the Friday prayer, that makes the prohibition all the more emphatic. Everything that distracts from it is evil and corrupt, with no good in it. Ownership acquired in this way is like ownership obtained only through disobeying Allah, incurring His anger and defying Him—like that obtained only through other sins, such as disbelief, sorcery, soothsaying and sexual immorality. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“A soothsayer’s fee is illicit, and a prostitute’s earnings are illicit.”

If a commodity cannot be acquired without abandoning the obligatory prayer, then ownership is obtained by abandoning prayer, just as the fee and earnings are obtained through soothsaying and prostitution. It is also like telling someone: “If you abandon prayer today, we will give you ten dirhams.” Whatever he receives for abandoning prayer is illicit; likewise, whatever is acquired through an exchange that entails abandoning prayer is illicit.

If someone hires a worker on condition that he does not pray, that condition is invalid, and whatever the worker receives for work performed during the time needed for prayer is illicit, even though paid work is permissible in principle. Exchanges are likewise permissible in principle, provided they do not encroach upon the duties Allah has prescribed.

If a sale takes place at this time and reversing it proves impossible, the buyer is entitled to the equivalent of the price he paid and must give the profit in charity. The seller is entitled to the equivalent of his commodity and must give any profit he has made in charity. Their mutual consent to this after prayer would be of no avail, for the prohibition here concerns Allah’s right, Exalted is He. It is therefore like their mutually agreeing to a prostitute’s payment. In that case, the payment is to be given in charity, according to