April 2 - May 1 - Ramadan

Ramadan is coming!

Ramadan is celebrated on the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This year, Ramadan takes place from April 2^nd- May 1^st. It commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an (Islam’s holy book) to the Prophet Muhammed and is one of the five pillars of Islam. During Ramadan, Muslim people all over the world renew their spiritual commitment and practice self-discipline, self-sacrifice, patience, and heightened virtue. Ramadan may be observed in many ways including fasting, acts of charity, reflections, and prayer.

About Islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion (belief that there is one God, Allah). As with other religions, people who practice Islam (people who are Muslim) are diverse, with varying beliefs, sects, levels of adherence, and interpretations. There are over 1.8 billion Muslims globally, which makes up almost a quarter of the world’s population! This makes Islam the second largest and fastest growing religion in the world.

About Ramadan

Keeping in mind the diversity within Islam, typically, Ramadan involves some form of fasting, from sunrise to sunset, for about a month. This fasting is known as sawm, which means to refrain from not only food, but also drink, evil actions, thoughts, or words. Sawm is one of the five core pillars of Islam. Before dawn, suhoor takes place, which is the meal before the fast begins. At dusk, iftar, the meal the fast is broken with, takes place. Typically, iftar is a social and communal meal where many will gather to eat together, and mosques (places of worship) will offer food to those in need.

Ramadan may also be observed through prayer, charity (also known as Zakat in the five pillars of Islam), gathering with others, and reflecting on spirituality in relation to Islam.

The end of Ramadan is celebrated with Eid al-Fitr. This is known as the Festival of Fast-Breaking and is celebrated over several days with prayer, social gatherings, gift exchanges, and donations.

Ramadan in Chatham-Kent

In Chatham-Kent, Muslim communities are growing. Chatham-Kent is now home to a Chatham-Kent Muslim Association and the Chatham Islamic Centre, which opened in February.

As we work towards diversity, equity, inclusion & justice in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, we are striving to create a welcoming and supportive environment for Muslim Communities.

We can all help to support colleagues and communities celebrating Ramadan by:

1) Recognizing the diversity within the Islam Faith and people who are Muslim.

People may practice their faith in different ways. Try not to make assumptions about someone’s faith or the way the practice it.

2) Offering Greetings.

Ramadan Mubarak (have a happy Ramadan) or Ramadan Kareem (have a blessed Ramadan).

3) Recognizing that not all people who celebrate Ramadan will fast.

While some people who are Muslim may be OK with asking if they are fasting, it’s not appropriate to ask why, if someone is not. Fasting is a personal choice and there are various personal reasons people may choose not to fast.

4) Being aware of Ramadan period & asking what support is needed.

Fasting 17 hours a day is not easy. Even people not fasting may be engaging in more intensified worship. Ask what team members need and how you can be supportive. Remember that the Human Rights Code requires employers to allow people to observe periods of prayer at particular times of day and to take time off to observe a religious holiday. Some examples of support include:

• Offer flexible start and finish times or offering the ability to swap shifts to accommodate any needs.
• Avoid asking people who are fasting to attend lunch meetings or other events where food or drink will be served.
• Enable people to take breaks at sunset to break their fast and pray.
• Schedule meetings in the morning and avoid late in the afternoon when people’s energy levels wane.
• Avoid evening events, as this time is often reserved for prayers, eating and gatherings.
• Be prepared for people to take time off at the end of Ramadan to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. This is a significant event for people who are Muslim and a chance to gather and celebrate with family and community.

Learn More:

Muslim Advisory Council of Canada Ramadan Toolkit

CBC – Learning More About Ramadan

Islam and the Welcoming Workplace

• Requires sign up for their newsletter, but a great resource!

Ramadan Mubarak!

Have comments, questions, or feedback about this post? Feel free to comment below or contact Rebecca or Amrit.