Islam question (no, does not go in fratching...it's about logistics)

[WishfulSpirit]

Hey everyone.

Any Muslims on here who might answer a question for me? At my store we have a lot of Muslim customers (or at least a lot of customers who wear what looks like a hijab to my untutored eyes) and today, one of them had an alarm go off on her phone. It was the call to prayer (which I recognized from the Travel Channel, though as a bit of an amateur sociologist, I should have already known it...drat).

I know observant Muslims pray several times a day, and at set times, and that their prayer ritual involves physical movements and that the words need to be said aloud. I also know that prayer must be done in a clean place.

So here is my question. If a Muslim was out in public in, say, a department store when prayer time came, where would he or she do said prayer? I know that in predominately Muslim countries, everything just kind of stops and everyone prays, but here in the USA, it seems like it would be hard to find a good place. The bathroom would be off-limits due to cleanliness rules, or at least I think so.

So...insight?

[KellyHabersham]

As far as my library goes, I've seen some customers use our "side patio" for praying, or one of the more quiet corners/areas of the building.

[Tama]

I recall a story where an Islamic man was praying in the entry of an alley. I guess some of them do not follow as strictly about where to pray, or maybe they don't have to cleanse the area or whatever as long as they can get down a prayer rug.

[Seshat]

I agree that the bathroom wouldn't do.


Anywhere that's not right in the middle of where people are trying to do things. An alcove, a patio, an infrequently used corridor. Anywhere like that.

[Aragarthiel]

The only insight I can give is that a kiosk owner at the local mall puts a sign up and prays right there in the middle of his kiosk (it's the square glass case type).

[Jester]

Continuing the logistical questioning, I have one.

Since Muslims are supposed to pray at certain times, if I follow this right, what happens if they are unable to pray at the set time? Is there a penalty? Or is it understood that sometimes such activity is impossible. I'm picturing getting stuck in traffic or delayed on a flight or similar things beyond their own control.

Or am I misunderstanding this, and it's actually just that they are supposed to pray a certain number of times a day, and each individual Muslim decides which times to engage in prayer?

My understanding of Islam is not that extensive, and most of what I know of it, logistically speaking anyways, is their dietary laws, which closely resembles those of Judaism.

[Food Lady]

I think it's supposed to be at certain times. We had a temporary employee who needed to pray, so he used the empty office upstairs. It's a very small one, just big enough for a desk, and it's used just for charging some of the PDAs. I used to go rest my head in there on my lunch the time I was recovering from a brain injury. It was the only quiet, dark place I could go. All the noise and movement and light on the floor made my symptoms worse. I'm glad we have that room.

[WishfulSpirit]

Ok folks, I looked around some forums, and what I found out is that the prayers are supposed to be done at certain times, but if it isn't possible, the prayer can be "made up" as soon as the Muslim has time to do it.

As far as I know, Islam is actually pretty understanding of the real life issues people face. For example, if someone is ill, elderly, pregnant or breastfeeding, then fasting during Ramadan isn't required.

[Seshat]

Islam would have to be understanding of reality: Islamic pilots aren't crashing planes by abandoning their duty to attend prayer, nor are Islamic air traffic controllers skipping out and causing uncontrolled airspace. Islamic medical staff aren't abandoning hospitals for prayer .. and so on.

My guess is that it's similar to the Minute's Silence that Australia (and probably other places) observes for World War memorials. If you can do it, you do. If you're in the middle of brain surgery or rocket science (or driving, or ....), you wait and hold a personal Silence.


I suspect (but don't know) that such tasks as air traffic control hold staggered prayer times.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

At a mall I sometimes go to, I saw the guy from one of the kiosks praying on a mat in a corner by one of the stores.

I assumed he was Muslim because of that.

[NorthernZel]

Ok folks, I looked around some forums, and what I found out is that the prayers are supposed to be done at certain times, but if it isn't possible, the prayer can be "made up" as soon as the Muslim has time to do it.

As far as I know, Islam is actually pretty understanding of the real life issues people face. For example, if someone is ill, elderly, pregnant or breastfeeding, then fasting during Ramadan isn't required.

Pretty much that - almost all the cardinal rules/rites of Islam go by "you must do this... IF YOU ARE ABLE TO".

Reminds me of a story a Muslim politician told on the radio - when he was young, he served at an airforce base in Northern Greenland... that year the Ramadan fasting period was set in midsummer, hence the sun never set. So he called his mosque back home, and they worked out that he could eat after 9.00pm (when the sun set in his home city).

[Jester]

So the fasting for Ramadan is done only after sunset? (Again, I ask because I don't know.)

This must be how any Muslims in very north places like Greenland and Alaska deal with things like this.

[WishfulSpirit]

So the fasting for Ramadan is done only after sunset? (Again, I ask because I don't know.)

This must be how any Muslims in very north places like Greenland and Alaska deal with things like this.

Jester, fasting during Ramadan is done during daylight hours. Between sunrise to sunset, Muslims (who are not excused via some health condition) won't eat or drink. Not even water. That's hardcore faith. Though my Saudi student told me that during Ramadan in her home country, the day schedule totally flips. People stay up late into the night and sleep during the day. Shops and schools are open at night too.

[Seshat]

The feast after Ramadan (I think it's called Eid) is something amazing, however. In my area, one of the local parks becomes a massive (for us) festival; complete with fireworks and great food and music and dancing.

I've never personally worked up the courage to ask if I can join in. I suspect so, though.


(Yes, the park is one of the ones the local Council makes available to community groups for such events. It also hosts the Carols by Candlelight.)

[prjkt]

The feast after Ramadan (I think it's called Eid) is something amazing, however. In my area, one of the local parks becomes a massive (for us) festival; complete with fireworks and great food and music and dancing.

I've never personally worked up the courage to ask if I can join in. I suspect so, though.


(Yes, the park is one of the ones the local Council makes available to community groups for such events. It also hosts the Carols by Candlelight.)

I've seen a few of those around my corner of the world too, would be interesting to photograph.