although I am living in Pakistan but being the only muslim woman in my organization I face same problem everyday. the organization won’t provide you a separate place for namaz if example during lunch time your meeting rooms /conference hall is free then go and pray over there. I am sure your will get some space in your office during lunch time for prayers and don’t feel bad about not having your own place it happens you will just have to manage time. The place where I pray is only free for 10-15 mins and I have to manage my time to be there on time otherwise I dont get a place to pray.
I think corner of a server room is better than a shower room. Someone can come into the shower room too and that would be more awkward than server room !!
At my previous workplace instead of asking in HR, I aksed my manager and he gave me keys to the server room. Some of the other guys had keys to that room too. It was very small and I had to pray exactly infront of the door. Many a times when I was praying, someone tried to open the door and thankfully my head was saved as I was sitting and not in sajda.
Afterwards I needed a room to pump for my son so I went to HR as I could not afford anyone coming into the server room while I was pumping and I am glad that I did.
The HR woman was very accomodating and she gave me keys to a room and a laminated sign saying ‘Occupied’ to use when I was in there.
I would say do not assume anything and talk to your boss and also ask in your HR department.
Once you have permission from your boss or HR you can comfortably pray in the server room and you would not need to worry about any other third person complaining.
this is disrespectful, they can’t say that, you can sue their asses for mocking the religion.
are you in United States? If i was in your boots i would probably have taken up this issue with higher ups.
Thankyou for the suggestions. I dont want to take this issue to the CEO, I talked only to my immediate boss and he was fine with my praying in the server room which is not very big and i prayed in the corner. But there are other guys who didnt like my ritual in that room. I dont want to discuss it further with anyone and would rather use the shower room i think. The people i work with has never known any muslim in their entire lives, can u believe it. some of them has never traveled to muslim lands, they have no idea about praying, fasting, etc. This is one of the reasons why praying is such a shock to them.
If you have your immediate boss approval, you should use server room. You can either let all those know via email that you ll be using server room for 10 mins during so and so time, so they know and not shocked when find the door locked while you are doing prayer. Its okay to convey your point to them. If they have not seen muslim culture before, then well there is always a first time for everything. let them know now
I dont think its a good idea praying in the showers, you don;t know how often they clean them. And lots of people use them and they might have certain err habits (peeing in the shower etc) obviosuly im not putting an islamic ruling to it, but if your allowed to pray in the server room by the boss then you should go for it. It was pretty rude of that phlegmwad to tell you to pray somewhere else, i think you should stand up for yourself more.
a muslim locking a server room isnt the best idea i could think, if she ends up praying in server room… dont lock the door . I think car was the best idea, abt shower room no comments… But ALLAH knows her intentions
