"No One Respects My Religious Beliefs"

[Mikey31079]

Hey everyone,

There is a nursing assistant employed at our hospital who is a devout Muslim. I understand that she is very devoted to her faith and I can respect that. However, what most of the staff take issue with is that she feels she is entitled to leave the floor several times a shift to pray, regardless of whatever else may be going on. Last night, she took it upon herself to leave the floor at 4am "whether there is anyone on the floor to relieve me or not!" In the midst of this, the float aide was helping the other aide in the ICU and was unavailable. This person goes past the desk announcing she's leaving and stormed off to the breakroom WITH NO OTHER AIDE ON THE FLOOR! (I'm the unit clerk.) I reported her to the charge nurse. I'm not sure what all was said but at one point I heard her scream through the breakroom door about how she felt we were disrespectful and ganging up on her and we discriminate against her religion. I wouldn't have said anything, but I thought her going off the floor like that was totally unfair, especially to the patients.

What are your thoughts on this?

[klone, MSN, RN]

I could not understand what you wanted to say by this post? Time for prayers is not set? So she can pray at home, and not endanger patients? Am I the only one lost?

I think what she means is that the times of prayer change daily. I think it's only by a few minutes each day, but it's not an exact same time every day.

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

I work within a place that the percentage of practicing Muslims is 60%.

There has never been an issue that I am aware of with prayers and breaks.

[klone, MSN, RN]

This reminds me of the post from the new nurse who was Orthodox Jew. Wanted to know how hard it would be to find a hospital job that would accommodate her need to not work Friday evening-Saturday evening, because it was forbidden by her (newfound) faith. People here explained that there is an exception for things like healthcare, and obviously in places like Israel, they hospitals don't just stop working on Friday evenings.

I'm guessing that in hospitals in the Middle East and north Africa, hospitals don't just stop running for 5 minutes, 5 times a day.

[Nola009]

Yes, I agree w/ klone. This person might be a new convert and unclear about some things. And my goodness. How many Christians would prefer to NOT work Sundays due to church and other worship?! The point is that when in the HEALTHCARE SETTING, we can't, nor would any religion mandate that we stop our work! That's ridiculous! I'm certainty not a religious expert, so go ask your Imam, Rabbi, Pastor, or Preist!!

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Most religions, Islam included, say that one's obligation to provide care to the sick (like for a physician or a nurse in peformance of their duties) can give you a bye on religious observations. Your hospital's Muslim chaplain (and yes, you should find out who it is) or the imam at the local mosque could answer this question for you. We see it regularly with respect to orthodox observants, and the answer is always pretty much the same.

She works as a nurse on the maternity ward and she - islamqa.info

The basic principle is that it is not permissible to delay prayer until the time for it is over, except when one has an excuse, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours" [al-Nisa' 4:103]. This has been discussed in the answer to question no. 21958.

What is required of the sister who is asking this question is to take all possible measures to offer the prayers on time. If that is too difficult for her or she is not able to do it because of the way her work is organised, then there is nothing wrong with her putting two prayers together. So she may put Zuhr and 'Asr together, and put Maghrib and 'Isha' together, at the time of the earlier or later prayer, according to what is easiest for her.

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked: Is it permissible to delay prayer until the time for it has ended, such as 'Asr prayer, in the case of necessity, namely if a doctor is doing surgery and if he leaves the patient, even for a short time, that will pose a danger to his life?

They replied: The doctor who specialises in doing surgery should take care to do surgery at times when he will not miss out on offering the prayers at the proper time. In cases of necessity it is permissible to put two prayers together at the time of the earlier or later prayer, such as putting Zuhr and 'Asr together, or Maghrib and 'Isha', according to what is dictated by necessity. End quote.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 25/44

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on delaying prayer until the time for it is over because of work, such as a doctor who is on call.

He replied: Delaying prayer until the time for it is over because of work is haraam and is not permissible, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours" [al-Nisa' 4:103]. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) defined the set times for prayer. So whoever delays the prayer until after these times or does it before these times has transgressed the limits set by Allah, and those who transgress the limits set by Allah are the wrongdoers. So it is not permissible for a person to delay the prayer until the time for it is over for any kind of work. But if the prayer is one that may be put together with the one that comes before it or after it, and it is difficult for him to offer each prayer at its own time, then he may put the prayers together, such as if his shift at work is during the time for Zuhr, and it is too difficult for him to pray Zuhr on time, then he may put it together with 'Asr prayer, and by the same token he could put 'Isha' prayer together with Maghrib, because it is proven in Saheeh Muslim that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put Zuhr and 'Asr, and Maghrib and 'Isha', together in Madeenah when there was no state of fear or rain. They asked Ibn 'Abbaas: What was the purpose behind that? He said: He did not want to make things difficult for his ummah -- i.e., he wanted to avoid making things difficult for them by not putting prayers together. End quote from Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen (12/33).

[Bekallable]

I knew a nursing assistant that said she couldn't work Sundays because it was against her religion, and the administration granted her request. She later was laughing and joking about lying about being religious to get every Sunday off. Noone thought it was funny. I would be careful granting requests like that, it is a slippery slope and eventually everyone will get frequent breaks for religious reasons. If she needs to have breaks like that, she should find a job that allows it. Being a nurse means knowing you will likely work every other weekend, work mandatory overtime, be without family on every other Holiday, and make many sacrifices. It has nothing to do with respect for religion, when it interferes with her job function, she needs to find a job that fits in with her lifestyle.

[Aurora77]

She sounds like a special snowflake. If it wasn't her religion, it would be some other excuse.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

If she works nights, the most she would leave the floor would be twice, maybe three times (for 12 hour shifts). Is she leaving the floor more often under the guise of prayer times? If she's only doing it three times, schedule her 30 minute and two 15 minute breaks with her input (since times change) at the start of shift, and inform the group of NAs who will be covering for her. Problem solved.