... to be annoyed at the Muslim who prays next to me in work?

[Beethoven]

I share a small office with two other people. A new guy has started who's a muslim, and will roll out his mat and start praying behind me. I know it doesn't hurt me, but I feel a little uncomfortable for the few minutes that he does it.

Am I being an unreasonable bigot?

I think yabu really.You just need to accept that he has different ways.there was a guy at my work 20+ years ago who did this and no one was bothered and we often stepped over him and rolled our eyes on the way to the stock room(he was a pita nothing to do with his religion).All his co workers were a lot younger and not muslim and no one seemed bothered although I do think with the current media hysteria over anything like this it would probably be different now.It is preferable though to the bloke who used to sit next to me in my first ever office job who spent most days with his hand down his trousers fiddling about!Although both could be seen as divine in their own ways .

Thats a thought cote. I have worked with muslims and been arou.d a cair bit. I haven't seen it either. Putting it like that it does seem rather look at me and wotcha gonna do about it.

Dh has always prayed at work but usually in an empty room of some sort. If I am out when it is prayer time I usually find a quiet place in a parc to pray.

Well it seems a bit.much to me. Wm trying to imagine it.

yes,

1. as you say it doesn't hurt you, and really i don't see why you would be uncomfortable, actually he would prefer you ignore him while he prays.

1. he has to pray 5 times a day, same as a roman catholic must go to mass every sunday

1. leave him alone, unless he gets his nose in what you do for religion.

and ramadam is starting,

my advice, talk to him, he won't bite you, you'll see he is just like you and me

Beethoven

Did you have a look around the office today to see if there's another space he could use?

I'd find it difficult to ignore someone who was praying next to me. It must be distracting.

But your company seriously needs a quiet room. How can he concentrate with colleagues tapping at the pcs?

Cote..., without your beady watchful eye, such glaring error would have gone unnoticed by my bad, bad self! How could I ever thank you for your kind and graceful way in sticking my naughty nose straight into it... Had written a rather rambling and lengthy post, most of which was duly deleted, leaving the offending and inappropriate [sic].
Shall go and put coals on head or somesuch..

Talk to him he won't bite is patronising.

How???? Because she is annoyed by his praying?yi.gk. get on with you. that is not treating someone as other. its being annoyed by his praying.

It could be noisy snd invilve a lot of movement, it could.make you feel likei you canct talk or make a phone call or get up fot the loo or to discuss an issie with a colleague or use the printer ey. Etc in other wirds all normal office activitie.s.

Plus these are sensitive times when we all need to be considerate and respectful, and i think the colleague has a duty to join in with that. Certainly if she does, he does.

Sorry but I think you are being a bit unreasonable, he is not hurting you, unless he is asking his god to bring doom to you and yours leave him be.

It is on the floor on a mat and islamic prayer in a mosque seems to involve rocking, stsnding, prostrstion etc so it vould well.

Yes i think he needs to ask if his prayer disturbs office activity. Being as how he is introducing the change to an established situation. It's only polite. Of course the law being what it is, only a brave soul will say yes and risk a discrmination charge. But he should really get comfortable with the way things are used to working in the office and make an effort to accommodate people's feelings, needs and sensitivities.

But he doesn't? Why not? Why doesn't he have ti get cinfortable with the way most offices around the world fu nction, including those with many Moslem workers? Why doesn't he nneed to show sensitivity and respect? Is he, after all, different in some way? I do.'t think so. I am sure you don't either.. you have stressed that point. But he doesn't need to think of others, for some reason - he doesn't need to inquire about or respect their feelings?

Beertricks, you have rotten double standards here. Tis all one way for you.