At Traackr considered one of our core firm values is “variety”. To many people, this implies actively selling a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable work atmosphere no matter race, tradition, gender, potential, or creed. Not solely can we imagine that this can be a necessity in our office, we imagine it’s essential for our business.
Relatedly, a buddy just lately requested me how finest to help a colleague who will likely be celebrating Ramadan. Whereas this was a difficult query to reply, it gave me the thought for this text — a small intro to Ramadan (for many who don’t know) and a few ideas for the right way to help colleagues who observe it.
Since this week marks the primary week of Ramadan, here’s a small primer on the month.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and Muslims world wide observe this month by abstaining from meals and water from daybreak till sundown. Fasting is likely one of the 5 pillars of Islam, and it’s a time for religious reflection, self-improvement, and charity.
At its core, Ramadan includes two key occasions day-after-day.
- Suhoor: The meal eaten proper earlier than the solar has risen.
- Iftar: the fast-breaking meal eaten on the finish of the day after the solar has set.
As a Muslim, this month is a time of reflection, prayer, and reference to my group. Rising up, I had fond reminiscences of waking up in the course of the evening and consuming a meal with my household – half awake, yawning, and rubbing my eyes. The evenings had been crammed with cooking with my household, guessing if there was sufficient salt in a dish, laughing after we later realized there wasn’t, delivering meals to neighbors, receiving meals from muslim neighbors, and events stuffed to the brim with individuals from the neighborhood and a few of my favourite meals.
Whereas Ramadan is a deeply private expertise, additionally it is a time for group. In case you have Muslim colleagues who’re observing Ramadan, it’s a nice alternative to study one thing about them and to point out your help. Whereas I’ll present some recommendation under for the way you might help colleagues who observe Ramadan, please do not forget that it’s a completely different expertise for every particular person. The very best place to begin is to all the time merely ask the individual what sort of help, if any, they want.
Listed here are some ideas that will help you work together together with your colleagues throughout Ramadan
- Ship a greeting. “Ramadan Mubarak” is an effective way to ship a greeting, it means to have a blessed Ramadan.
- Ask questions. If you’re interested in Ramadan, ask your colleagues! They may possible be blissful to share their experiences and reply any questions you’ll have.
- Be conscious. It is essential to notice that not each Muslim will quick throughout Ramadan. For some, fasting is probably not doable as a result of well being causes or different private circumstances.
- Be understanding. Your Muslim colleagues could seem drained or much less energetic than ordinary through the month of Ramadan. Fasting is usually a difficult expertise, and it is pure to really feel extra drained than ordinary.
- Keep away from scheduling calls close to sundown. Your colleagues will likely be utilizing this time to organize their Iftar meal with their household.
- Keep away from scheduling calls throughout lunchtime. For some, even on zoom, it may be difficult to be round meals whereas fasting.
Hungry for extra particulars on Ramadan?
I’ve obtained you coated. Listed here are a few of my favourite muslim influencers who can shed extra mild on the month:
- Hajar Larbah: For 3 years, Hajar has performed a video sequence on new recipes for Ramadan. She shares 30 new recipes together with her viewers to take pleasure in throughout Ramadan (one for every day of the month!). Phrase to the clever: don’t have a look at these when you are fasting or you might be gonna have a foul time. 😅
- Saman Munir: Saman gives information on understanding throughout Ramadan. For the previous few years, she’s offered varied pattern exercises to do throughout Ramadan. Look out for her tips about understanding through the month. In this video she shares smart recommendation about when to train throughout Ramadan, however to my colleagues who’ve seen me overtrain to my detriment, know the true reply is: exercise all day lengthy. Kidding! Kind of…
- Azeems: I really like his give attention to bodybuilding throughout Ramadan and one of the simplest ways to get all of the diet you want through the month. That is one thing I’ve had a tough time with in earlier years throughout Ramadan. Lately I’ve been actually specializing in giving my physique the protein it must develop muscle, so I’ll be placing this video to apply.
- Rehma Khan: I really like her video sequence on adorning/prepping for Ramadan. It has a really private really feel to it. You’ll actually get some nice perception on the extra mundane elements of Ramadan that each one muslims undergo.
This may be blasphemy, however there’s a third choice. Dates, like raisins, are simply inferior fruits. So as a substitute of dates, I counsel you break your quick with mangoes. You’ll thank me later.
I’ll admit that my household didn’t fairly have the power for adorning that she does. Rising up, when my sister and I wished to do some Ramadan decorations, my mother and father all the time responded with that’s a fantastic concept, let’s do it subsequent 12 months…😂😂😂.