Ramadan begins on March 22nd and ends on April 21st this year, and for many Muslims around the world it’s the most anticipated time of year!
Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is the holy month where Muslims abstain from food and drink between dawn and dusk. As well as this, Muslims will make an extra effort in being more charitable and praying. It’s a time for Muslims to reassess their spirituality, reflect on their blessings and work on becoming better versions of themselves.
Borough Care’s HR Advisor, Sabrina Shaikh has helped put together some guidance we can all get behind to ensure we are more understanding and supportive towards our Muslim colleagues, residents and their families over the coming weeks.
✨Be considerate✨
During Ramadan, those taking part are likely to be waking up earlier in the morning for Suhoor (the morning meal eaten before the sun has come up during Ramadan), fasting during daylight hours and staying up later than usual for evening prayers. At Borough Care, we will be considerate of our colleagues and residents who are fasting, supporting them during the month by adjusting schedules where possible – particularly during the last ten days of Ramadan which are the most sacred of the month.
✨Be aware of prayer breaks✨
Muslims pray five times a day, or depending on the workday schedule this can be two or three times a day. Borough Care is encouraging our teams to be aware of this and to make sure our colleagues and residents are given the time and space to pray.
✨Have conversations✨
Many Muslims love talking about their Ramadan experience because it is a time that is looked forward to so much throughout the year. Some of our colleagues might be embarrassed for not knowing a huge amount about Ramadan, but our Muslims team members will be aware of this, so we are encouraging respectful conversations.
✨ Know that Ramadan is not just about fasting ✨
There are many reasons why someone may not fast during Ramadan, such as during pregnancy or illness. Muslim women also do not fast whilst on their period and may not want to publicly tell everyone this. Those who are not able to fast may still choose to take part in other ways of worship, such as increasing their prayers or partaking in more charitable events. We are making our teams aware that for each Muslim, the ways they practise during Ramadan can be different.
✨Celebrate with our colleagues and residents!✨
We are wishing our colleagues, residents and their loved ones a Happy and generous Ramadan this year. We will be saying ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ or ‘Ramadan Kareem’ which means Happy Ramadan or generous Ramadan.
