Al-Watan

The issue I intend to discuss now is a controversial one. Some argue that the issue should not be raised at this moment because there are many other important issues that need to be first tackled.

The controversial issue I am talking about is closing gas stations during prayer times. I am not a Shariah scholar, I am just an ordinary man who is aware of the suffering some road travelers experience as a result of having to wait for gas stations to open when they shut for prayers.

One of the Shariah scholars says that closing stores during prayer times is an invention that has no origin in Islam and was not practiced in old times. If you are traveling on the highway and run out of gas, there are chances you will get to the gas station shortly after prayer.

The gas worker, who might not be a Muslim, will ask you to wait for at least half an hour until the prayer is over and then serve you. It is ironic that you, as a traveler, are allowed to shorten and combine prayers.

Yes, shop owners have the right to close during prayer if they wish. However, requiring all gas stations to close during prayer time does not make sense. We need the viewpoint of a proper Shariah scholar. I am not talking about closing gas stations during Friday prayer, but rather at the time of the other five prayers.

The ruling is clear about Friday prayers but not for the other prayers. As far as I know, there are no laws that state that stores cannot open during prayer times. So, what is the basis of people who oppose this decision?

We are all Muslims and we all offer prayers at the designated times. However, it is important that in today’s age scholars make things easier for travelers who want to stop and fill up and hit the road again without having to wait for 30 minutes or more.

I also believe pharmacies should not close during prayer times for the simple reason that some patients might be in dire need of medication and cannot wait 30 minutes.