Sat & Sun weekend

Easy to say but money drives the world, if it became a choice between money and religion, what wins?

If the Middle East had to give up the oil money because of Friday off, what would happen. There are some businesses in the west that will not open on Sunday but that is the business choice.

Friday is an important day for muslims, but it most of the worship is before the noon prayersreading qoran, listening to the sermon...once people have prayed it is like any other day(religiously speaking).....It's importance lies in all the social functions that occur........I would like to add that it is forbidden to work or do anything during the sermon and noon prayers (apart from listening tothe sermon and then praying of course)

I agree with Giasi though.....

Everything should not revolve around money. .lili.

I think the change should be the choice of the business, not government policy. If a business wanted to be open, they should be allowed to, if you are going to have rules, only the time for prayer should be mandated.

If all the shops at City Center wanted to open at 8:00 on Friday morning, close from 11:00 till 1:00 and open back up, it should be allowed. If a bank wanted to go to a 7 day work week, just for customer service (what a concept), then they should. As more companies start to compete for customers, things will change, will Qtel be different and more customer friendly when we finally get another mobile phone group here?

Why can't a store that serves the expat community be open different hours, why does the government decide on the business hours, let the customers decide what they want.

When we talk about Friday being the Muslim holy day, is it really the whole day or only certain hours. How can we have a world track meet on Friday if it is only for Muslim worship. Friday is just a day, how you spend it is your business.

The whole issue here is that friday is the muslim holy day. I know in the west (well, the UK at least), sunday has no religious significance attached to it by the majority of the public unlike in the past. However, muslims still attach great importance to friday prayers.

Though it is not necessary to stop working on fridays, muslim males are generally expected to attend the friday communal sermon and prayer. This rarely takes more than an hour to an hour and a half. People traditionally then went about their business.

However, islamic societies have developed around fridays being a day off and therefore a move away from this would be seen as a huge step.

Not all businesses need to work the Mon-Fri work week. Those that do should operate a shift system. It seems unfair that everyone should change because of a minority requirement.

Respect

GIASI

I think it is only a matter of time, change is stressful but there is a greater good to the economic development of the country. For better or worst, we live in a world business community and have to work with the rest of the world. It is easy to say but it is hard to go alone.

This is the same thing that happened in US when Wal-Mart started opening on Sunday's, people said it was bad, etc. but it has worked out. Aren't these some of the same problem that were discussed when things went from Thur/Fri to a Fri/Sat weekend. Has that change been bad?

Thank you dweller. Though it’s not like what you described. Spicy post :-)

Here's the link

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=local_news&month=may2006&file=local_news2006051332722.xml

"Well money and politics will always superceed(sp) what the common street person really wants"

Indeed. Just look at how successful Maersk has remained in Qatar, before, during, and after the Danish Mohammed cartoons fiasco. No Danish products (except Danish oil & gas facilities and manpower)!

Since all of Qatar's export clients work a Mon-Fri week, I think it's only a matter of time, and will be most welcome. Muslims are, and should be, free to go for prayer during timings each day, Friday would be no different.

Did you miss me helloqatar??lol

Well money and politics will always superceed(sp) what the common street person really wants...all i can say is thank god it's not happening in Egypt..lili.

How bad... Most of the expat population in qatar is Muslim. Changing the working week will only increase the feeling of disatisfaccion among workers.

It was in the Penisular last Sun or Mon, I think.

We'll, I pray that the good will be.

Don't forget the advantages of having Super7 wiith us on weekends.How cool :-P

That will be a disaster! It means I can't go to Dubai for Thursday night fun

helloqatar....add me in too....4 the link.

Yes, I would be interested as well.

Cheers

Angelo

Helloqatar, do you have a link to the article?