We have a Musalla (area allocated for prayer) at our workplace where we perform the ‘Asr and Thuhr prayers but we do not proclaim the Athaan for these prayers in the Musalla; is this correct or should we proclaim the Athaan?

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

The preponderant opinion among Muslim scholars is that proclaiming the Athaan in mosques is a collective obligation on the Muslim community. A collective and not an individual one which, when it can be properly carried out by a limited number of individuals, is canceled for the remaining Muslims. Otherwise they all share the sin for not performing it.

Since the rulings of the mosque (in cities and villages) in Islam does not all apply to the Musalla, the Athaan is not obligatory for those who perform the congregational prayer in the Musalla, yet it is permissible and recommended. The Athaan is prescribed for Muslims when prayers are due anywhere, whether in a city or outside it, due to the general words of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, directed to Maalik ibn Al-Huwayrith and his companions: "Whenever prayer time is due, you should pronounce the Athaan and the Iqaamah and the older of you should lead the prayer." [Al-Bukhari]

Thus, the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is that, whenever an obligatory prayer is due, someone should proclaim the Athaan. However, the Athaan does not affect the validity of the prayer, whether it is considered obligatory or recommended.

Allaah Knows best.