Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff - Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) - AWS
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muslim.police.uk Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) college.police.uk
Impact on Muslim officers and staff Muslims require time to perform their and confidence of our communities as a five daily prayers within the allocated diverse employer of choice. time frames for each respective prayer. Muslims observing their prayers make This document provides guidance on every effort to perform their obligatory prayer in Islam, effective practice for prayers on time every day. Each prayer police forces supporting and facilitating consists of certain units which vary provisions for Muslim officers and staff, according to the prayer. To perform and recommendations which can help these prayers, individuals need to be in create an inclusive environment with a a state of Wudhu (ablution). sense of belonging. Although many forces do have provisions for prayer, they are not always fit for purpose and there are often inconsistences in the way staff are managed. There have been several instances where officers and staff have not been supported in performing prayers in duty time. This practice does not support diversity and inclusion principles, nor does it respect individual difference. Such practice has an adverse effect on wellbeing, our recruitment campaigns and the trust Officer praying in Masjid Al-Furqaan. 2 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)
Prayers in Islam
Overview It is important to understand that the Preparation for prayer
Prayer is the second pillar in Islam and is English word ‘prayer’ translates several Prayer for Muslims is a physical as well as
considered an obligatory religious duty ways in Islamic worship. A common spiritual worship. Prior to prayer, Muslims
for all Muslims. There are five prayers term used by non-Arabic speakers is need to ensure their clothes are clean
throughout the day which have specific the word ‘namaz’, which has Persian and they will perform ritual ablutions
time slots in which they can take place. origins and is used by several South known as Wudhu. This is a cleansing
This will vary throughout the year. Asian communities. The Arabic word process with water for the preparation
Each prayer varies in time and can last for obligatory prayer is ‘salat’ or ‘salah’, of prayer. It involves washing the hands,
between 10 to 15 minutes. which derives from the Arabic word mouth nose, face, arms up to the elbows,
Fajr – Dawn, before sunrise. meaning to connect. This relates to hair, ears and feet.
the connection established with Allah
(God) during prayers. There are other Performance of prayer
Dhuhr – Midday, after the sun passes
its highest point. terms used to describe non-obligatory Once a Muslim enters the state of Salat,
prayers such as ‘dua’ meaning extracts from the Qur’an are recited and
Asr – The later part of the afternoon. supplication and ‘dhikr’ which means a series of movements are performed
remembrance and may take the form of involving prostration onto the floor. This
Maghrib – Just after sunset. chanting or meditation. can be conducted alone or as part of
a congregation. All Salat is prayed in
Isha – Between sunset and midnight.
the direction of the Ka’bah in Makkah,
Saudi Arabia. This direction is called
the Qiblah. Muslims should focus solely
on the prayer once they have started
so all concentration is on the Salat and
nothing else.
3 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)
Mosques Friday prayers Eid prayers
The mosque is the Islamic place of The Muslim holy day is on a Friday. The The dates for religious festivals are not
congregational worship. It is also known word ‘Jumu’ah’ means Friday in Arabic. fixed as the Islamic calendar follows the
as a ‘masjid’ which in Arabic means Jumu’ah prayers (sometimes referred lunar calendar. In Islam there are two
‘place of prostration’. Not all mosques in to as Friday prayers) are prayed in the main festivals known as Eid.
the UK are purpose built, many having afternoon instead of Dhuhr prayer. This
Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first
been converted from other uses. No must be conducted in a congregation
day of the Islamic month Shawwal.
images, paintings or decorations which and is the most attended regular prayer
This marks the end of the month of
represent living beings are found inside as it is seen as an obligation for most
Ramadan.
a mosque. Shoes are removed to keep Muslims to attend the mosque at this
the mosque clean and ablution facilities time. A sermon is delivered prior to the Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the tenth
are usually located by the entrance to a prayer which is called the ‘Khutbah’. day of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is the
mosque. Salat is prayed in an open area On average the Khutbah lasts about twelfth and final month in the Islamic
which is often divided into male and 30 minutes and the Jumu’ah prayer calendar. The name of this month
female sections. lasts around 10 minutes. This will vary means ‘possessor of pilgrimage’ as this
depending on the mosque. After the is the month in which Hajj (the Holy
prayers it is common for members of the pilgrimage to Makkah) is performed.
congregation to gather and greet each
other as they are leaving the mosque. Both these days have an extra prayer in
the morning (usually sometime between
7am and 11am, depending on the
mosque), which is prayed in addition to
the five daily prayers. It is a considered
a religious obligation for all Muslims to
attend these prayers.
4 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)
Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff
Daily prayers Faith rooms additional barriers to the performance of
These prayers vary according to the Muslim officers and staff tend to perform prayers. The sharing of the rooms with
seasons. For example in the summer their prayers at lunch breaks and within other faiths is welcomed as the use by all
period, the five daily prayers are their standard breaks throughout the faiths will have a common element of the
distributed across longer daylight hours day. Most forces have dedicated facilities observation of prayer. Faith rooms should
which allow for a wider prayer window as – located at various sites – for prayers, ideally have prayer mats, storage (for any
opposed to the shorter winter daylight but often these rooms are small and religious items), a comfortable chair/sofa,
hours where the prayers are closely can only cater for a couple of people at no images of people or animals on the
packed together. The best practice any one time. Where there are a higher walls, space for prostration and should
for Muslims is to make every effort to number of Muslims wishing to use the be free from clutter. They also need clear
attend mosques to perform all their prayer room, a queue/delay is often markings with the Qiblah (direction for
daily prayers in congregation, however caused, especially when break times prayer). A sticker of an arrow on the
this is not always practical. Prayer coincide. Also (as a general rule) both ceiling showing the correct direction is
facilities enable Muslims to fulfil their sexes usually prefer separation during best practice. In the UK the direction of
religious obligations to perform these prayer (there are certain exceptions to the Qiblah is southeast.
prayers and are a reasonable workplace this) and therefore males will wait until
accommodation. any female users have finished and
vice versa. Movable partitions could be
placed within prayer rooms to allow for
more flexibility of use. All faith rooms
should ideally be used for prayer and
not a multi-purpose activity such as
wellbeing, as this can sometimes cause
5 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)
Ablution facilities not ideal. When possible, forces should
Ideally Muslims will require a seated take a pragmatic approach and provide
washing facility to perform their ablution Wudhu facilities to support their Muslim
(Wudhu). The washing facility should officers and staff. In addition to the
be located either within the prayer Wudhu facility, it is common practice
rooms (behind the direction of prayer) for Muslims to use water to wash when
or nearby. Common practice involves using toilets. Consideration should be
Muslim staff using disabled or general given towards providing toilets that
toilets. This can sometimes cause other have a built-in bidet or similar.
users and the Muslim individual to feel
embarrassed and uncomfortable. Time required
In general terms, approximately
Wudhu involves washing certain parts 15 minutes should cover the time
of the body. For example, it requires required for each prayer. This would
the individual to wash their feet. The include the performing of the ablution
absence of appropriate facilities for this, and prayer. However, location of ablution
and the other steps of Wudhu, means and prayers facilities in relation to the
that ablutions (often done at a sink individual’s workstation/place may mean
in a toilet facility) can result in water more time is required.
spillage and may be deemed to be a
health and safety issue. Many Muslims
recognise this and clean up the area
after use, however toilet facilities as the
only option for performing Wudhu is Wudu performed in Shipley police station.
6 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)
Friday prayers hours or adjusted shift patterns so they These prayers are considered a religious do not miss their Friday prayers. Where obligation and take place within mosques operationally possible, line managers or similar dedicated premises where should accommodate this. large gatherings are held for prayer. Unlike other daily prayers, Friday The current practice varies from force (Jumu’ah) prayer must be performed in to force and, although functional, congregation, led by a suitably qualified there are health and safety risks to Imam and cannot be made up later be considered for officers carrying once missed. Supervisors should look protective equipment. Policy or guidance favourably to support Muslim officers is recommended to safeguard Muslim and staff wanting to attend these officers and police support community prayers wherever possible. The total officers (PCSOs) choosing to attend abstraction should be approximately prayers and the line managers who 40 minutes but travel time to and from support them. the mosque also needs to be taken into consideration. General practice is Officers and PCSOs attending Friday for Muslim officers and staff wishing to prayers while on duty may need to attend Friday prayers to do so during remove kit to perform ablutions and their lunch break. Flexible working prayer. Their radios are also turned off arrangements can also be an option to while engaging in prayer. These decisions cater for the needs of Muslims choosing are subjectively and dynamically made to observe their religious obligations. As by the individual officers and to date an example, Muslim staff may choose this has worked without any adverse Congregational prayer in the to work shorter weeks and condensed implications or risks. West Midlands. 7 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)
Eid prayers new moon. Annual leave requests for Muslim officers and staff will need to Eid should form part of any workforce attend Eid prayers as it is a compulsory planning meetings and requests should faith requirement and the prayer itself be approved well in advance so as to is actually the integral part of the Eid avoid last minute staffing level issues. celebration. Therefore if Muslims are unable to perform their Eid prayers In the rare event of Muslim officers or for whatever reason they will feel that staff having their leave refused then there they have missed out on Eid and will should be the opportunity and some have to wait until the following year to flexibility to be abstracted for an hour get the opportunity to perform them. or so, to allow them to perform their Eid Every effort should be made to support prayers. The time allowance, including Muslim officers and staff to attend travel and performing prayer, does not Eid prayers which take place between vary much from the Friday prayers, sunrise and midday. There are several except the numbers in attendance are congregations held at different times far greater so there may be more traffic, within this period to cater for the large congestion and parking issues. numbers that attend the mosques. Ideally most Muslims will book time off for Eid providing approximate dates in advance as the exact dates are not confirmed until the night before Eid. This is because the determination of Eid is dependent upon the sighting of the Dua performed after salat. 8 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)
NAMP recommendations
Balancing Islamic criteria with Officers and staff notify their control
organisational obligations around health rooms of their attendance and inform
and safety, the NAMP supports the their colleagues so as to be assigned
following recommendations for Muslim to this.
officers and staff:
Officers and staff consider wearing
Recommendations for all Muslim disposal shoe coverings as used by
officers and staff some forensics staff. This should be
Local agreement with supervision at the discretion of the individual
should be arranged regarding officer, who will be best placed to
abstraction for prayers. make an informed decision.
Early notification of leave requests Officers and staff perform their
should be provided for days such as prayers at the rear/side of the
Eid to ensure cover can be arranged. congregation to allow for easy
exit if required and to also act as
Recommendations for operational reassurance for the congregation,
Muslim officers and staff especially at heightened times of
vulnerability.
Officers and staff are responsible for
their protective equipment at all times.
Officers and staff take their radios with Salat in the multi-faith room in Shipley
them and only switch them off during police station.
the actual performance of prayers
unless in urgent emergency situations.
9 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)Recommendations for supervision off for Eid. If the Muslim officer or
staff member is working, workplace
Supervisors are advised to support
adjustments should be considered
officers and staff by allowing them at
for the opportunity to be abstracted
least an hour in which to travel and
for the duration of Eid prayer at the
take their lunch break.
nearest location available (including
Muslim officers and staff wanting time for travel and time taken to
to attend Friday prayers should be observe Eid).
supported without adverse impact
on their work entitlements/rights/ Recommendations for prayer and
practices. It is advised that officers ablution facilities
and staff taking longer than an hour Faith rooms should be considered
inclusive of travel and lunch break in all workplaces, particularly with
should make up the excess time. new builds, larger stations, training
premises and areas with significant
Supervisors should consult with their
numbers of Muslim officers and staff.
Muslim officers and staff to see if
there are any workplace adjustments Provisions for prayer should be
required for prayers, considering provided and the room should be fit
all options available. Written for purpose.
agreements should be in place to
ensure consistency. Ablution facilities should be
Leicestershire Police FHQ multi-faith
considered and installed within or in
room.
Supervisors are encouraged to look close vicinity of faith rooms.
favourably on requests for time
10 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)Benefits of the recommendations
Clear demonstration of inclusivity
by forces, delivering against their
equality, diversity and inclusion
strategies.
Aid retention of officers and staff
feeling a sense of belonging.
Lead to significant enhancement in
internal trust and confidence.
Gives real meaning to the Peelian
Principle: ‘the police are the
community’, and enhances external
trust and confidence, especially
among disaffected communities.
Positive impact on recruitment
campaigns.
Fosters good relations in line with our
equality duty.
Greater likelihood of improved
community intelligence and
cooperation.
11 Prayer provisions Workplace adjustments for Muslim officers and staff Guidance from the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP)About the College About the National Association
of Muslim Police (NAMP)
We’re the professional body for the
police service in England and Wales. NAMP was established to create a
Working together with everyone stronger network for Muslim officers
in policing, we share the skills and and staff to address inequality and
knowledge officers and staff need to unfairness within the police service.
prevent crime and keep people safe. It is a constituted body that includes
police officers of all ranks, police staff,
We set the standards in policing to
police community support officers
build and preserve public trust and
and special constables. NAMP’s aims
we help those in policing develop the
include promoting understanding and
expertise needed to meet the demands
awareness of Islam, supporting learning
of today and prepare for the challenges
and development for its members and
of the future.
strengthening community cohesion.
college.police.uk muslim.police.uk
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@CollegeofPolice @Official_NAMP
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