Something I came across recently shook me more than I expected. A private bank—already stretching its working hours well beyond the usual—has now decided to open its doors on Sundays too. Sunday, the one day we collectively breathe, rest and reconnect, has been traded for another block of “business hours.”
The decision is wrapped in that familiar corporate phrase: customer facilitation. It sounds harmless—even noble—but it quietly erodes human dignity. Who, exactly, is facilitating the staff? What about the men and women behind the counters, behind the ledgers, behind the entire economic engine of this country?
I read an internal circular that tried to justify the move. “Keeping in view the work‑life balance of staff,” it began—then proceeded to confiscate their weekend. A token allowance of a few thousand rupees was presented as compensation for time lost with children, spouses, elderly parents—or even time alone to simply be.
All of this feels particularly absurd in an era of rapid digitalization. Banks trumpet their mobile apps, internet portals and virtual branches…but instead of investing further in technology to lighten the load on physical staff, we squeeze more hours from the very people those systems should be liberating. If modernization is truly our aim, shouldn’t we be lessening the physical burden, not extending it?
The weekend pause is not just about family or fatigue. It is a sacred space to reflect, grow and realign with our Creator. Personal development, self‑awareness and spiritual connection are not luxuries; they are necessities. When a system refuses to grant that space, it doesn’t merely dent productivity—it starves the soul.
This is not facilitation; it is quiet exploitation. And it raises larger questions: Where are the regulators? Where is the Pakistan Banking Association, mandated to protect not only institutions but the people within them? Their silence is deafening.
We claim to be steering Pakistan toward a Shariah‑compliant banking model. If that is genuine, our human‑resource policies must embody Islamic values in spirit, not just in branding. Islam governs justice, balance and human worth—not merely financial transactions.
Industry leaders must remember that authority is a trust (amanah). When you wield the pen of policy, you do not merely sign memos; you shape lives. Strip workers of rest, reflection and the right to reconnect with Allah (SWT), and you are no longer leading—you are merely commanding.
Capitalism may urge us to chase limitless growth, but Shariah—and basic humanity—call us to protect, to balance, and to put Insaan (the human being) before Inaam (the reward).
This is more than a critique. It is a call to pause, reflect and realign before we normalize a culture that sacrifices the very people who hold our financial system upright.
By An Islamic Banker – Promoting Islamic Banking for Raza‑e‑Elahi (SWT)
