The Prophet said: “whoever leaves three Jumu`ahs out of negligence, Allah will seal his heart.”

Question: Someone is asking about his inability to offer Jumu`ah (Friday) Prayer due to his work, what should he do?

When Muslims apply for a job, they have to do their best to avoid those kinds of jobs that contravene their religious practices or beliefs. Unfortunately, many Muslims nowadays sacrifice their religious obligations for the sake of fleeting worldly gains.

Answering this question, Dr. Salah Al-Sawy, secretary-general of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists in America (AMJA), said:

There is no good in a work that distracts a Muslim from Friday Prayer. On the authority of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him), Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to people who withheld from attending Friday Prayer: “I was on the verge of commanding a man to lead the people in Prayer; then I would burn down the houses of the men who withhold from attending Jumu`ah [i.e., Friday Prayer] upon them.” (Al-Bukhari)

Also, Abu Hurairah and Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that they heard the Messenger of Allah say while he was on his pulpit: “Let those people (who do not attend the Friday prayers) stop from leaving the Friday (prayers), otherwise, Allah would set a seal upon their hearts, and they would become from amongst the negligent.” (Muslim)

Moreover, on the authority of Abu Ja`d Ad-Dameery (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet said, “[For] whoever leaves three Jumu`ahs out of negligence, Allah will seal his heart.” (Abu Dawud)

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: “Whoever leaves three consecutive Jumu`ahs has thrown Islam behind his back.”

Hence, it is not befitting for you to take a job that consistently distracts you from performing Friday Prayer. So, either you manage the situation with the administration so that you are allowed to perform it, or you consider this job a temporary one and exert great effort in searching for a lawful alternative that enables you to perform this obligation. When you find that alternative, you should go for it at the first opportunity.