Permissible and impermissible acts during work hours

Islam is a complete and perfect way of life. It contains guidance for mankind in all spheres of life. However, to be guided by the teachings of Islam, it is necessary to have knowledge of the teachings of Islam. It is for this reason that Islam has declared it to be fardh (compulsory) for an individual to seek knowledge pertaining to the spheres of life that are relevant to him.

An employee  (i.e. a person in the service of another for a specified time) is called an "ajeer khaas’" in the Shariah. There are a number of injunctions (ahkaam) for an ajeer khaas. An ajeer khaas is not free to spend the specified work hours as he wishes; instead, the work hours are a trust (amaanah) that he must spend doing the tasks that he is paid to do and as deemed appropriate and acceptable by the Shariah. It is necessary for an employee to learn the injunctions that apply to an ajeer khaas; otherwise, the way an employee spends his work hours may become a means of incurring sins and punishment. And in some cases, an employee may infact be incurring sins while having the false notion that he is gaining rewards and Allah’s pleasure!

Some injunctions of the Shariah that apply to an employee:

Hereunder are some basic injunctions of the Shariah that apply to an employee.

• It is not permissible to offer nafl salaat (optional prayer) during work hours.[1] Sunnah Ghair Muakkadah (such as the sunnah of Asr salaat) comes under nafl salaat.
• It is not permissible to engage in personal work during work hours. Infact, besides work-related tasks, the only thing a person may engage in is Fardh (compulsory) salaat.[2]
• Some fuqaha (jurists) have deemed it permissible to offer Sunnah Mu’akkadah salaat (such as the Sunnah of Zuhr salaat) during work hours.[3]
• It is not permissible to write personal emails during work hours.[4] However, writing a small email will be permissible if it will not take long to write it, will not interfere with his work and will not be objectionable to his employer. [5]
• If an employee has permission from the employer to do some personal work during the work hours then he will be excused.[6]
• If one is up-to-date with all his work, then while remaining in his office/room/work place there is leeway for him to engage in personal tasks that he can abandon immediately should any work related task come up.[7]
• If one is up-to-date with all his work, he may recite the Quran, etc.[8]
• For a teacher employed by a school, it is not permissible to recite the Quran when taking a class even if the students are busy with their work. He should engage himself in checking their work, helping the students, etc.[9]
• It is not permissible to get one's subordinates to do his personal work for him during work hours.[11]
• It is not permissible for an employee to work for anyone other than his employer during the work hours. If he does work for someone else during the work hours, a proportionate amount (according to the amount of work he did for the other person) will be deducted from his salary.[12]
• Outside the work hours, it is permissible for an employee to engage in other work, business, etc. with the condition that it does not interfere with his duties at work.[13] If he does other work, business, etc. outside the work hours and it interferes with his duties at work, the employer has the right to terminate his employment after the expiry of his current contract. However, the employer does not have the right to force him to quit his work outside the work hours.[14]

May Allah Ta’ala give us the tawfeeq to increase our knowledge of our beautiful deen, and may He grant us the tawfeeq to act upon the teachings of our deen in all the fields of life. Ameen.

And Allah Ta’ala knows best

Mufti Faizal Riza
Darul Ifta Australia
www.fatwa.org.au

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References:
[1] Haashiya Ibn Aabideen (Raddul Muhtaar): vol. 9 pg. 118 pub. Darul Ma’rifa
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Imdaadul Fataawa: vol. 3 pg. 355 pub. Maktaba Darul Ulum Karachi
[5] Fataawa Mahmoodiya: vol. 16 pg. 573 pub. Maktaba Sheikhul Islam Deoband
[6] Fataawa Mahmoodiya: vol. 16 pg. 572 pub. Maktaba Sheikhul Islam Deoband
[7] Ahsanul Fataawa: vol. 7 pg. 301 pub. H.M. Saeed
[8] Aap Ke Masaa’il: vol. 6 pg. 206 pub. Maktabah Ludhyanavi
[9] Imdaadul Ahkaam: vol. 3 pg. 618 pub. Maktaba Darul Ulum Karachi
[11] Kifaayatul Mufti: vol. 7 pg. 326 pub. Darul Isha’at
[12] Ad-durrul Mukhtaar: vol. 9 pg. 119 pub. Darul Ma’rifa
[13] Imdaadul Fataawa: vol. 3 pg. 356 pub. Maktaba Darul Ulum Karachi
[14] Imdaadul Muftiyeen: pg. 720 pub. Zakariya Book Depot

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