The challenges of working in a non- Muslim environment:
Being Muslim means having to pray 5 daily prayers each day. This can be quite a challenge when you are working in a non-Muslim environment. Other followers of other religions have their own rules and practices and might not require them to do these in their work time.
Having no available private space to say prayer can make you feel stressed out especially if you are a devout member of your faith. It also leaves you feeling uncomfortable as you would have to go to extra lengths to accommodate everyone else by leaving the premises or having to stop during your prayer if someone walks past the spot you chose or needs to get by on the stairs.
Finding a vacant room in your work building could possibly suffice, however, having a talk with your boss beforehand is something you should consider before converting it into your personal prayer room. There are certain criteria that need to meet the basic standards of what a prayer room should be so make sure you aren’t using just any space to get in a quick prayer before running off back to work.
Why you should ask your boss for a prayer room:
Prophet Muhammed has said in his teachings that praying is the first deed that gets accounted for. This teaches Muslims to take prayer seriously and to commit to praying as it is a way to connect to their creator.
Prayer is also linked to success in everything you do- praying about it helps you achieve better results. It gives off a calming effect after praying about something that has caused you anxiety.
It can also be a way to teach other people about your religion and beliefs. Some days at work can be extremely difficult and methods such as counting to 5 or taking a walk, as effective as they might be just might not be enough. Saying a prayer can be therapeutic, it can help you regroup and be ready to focus on any task at hand.
There are also physiological benefits to praying. The Salah (prayer) can be compared to yoga. By praying and bending down while you are praying can help you unwind and detach yourself from the world. This serene environment is advantageous to have within the workplace.
Although it can cut into your working time, and you might only get to squeeze in a quick prayer during your lunch break, there are some things you can do to help ease your boss into allowing you to have some time away from the desk.
Keep your prayers short. Only focus on doing obligatory prayers. While you are standing you can recite the short surahs.
While reciting your surahs, focus on the words you are reciting, this will help you connect to what you are doing and gain a deeper understanding of the surahs if you read the translations.
Being fully present is important as it will boost your energy levels and have you feeling fresh and ready to tackle any other obstacle that may come your way during the rest of the day.
This can also help your company create cultural and religious awareness among staff members and endorse diversity.
How to ask your boss for a prayer room:
It might feel uncomfortable to ask for a prayer room at your workplace, especially if you don’t see anybody else needing one. Don’t be embarrassed to ask, praying is apart of who you are, don’t hide this huge part of yourself while you are at work. It is not against any laws to ask for a prayer room.
Explain why having a prayer room is important to you and how it affects you positively.
People who smoke are allowed to have a break, wanting to take time out to say a prayer should not be as shocking, although to some it might be a weird request given the environment.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when asking your boss for a prayer room:
If you are given a room that’s been vacant but not well kept, you can maintain it and use the open space to your liking.
Showing your boss that you are diligent, committed, and loyal to these practices of your religion, shows that you are a great asset to your job. Those traits will be exhibited in the workplace as well. This reflects well on your behalf, knowing that you can be disciplined to do a task and see it all the way through.
Be clear on when you want to take the time to say your prayers. Are you doing it in your lunch break, or do you want to have a time slot allocated to you when your prayers must be said?
There is the fear of having your employer say no when you ask for a prayer room. If there are other people in the workplace that are also practicing Islam, you can speak to them about a collective request from the boss. You could raise points as to how other people have luxuries and certain privileges within the workplace.
You could find ways to compromise and negotiate a way that works in everyone’s favor.
If you have explored the building you work at chances, are you already found a space that is suitable enough to be converted into a prayer room? Refer to that space when asking your boss about having a prayer. This shows you that you have taken the initiative to make sure that your request is not out of the question and won’t cost the business any money.
Here are some ways you can accommodate people of faith within the workplace:
Conclusion
Once you are given a space to pray at work, there are a few things you can do to make this new addition to the workplace easier for everyone. Chances are this is the first official prayer room at your offices and people might be a little confused on how it would work.
It is only polite to allow the room to be booked by employees for a time during the day, there might be more than one Muslim person in the building, and can be quite difficult if you are the only female among them. By setting up a timesheet, allows for alone time in the prayer room and gives you peace of mind that you won’t be walked in on or interrupted by another employee who wants to use the room at the same time.
This is also a great opportunity to educate your colleagues on the practices and traditions of your religion and for you to learn about theirs. Some people aren’t well informed or understand the different types of worship and if explained to will help them know more about why it is that you do what you do. This also makes it easier if they know how it works to avoid conflict about you not working at certain times or being unavailable at some point in the day.
