Prayer at Work
Scheduling & Facilities
"It's not an extra break, it's a scheduled micro-break." Managing 5 daily prayers without disrupting operations.
Scheduling Meetings Around
Islamic Prayer Times
Why your 4pm meeting in December is a problem, and how to respect the "unmovable appointments" of Salah without disrupting business.
Check a Specific Date
Are you planning a workshop or strategy day? Don't look up sunset times manually. Our tool checks prayer clashes for any date in the UK.
Launch Meeting Optimiser →"It's not an extra break, it's a scheduled micro-break." The most common friction point between Muslim staff and managers isn't theology—it's calendar management.
Unlike Christian Sunday service, Islamic prayer (Salah) is tied to the position of the sun. This means the timings change every single day and move drastically across the seasons.
1. The "Winter Clash" Phenomenon
In Summer (June/July), the prayer times are spaced widely apart. The day is long, and conflict is rare. But in Winter (Nov-Jan), the days shrink.
Summer (July)
- Dhuhr: 1:10 PM (Lunch break)
- Asr: 5:30 PM (After work/Home time)
- Maghrib: 9:20 PM (At home)
- Risk: Low
Winter (December)
- Dhuhr: 12:00 PM (Lunch break)
- Asr: 1:45 PM (Peak meeting time)
- Maghrib: 3:55 PM (Peak meeting time)
- Risk: CRITICAL
As a manager, scheduling a "Briefing" from 1:30pm to 4:30pm in December guarantees your Muslim staff will miss two consecutive prayers (Asr and Maghrib). This causes immense stress.
The Maghrib "Red Line"
Of all the 5 prayers, Maghrib (Sunset) is the most time-critical. Because the time between Sunset and "Total Darkness" (Isha) is short (~60-90 mins), delaying this prayer often leads to missing it entirely. Most Muslims will feel extremely uncomfortable sitting in a meeting while the sun is setting.
2. The Friday Requirement (Jummah)
Friday prayers are mandatory for Muslim men. This is a congregational service at a Mosque, not a quick prayer in the office. It replaces the noon (Dhuhr) prayer.
- Timing: Roughly 1:00 PM to 1:45 PM (Year round, usually).
- Duration: Requires travel time + sermon + prayer. Typically 45-60 mins total.
- The Policy Fix: Allow staff to use their lunch hour for this. If it takes longer than 60 mins, allow them to make up the time (start earlier/finish later).
💡 Quick Tip for HR
"Blocking out" Friday 12:30-2:00pm in calendars as "No Meeting Zone" is a popular inclusive policy that benefits everyone (Who wants a meeting at lunchtime on Friday anyway?).
3. Etiquette: The "Step Out"
Often, a Muslim employee needs just 7-10 minutes to pray. If they are in a long meeting (e.g., 2 hours), they may need to step out.
Proposed Protocol:
- Pre-Warning: Staff member says at start: "I'll need to pop out at 3:15 for ten minutes."
- The Exit: They leave quietly. No "Does anyone mind?" (because saying 'yes' is awkward).
- The Return: They slip back in. The meeting chair can briefly summarize if key points were missed.
4. Tools for Managers
You don't need to become an astronomer. You just need to know if your specific date has a clash.
We built the Meeting Optimiser specifically for this. You input your location (e.g. London, Manchester) and your date, and it overlays the "Danger Zones" for prayer on a standard business day timeline.