I'm working in an electrical company and I have to do shift duties. I have to give this service for 24 hrs to the public. My duty is to supervise the faults attended by the technicians and to give necessary information to attend it. Sometimes I miss my Friday prayer because of this and I always fear that it might not be an excuse, and I'm not allowed to go out leaving office without a supervisor inside (there's one more supervisor who works with me). When he goes to Friday prayer I'll miss it. Could you please explain this matter, whether there's an excuse to miss Friday prayer?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The matter of Jumu’ah prayer is of great significance and excellence; leaving it without any Islamic excuse is a great sin. Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah heard the Prophet say on the planks of his pulpit: “People must cease to neglect the Friday prayer, otherwise Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the heedless.” [Muslim]

The Prophet also said: "Whoever neglects praying three consecutive Friday prayers, Allah sets a seal on their hearts."

There are many merits for praying the Jumu’ah prayer which are mentioned in many authentic Ahadeeth, such as the Hadeeth in which the Prophet said: “The five (obligatory) prayers, the Friday prayers, from one Friday prayer to the next Friday prayer, and fasting in the month of Ramadan; from one Ramadan to the next Ramadan, is an expiation if major sins are not committed.” [Muslim]

The Command of Allah for hurrying to perform this prayer is a clear evidence to prove its significance. Allah Says (what means): {O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.} [Quran 62:9]

Therefore, everyone should always perform the Jumu’ah prayer and should not ignore it. Being absent from it is not permissible except if there is an Islamic excuse allowed by the Sharee’ah. Among such excuses is being busy in accomplishing those works which cannot be stopped and society can not do without them, such as work in electricity generation, petrol refineries, etc. In spite of this fact, you should try your best to be present at Jumu’ah prayer. Try to find a non-Muslim supervisor who can replace you at that time or at least agree with your friend to perform the Jumu’ah prayer alternately.

One week you should go for the Jumu’ah prayer and the next week your friend goes, and so on. If you can manage to establish the Jumu’ah inside your company, do it even though the number of Muslims is less than forty. Whenever you cannot perform Jumu’ah, you should pray four Rak’ahs Thuhr instead.

For more benefit on Friday prayer, please refer to Fataawa 82835, 82979, 356992 and 257203.

Allah knows best.