Ok so ive been thinking about praying at work since a few years and then i finally did it some weeks ago. We dont have much space in here so after talking to a few close colleagues i prayed in the server room, a very quick zuhar prayer. Some other colleague saw me when he came to get his prints from the printer in that room, and later asked me to pray in the shower room (connected to the server room) as that would not disturb them. I was so dishearted to know that. I dont know what to do. How do u tackle such a situation? Where and how do u pray at workplace? Can i pray in the shower room, it doesnt have a toilet just a shower and is pretty big.
Re: Prayer at work
Do you have a cubicle at work? There should be enough space for you to pray there. If not, ask your management if you can use a room for about 10 minutes for each prayer. That shouldn't be an issue. I asked my college chaplain to arrange a room for muslim students to pray in, they didn't give us a separate room but they gave us a small space at the back of the chapel that we could use and they even installed a basin for us to do wudu in. So talk to someone. If nothing works out, you can even pray at your desk. I've seen people do that too.
Re: Prayer at work
People pray on the road side, so I would not think there is anything wrong with praying in a shower room as you said it has no toilet. Don't be disheartend, maybe the colleague felt ashamed that he was not praying (if he was muslim). I work from home and rarely need to go into the office, but we have a massive building that has a a few 'contemplation' rooms so people ususally pray in that.
Re: Prayer at work
Theres no other muslim at work, and some goras here never have had any contact with any muslims except me. They feel threatened if i pray infront of them so praying at my desk would result in the same behaviour from them and we dont have cubicles just a large room with all employees of my department. There are no extra rooms, just some offices and two meeting rooms filled all the time.
Yes Sarab you are right about the roadside prayers so maybe ill use the shower room, thats best for me and others.
Re: Prayer at work
Theres no other muslim at work, and some goras here never have had any contact with any muslims except me. They feel threatened if i pray infront of them so praying at my desk would result in the same behaviour from them and we dont have cubicles just a large room with all employees of my department. There are no extra rooms, just some offices and two meeting rooms filled all the time.
Yes Sarab you are right about the roadside prayers so maybe ill use the shower room, thats best for me and others.
I don't know if you have a car but if you get desperate you can always pray in there (bit like how an elderly infirm person prays while sitting on a chair), I know you can't do full rukuh or sajood but it now and agin should be ok.
Re: Prayer at work
Do u get lunch / tea break? you can time it so that you can go down and pray in your car ....
Re: Prayer at work
Dont have a car guys.. but ive figured shower room is best.
Re: Prayer at work
Why do you want to hide the fact that you pray ? You can pray anywhere as long as there is no visible "napak" thing on the floor where you make your sajda.
You can pray anywhere which is not in the way of other people , if you go in the corner of the server room , I am sure that guy will not mind either , if he does then talk to your HR rep.
Re: Prayer at work
Theres no other muslim at work, and some goras here never have had any contact with any muslims except me. They feel threatened if i pray infront of them so praying at my desk would result in the same behaviour from them and we dont have cubicles just a large room with all employees of my department. There are no extra rooms, just some offices and two meeting rooms filled all the time.
Yes Sarab you are right about the roadside prayers so maybe ill use the shower room, thats best for me and others.
If someone starts doing anything out of ordinary , people do talk about it or think it to be weird , but if you stay steadfast , things will calm down. Make sure you get buy in from your HR department and your boss. They might help you out and that will mean less headaches for you and them.
Re: Prayer at work
**first u may talk to ur supervisor/manager and explain to him/her that u need to pray and u wud greatly appreciate if they provide u lil corner somewhere where u could pray for 10 minutes. if all fails, u can always go to ur car and pray there. u need NOT worry about qibla direction and all that because just as during travel u are NOT REQUIRED to face qibla.
i've my personal office within my lab so i've no problem alHamdolillah. b4 my supervisor/prof herself asked me to pray in her office. ppl generally do NOT mind if u pray.**
Re: Prayer at work
Why do you want to hide the fact that you pray ? You can pray anywhere as long as there is no visible "napak" thing on the floor where you make your sajda. You can pray anywhere which is not in the way of other people , if you go in the corner of the server room , I am sure that guy will not mind either , if he does then talk to your HR rep.
Good post. I remember this one guy at the Engineering Building back in College, used to just come in the study room and throw his prayer mat and just start praying right away. Now this was a study hall full of white college kids; at first you'd see them glancing at his (probably out of curiosity) but then when he used to do that, no one even cared anymore.
If it's a professional environment, which in your case is, people will learn to accept it.
Re: Prayer at work
I sit in a room which I share with a Hindu colleague. Zohar time falls during lunch time. He leaves for lunch and he knows that I have to pray as I have told him so, so he let me know when he is leaving for lunch. He leaves and I close the door, say faraz only. My firm is American and at my floor I am the only muslim woman who prays. The floor I work at is where all executives sit and quite busy floor. When I close the door, i am always afraid that someone ll knock at the door while i m praying. So while closing the door I say in heart Allah plz dont let anyone come to my door n knock until I finish my prayer. Its amazing that no one has ever knocked or distrubed me during that time. Advantage for me is that i am in Muslim country and muslim praying at specific times is nothing new to non-muslims. It helps a bit but still its difficult to take prayer break 
- I remember some time back at a different seating position, i didnt have this room, n no place around to pray, I prayed in small store room, where i was afarid of rats n roaches 
I prayed in documents room too, which was soooooooo packed with documents , cabinets n boxes. Once a non-muslim sri lankan colleague came to know abt my prob and he is such a niceeeeeeeee guy that he offered me to use his office for prayer. He said whenever i want to pray, i can tell him, he can spare his room for 10 mins 
Re: Prayer at work
LG , also do not make your prayer a problem for your boss or your HR department. Go with the full plan ,if at all you need to talk to them .
1. Explain to them why it is important for you to pray.
2. Why it is important that you need their buy in.
3. Let them know how many times and how long will you be praying.
4. Suggest places and times which are suitable for you to pray.
5. If they suggest any alternative and they do not suit you explain to them why they are not suitable.
6. Be very humble , co-operative and positive about it all.
May Allah reward you highly for staying on the right path. Ameen.
Re: Prayer at work
Wow , see if you are on right path Allah helps you. 
Can’t you hand don’t disturb sign for the duration of namaz outside that door. People will not disturb you thinking that you want to enjoy your lunch in peace. 
Re: Prayer at work
are u able to use a conference room for prayer?
Re: Prayer at work
^ conf. rooms are very difficult to use for this purpose. as mostly they are reserved for meetings. You cannot use it everyday.
Re: Prayer at work
Agree. My company has a campus , which has at least 3 dozen conference rooms , but even if I have to book one for an all day conference , which I hold once or twice a year it is difficult to book a conference room for the dates of my choice. 
If your HR department allows you can book a conference room for 10 minutes of each day for a long period of time , if at all you have that option.
Re: Prayer at work
It happens all the time. You do not have to make a big deal of it. Just speak to your boss and let them know you will pray during your lunch hour (so it doesnt look like you're asking for extra time) and just need a conference room for about 10 minutes. Most people are very understanding - at least in my experience.
The funny thing is, we're so scared of making the wrong impression but you never know when you're actually doing the opposite. My boss told me even before I finished that he knows. He used to work with a really nice Muslim guy who also did the same and is familiar with how important this is for us. I was told not to worry and any room I would like, I could pray in.
Re: Prayer at work
honestly its very easy and no one makes a big deal about this
Re: Prayer at work
Most work places will help you find somewhere quiet, but some workplaces are so small there is no private space free.