Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Quran, and fast from food and drink during the sunlit hours as a means of drawing closer to God and cultivating self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those less fortunate.

‘Ramadan Mubarak’ is a greeting which is commonly used and means to have a ‘blessed Ramadan’. This year, the holy month is expected to fall between 10th March and 9th April, with exact dates to be confirmed. The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, therefore, Ramadan dates change each year by approximately 11 days, and can also vary slightly country to country depending on their sighting of the moon.

As it is such a special time of year for some of our team members, we wanted to understand a little bit more about what it means to them.

Hi, first can you start by introducing yourself to us?

Sufyan: Hi, my name is Sufyan and I’m a Sage CRM Consultant working for PKF Smith Cooper Systems.

Adam: My name is Adam Desai. I am an Audit Associate and have been working for PKF Smith Cooper for almost 6 months now. I joined after graduating from De Montfort University with a degree in Accounting and Business Management.

Vasif: Hi, my name is Vasif and I work in the corporate tax team here in the Derby office.

Aziz: My name is Md Azizur Rahman, I’m an Assistant Audit Manager in Birmingham.

Aside from fasting, are there any other special activities or traditions that you take part in during Ramadan?

Sufyan: Aside from fasting, charity is given more so in this month than any other, more acts of worship are performed and a special night prayer takes place in which the whole of the Holy Quran is recited over the course of the month.

Adam: There are often many charity events in the community, which I always like to participate in and see how I can help those in need. However, as well as this, Ramadan is the month where you should increase in acts of worship, including reading the Quran, increased generosity and breaking bad habits.

Vasif: Ramadan includes a lot of different activities and traditions, my favourite being giving out food, it’s said that we shouldn’t let others go hungry especially during Ramadan, so when it’s time to open our fasts, we will give out food to friends, family, and neighbours. It does also mean that we receive a ton of food too (my favourite part!).

Aziz: Ramadan marks a time where we gather together, especially in the presence of family. Being able to come together during Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and Iftar (breaking fast meal) gives us the much-needed time to connect and bond with our families.

As fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, the importance of fasting during the month of Ramadan creates a sense of unity among Muslims, regardless of age, background and circumstance.

What happens at the end of Ramadan?

Aziz: Before the end of Ramadan, there is another obligatory charity that all Muslims are required to observe which is called Fitra, known as the charity of breaking the fast in Ramadan. Fitra is a charitable donation that must be given before Eid prayer. Following Ramadan’s end, Muslims gather together to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr.

Sufyan: Eid is a day of holiday and celebration in which a special prayer is held in the morning and then families get together for food, gifts are given to children and charity given to the poor and needy.

Adam: Eid for me usually starts off with the morning prayer, followed by meeting my friends and family. Every year in my family, we make cakes, biscuits and many other savoury goods to eat throughout the day (although it nearly gets finished in the morning!). This is then followed by a lunch meal. Coming from an Indian household this is usually Biryani which my grandma cooks fresh every Eid. We usually spend the rest of the day going to see family and friends we haven’t seen in a long time. 

Vasif: Eid is a day dedicated to meeting with friends and family and enjoying even more food! You should be prepared to put on a few pounds with all delicious options available on the day and expect to go into a food coma by late afternoon...

Are there any ways which your colleagues can support you, or anything else you'd like them to know ahead of the month starting?

Adam: The most important thing is not generalising between all Muslims. Everybody is different and might have different approaches to Ramadan and will have their own thought of what Ramadan means, and what works for them.

Whilst adhering to Ramadan may seem daunting/very hard, after many years of fasting I can assure colleagues it is not as difficult as it seems and would encourage other to try fasting for a day with a Muslim colleague! 

Vasif: In terms of support for colleagues practicing fasting during Ramadan, just talk at us a little louder, were borderline zombies during this time so a good shout should wake us up!

Aziz: Everyone will have a different relationship and approach to their faith so an open-door policy would help those observing to have a conversation with their line manager regarding any adjustments they may need.

The last ten days of Ramadan are considered the most sacred of the month and some individuals might request more annual leave around this time. Depending on when the new moon is sighted, Eid may fall on a different day to the original requested leave, so people may need to adjust their planned annual leave.

Thank you to Sufyan, Vasif, Adam and Aziz for sharing insight into what Ramadan means to them. We wish everyone who is observing Ramadan a month filled with blessings, reflection, and spiritual growth.