Nottingham Muslim wins discrimination case

IACN was contacted by a young Muslim in his early twenties who had been sacked from work for apparently “praying too much”.

The young man (Mr X) who cannot be named for legal reasons obtained a job through a recruitment agency.

On his first day at work, he approached his supervisor soon after his arrival and commented that he will need to pray about three times during his shift. He also informed his supervisor that each prayer will take about five minutes and that he will make up for that time by working through his last fifteen minutes break.

The supervisor referred him to a manager who said that he could not pray at work. The manager took Mr X to his office and called the recruitment agency. During the conversation, the manager said "I don't want these kind of people".

Mr X completed his ten hour shift that day and also performed his prayers. The next day he arrived at work only to be told ten minutes later that “the agency has made a mistake, they shouldn't have sent you.” He was further told that his recruitment agency has sent a taxi to collect him.

When he arrived at the agency, he was told that: "You were praying too much" and hence sacked.

When IACN contacted the agency, we were told that he was sacked for being ‘slow’ at work. The agency simply refused to accept what they had said earlier.

IACN filed a discrimination case against the agency and alhamdulillah we have recently won this battle on behalf of Mr X and he has received satisfactory compensation.

The cancer of Islamophobia is on the rise and Muslims continue to suffer everyday. It is absolutely essential that we do not suffer in silence. Do not let the Muslim-haters get away. Ensure that you report any instances of Islamophobia no matter how insignificant you may think it may be.

Islamophobes are encouraged when no action is taken against them. If you let them get away today, then chances are that they will harm your brother or sister tomorrow.