By MARIAM NIHAL | ARAB NEWS
Locals claim it is not an Islamic law but a man-made one which may hurt people in medical emergencies
JEDDAH: Residents in the Kingdom have expressed concern over a rule that halts all activity during prayer times, and called for pharmacies and convenience stores to remain open to deal with emergency cases.
In Saudi Arabia all businesses, including pharmacies, stores, gyms and shopping malls, halt operations during prayer time.
“I don’t understand why the pharmacy closes down during Salah (prayer) or even a 24-hour convenience store for that matter,” Farah Wahabi, a 33-year-old teacher in Jeddah, told Arab News.
“In case of emergency you cannot even get hold of a bottle of water or medicine because both the corner store and pharmacy are closed. If I have an asthma attack, should I tell it to come back after Salah?”
Categories: Asia, Law and Religion, Saudi Arabia