Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, observed by Muslims as a time for fasting, prayer, and reflection. A lot of people know it as the month where Muslims refrain from eating and drinking, (yes, we can’t even drink water), from dawn to sunset but the lack of food and water usually is the easy bit for most of us! But, the spiritual detox plays an equally important part.  

In Islam, fasting is considered an act of worship and the month of Ramadan holds great spiritual significance. We use this month to focus on charity, prayer, and increasing our good deeds as well as trying to abstain from habits such as swearing, gossiping, and backbiting. It is a time and space carved out every year to pause from the wider world and life to assess where we are in our spiritual journey and learn about how we can better ourselves. 

Ramadan, for me, is a time for strengthening my relationship with God and becoming a better person. During this month, I spend more time reading the Quran, praying nafl (supererogatory prayer) and tahajjud prayers (observed in the middle of the night), and becoming more knowledgeable about my faith. I listen to podcasts that teach me more about Islam, our Prophets, and the meaning behind some of the surahs (a ‘chapter’) in the Quran. Fasting is a way for me to focus on appreciating what we have and remembering those that are less fortunate.  

Iftar time (the meal we break our fasts with) is usually one of my favourite parts of the Ramadan day, and not only because we can finally eat! Ramadan is the time when we can squeeze all of us into one house and enjoy a meal together, strengthen bonds with loved ones and share spiritual moments with others. Something that is also felt when praying taraweeh (a night Ramadan prayer performed after Isha prayer) at the local mosque. Although, as someone with a big family, it can be difficult/stressful on occasions spending time with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins together, but the sense of kinship and strengthening those family ties are certainly worth it.   

Being able to experience taraweeh prayer in the mosque is so important to me. Every Muslim in the mosque, regardless of race, social status, and nationality, stands side by side in prayer and comes together as a community for the sake of God. Community is a core part of Islam and in the practices of being Muslim and Ramadan is a great opportunity to encourage that sense of community amongst Muslim people across the world. 

In the last two years, Ramadan hasn’t quite been the same for a lot of us. We are used to sharing iftar with friends, family, neighbours but that hasn’t been possible because of the pandemic. Despite these changes, we still found a way to come together as a community, whether it was through online Zoom iftar calls or through praying at the mosque 2 metres apart from each other (which is very strange for us as we should be praying side by side). This just shows how changes in the world do not mean that we slack during Ramadan, if anything, the last two years have proven to Muslims how important it is to be appreciative and keep the Ramadan spirit alive. 

How can you support your Muslim colleagues?

Avanade has always emphasised the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. I am proud to be working for a company that values and embraces different cultures, religions, and beliefs, and provides an environment that makes us all feel included and that we belong here.  This is evident by the number of people aware of Ramadan and asking about our well-being during the month. It is not easy focusing on work while fasting. We often find it hard to wake up early, around 4am, for suhoor (the meal eaten before dawn), observe fajr (the prayer at dawn), return to bed, and then wake up again for work.

Here are a few tips on how you can support your Muslim colleagues during Ramadan:

• Ask Muslim colleagues how their fasts are going – I know that I always appreciate it when colleagues ask about my fasts and Ramadan in general.
• Be flexible with working patterns – if possible, ask Muslim colleagues if they prefer a slightly different work schedule.
• Accommodate late annual leave requests, wherever possible.
• Be understanding if colleagues may choose to not attend work lunches or after-work social events.