THIS is with reference to the GDN media conversation about the UAE opting for a four-and-a-half-day working week.
Change in working days is done so that international trade which depends on stock markets should be facilitated without any loss due to a conflict in working days.
The UAE is not the first nor the only Muslim country which has modified the working days for this reason. Many other Muslim countries have already done so for economic reasons. In fact, some of them do not even give a half day on Friday; instead, they just give an extended break for lunch and prayers.
Certain factions talk against such actions, advocating a full holiday on Friday for prayers. But if we look at the practice of Muslims at the time of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him), they used to do their routine jobs even on Fridays. In fact, it is written in the Holy Quran to go and search for blessed sustenance after fulfilling the Friday prayer.
Even today, millions of Muslims are living and working in non-Muslim countries and perform their religious duties without having a holiday on Friday.
The entire world has turned into a global village. Economies of different countries depend upon each other. Rapid development in online trading and business has paved the way for better and bigger international collaborations of mutual benefits and growth.
On the other hand, Covid-19 has pushed back the economic growth of many countries including Muslim nations. Therefore, it is critical at this time that Muslim countries should try to maximise their productivity which, I believe, can be done by coinciding the working days with the rest of the world.
Dr Uneb Gazder
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