non-Muslims who are working in the GCC, their lives will not be disturbed by the call to prayer. Business will go on as usual.

However in some countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for example, shops, schools and businesses which are in operation during prayer time will shut down for a thirty minute period. The shut down for prayer predominantly affects schools during the afternoon (zuhr) prayer. Schools have typically finished for the day before the two evening prayers (asr and Maghreb).

What does it mean for a non-Muslim expatriate who is working in a country where shops, schools and businesses close for prayer? Are they expected to go to the mosque and pray too? No, they are not. However it will mean that expatriates will need to be cognizant of the prayer times and plan their day accordingly. If a business or shop is closing for prayer time, customers may have to wait outside of the business or shop until prayer time is over. If in a mall, while the mall shops may close, customers are able to wait within the confines of the mall until shops reopen.

At schools and universities schedules are often planned to accommodate the afternoon (zuhr) prayer without an interruption to classes.
A non-Muslim is not expected to join Muslims in prayer. It is, however, recommended to be respectful of the prayer time. While not mandatory, it is a sign of respect for a non-Muslim woman to cover her head with a scarf while the adhan is called.

And for those who have wondered what is being said when the adhan is called, following is the translation for both Sunni and Shia'a Muslims:

Sunni
Recital         Arabic         Transliteration         Translation
4x *         الله أكبر         Allahu Akbar         God is the greatest/most great
2x         أشهد أن لا اله إلا الله         Ash-had an la ilaha illa llah         I testify that there is no deity except for God
2x         أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله         Ash-hadu anna Muħammadan rasulullah         I testify that Muhammad is a Messenger of God
2x         حي على الصلاة         Hayya 'ala-salatt         Make haste towards the prayer
2x         حي على الفلاح         Hayya 'ala 'l-falah         Make haste towards success (reward)
2x **         الصلاة خير من النوم         Al-salatu khayru min an-nawm         Prayer is better than sleep **
2x         الله أكبر         Allāhu akbar         God is the greatest!
1x         لا إله إلا الله         La ilaha illallah         There is no deity except for God

* Followers of the Maliki madh'hab say this line twice instead of four times.

** The line "Prayer is better than sleep" is used only for the first prayers of the day at dawn (fajr Prayer; Salat al-fajr).
[edit] Shi'a
Recital         Arabic         Transliteration         Translation[1]
4x         الله اكبر         Allahu Akbar         The God is greater than any description
2x         اشهد ان لا اله الا الله         Ash-hadu allā ilāha illaha illa llāh         I testify that there is no deity except for The God
2x         اشهد ان محمدا رسول الله         Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-rasūlu llāh         I testify that Muhammad is a Messenger of The God
2x         اشهد ان عليا ولي الله         Ash-hadu anna Aliya wali-ul-lah         I testify witness that Ali is the vice regent of God
2x         حي على الصلاة         Hayya 'alas-salāt         Make haste towards the prayer
2x         حي على الفلاح         Hayya 'alal-falāh         Make haste towards the worship
2x         حي على خير العمل         Hayya- al Khair al amal         Make haste towards the best thing
2x         الله اكبر         Allah-u Akbar         The God is the greatest!
1x         لا اله الا الله         Lā ilāha illallāh         There is no deity except for The God

* According to Shi'a scholars, Ashhadu ana Alian waliullah ("I testify that Ali is the vicegerent of The God ") is not a part of adhan and iqamah but it is recommended (Mustahabb) to say that twice after third part of the adhan which is "Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar-rasūl ullāh".

Carol Fleming

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5