I am a student of UNISA (University of South Africa).

Answer

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "There is no obedience for anyone in any act which is a sin against Allah." On earth there will always be conflicts between the demands of the material word and the Law of Allah Ta'ala. It is precisely for this trial that Allah Ta'ala has sent us to earth.

The conflict you are facing is between a Fardh command of Allah Ta'ala and a demand of the material world. The Mu'min who understands the meaning of Imaan, the futility of this worldly life and the reality of the Hereafter knows exactly what course to adopt. Never will it be permissible to forsake Jumuah Salaat for the sake of the university exams. Confound the exams. On the Day of Qiyaamah you will not be reprimanded/punished for shunning the exams for the Sake of Allah's commands. On the contrary you will be lauded and rewarded. But if such an important injunction as Jumuah Salaat is missed for the sake of this worldly carrion – the kufr exams – then it is perpetrated at the peril of Allah's Wrath. The consequence is Hell-Fire.

The sin of missing Jumuah for the sake of the exams is of the worst kind. It is a calamity the magnitude and notriety of which cannot be computed in earthly terms. It is Fardh to forsake the exams, but never the Jumuah Salaat.

UNISA is a non-Muslim institution. They have planned the exams in this way because of the un-Islamic attitude and fisq and fujoor of most of the Muslim students. Since the Muslim students themselves are not concerned, the non-Muslim authorities of UNISA should not be blamed. Lament over the depraved and degenerate moral condition of the Muslim students.

The misconduct is not of UNISA. It is that of the Muslim students. Sanctions should be against the Muslim students. In the Aakhirah the sanction will be Hell-Fire. It is puerile to lament the conduct of UNISA. Assuming UNISA refuses to budge, what will be the attitude and reaction of the Muslim students? We are sure that they will kick Allah's Law and proceed to fulfil Shaitaan's and their nafs' desire by submitting. They will abandon Jumuah and opt for the world's carrion, and sit for the exams-- and confound Jumuah! This will be the reaction of Muslims students. Now when Muslim students themselves are prepared to abandon Jumuah for the sake of the kufr exams, by what standard of justice should the non-Muslim UNISA be castigated? Those Muslims who are prepared to abandon Jumuah for the exams are the villains in terms of the Shariah, not UNISA.

It is Waajib on the Muslim students to oppose the measure imposed by UNISA –that is, the measure designed to prevent students from Jumuah. But the opposition should not be in the fashion of louts and hooligans. It should not be in the form of toy toying demonstrations in the way non-Muslim students conduct themselves. The opposition should simply be to stay away from the exams and attend Jumuah, and come what may.

Since UNISA is a non-Muslim institution, its conduct is not zulm (oppression). The action of Muslim students, which will lead to abstention from Jumuah for the sake of the exams, is a massive act of zulm against their own souls and against the Shariah.

The 'protest' of the Muslim students should be dignified. They should not resort to any type of action which is akin to anarchy, insolence, disobedience and rebellion. They should simply inform the UNISA authorities that under no circumstances whatsoever is it permissible to forgo Jumuah, and that they (the students) will opt for abstention from the exams at that particular time on that Friday.