assalamu alaykum,
what is the time that you have to get to your class ?
and which prayer is it that you are having trouble with?
- I think there is always plenty of time and many ways to fit in the prayers in our busy schedules. I never have had problems here in UK. You can pray at anytime during the Zohr Prayer time... So, if Zohr starts at say 12:30 you have a few hours to pray it.
Some people feel that the prayer time is the Jama'ah time. So, they will pray it at that exact minute. This is not correct. All the times are to do with the position of the sun.
There are many things you can do, you can pray it in your college. Ask for a room to pray in! Tell the teacher that you will be late because you must pray. Most colleges have a prayer room, if they do not, you can easily ask for an empty classroom for just 5 minutes . Even, you can pray in a quiet corner of a classroom or a library.
Our prayer is obligatory. It comes before
everything. It is Allah who gives us happiness and gives us the food and shelter we have, not some college paper or big fancy career.
- I do not think you should do EITHER of the two choices that you suggested above, both are very wrong. You should put effort in speaking to your teachers, if your teachers dont agree, then go to those incharge of the department, if they do not agree, go to the schools principal. If he does not agree, then approach the school's governors. You must try and try to get your Rights!
Certainly, I would go there to college and demand a place where I can pray. I dont take no for an answer and will continue to argue, pressure until I get what I want and can have my rights. Otherwise, I am more than happy to pray anywhere, including the library, the classrooms, or outside. No problem.
When I was around 10, I had arrangement made with my school where I had time to pray and even I had the Friday Afternoon off. - This was done by myself, I pushed them hard and I was the only Muslim in the school. Similarly in secondary school, various letters were written. Also, I used what was in the law, because we should be allowed to have the freedom to practise our Religious rites, days etc.
Anyway, it should not be difficult, just speak up. We are Muslims, we should not let anyone or anything dictate to us how or when we worship Allah.
Here is an attachment explaining the prayer times:
Times of Salah.pdf
Wasalam