Work and religion: an exploratory study of Muslim entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates

Purpose This study aims to understand how religion impacts the everyday activities of Muslim entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research is grounded on in-depth interviews with 50 entrepreneurs presently living and working in the UAE. When selecting the interviewees, the authors used purposeful sampling to ensure a diverse sample of interviewees with respect to nationality, age, gender and the nature of their business. Findings It was found that religion for these Muslim entrepreneurs is highly individualized, leading to our initial impressions that work and religion have no relationship. Nevertheless, following deeper investigation, it was found that religion does shape the everyday entrepreneurial activities of these entrepreneurs. More precisely, the entrepreneurial activities of these Muslim entrepreneurs are impacted by a desire to re-explain their work in religious terms, leading to conflicts between work and religion. Originality/value In todays’ competitive environment in the UAE, the workplace is increasingly consuming a considerable amount of individuals’ time, becoming more fundamental to their identity, and incorporating more life factors. However, the aspects impacting work have not been extensively researched, particularly the impact of religion on entrepreneurial endeavors, which represents a different type of work. The current study endeavors to fill this crucial research gap, and by doing so, we bring empirical attention to the relationship proposed yet largely ignored in prior studies.