RIYADH – After Saudi Arabia had long been engaged in a debate to haltbusinesses during the five times prayer, the kingdom recently announcedallowing commercial activities to function for 24 hours, with a new stringof promised boosts of business and provide services for all.
While the change solves many problems, such as congestion and loss ofpotential income, many Saudis still debate whether or not it will includethe custom of shops closing during prayer time, five times a day, *ArabNews* reported on Sunday.
A custom that has uniquely defined Saudi Arabia among all Muslim countries,which typically require shops to close only during the weekly Fridayprayer, this practice has long been discussed and disputed in the society.
The debate to keep shops and businesses open has been a topic of discussionin many settings amongst members of Saudi society.
From Shoura Council members, to businessmen and women and everyday ordinarycitizens, with many wondering if the law would stand for all hours of theday.
“There is no legal base for closing shops for prayer after amending thebylaws of the authority, noting that forcing shops to close their doors andpeople to pray right at the beginning of prayer time, and to do this in amosque, stands no ground neither in Shariah nor in law,” said Dr Al Ghaith,a judge, Islamic scholar, a member of Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council and theKing Abdul Aziz Centre for National Dialogue.
“It is rather a breach of both of them, and an infringement on people’sreligious rights [right of Ijtihad and freedom to follow a reference] andworldly rights [freedom of movement, shopping, benefitting of servicesround the clock without being forced to abide by judicial matters subjectto conflict and differences],” he added.
*The original story appeared on** Arab News*link