At Traackr considered one of our core firm values is “variety”. To many people, this implies actively selling a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable work setting no matter race, tradition, gender, capacity, or creed. Not solely can we consider that this can be a necessity in our office, we consider it’s essential for our trade.

Relatedly, a buddy lately requested me how greatest to help a colleague who will likely be celebrating Ramadan. Whereas this was a difficult query to reply, it gave me the concept for this text — a small intro to Ramadan (for many who don’t know) and a few suggestions for how you can 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 all over the world 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 non secular reflection, self-improvement, and charity.

At its core, Ramadan entails two key occasions day by 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 neighborhood. Rising up, I had fond reminiscences of waking up in the course of the night time and consuming a meal with my household – half awake, yawning, and rubbing my eyes. The evenings have been crammed with cooking with my household, guessing if there was sufficient salt in a dish, laughing once we later realized there wasn’t, delivering meals to neighbors, receiving meals from muslim neighbors, and events stuffed to the brim with folks from the neighborhood and a few of my favourite meals.

Whereas Ramadan is a deeply private expertise, it is usually a time for neighborhood. You probably have Muslim colleagues who’re observing Ramadan, it’s a nice alternative to study one thing about them and to indicate your help. Whereas I’ll present some recommendation beneath for the way you might help colleagues who observe Ramadan, please do not forget that it’s a totally different expertise for every particular person. The very best place to start out is to at all times merely ask the particular person what sort of help, if any, they want. 

Listed below are some suggestions that will help you work together along with your colleagues throughout Ramadan 

1. Ship a greeting. “Ramadan Mubarak”  is a good way to ship a greeting, it means to have a blessed Ramadan.
2. Ask questions. In case you are inquisitive about Ramadan, ask your colleagues! They’ll probably be blissful to share their experiences and reply any questions you’ll have.
3. Be conscious. It is essential to notice that not each Muslim will quick throughout Ramadan. For some, fasting might not be attainable on account of well being causes or different private circumstances. 
4. Be understanding. Your Muslim colleagues could seem drained or much less energetic than common through the month of Ramadan. Fasting is usually a difficult expertise, and it is pure to really feel extra drained than common.
5. Keep away from scheduling calls close to sundown. Your colleagues will likely be utilizing this time to organize their Iftar meal with their household.
6. 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 below are a few of my favourite muslim influencers who can shed extra mild on the month:

1. Hajar Larbah: For 3 years, Hajar has performed a video collection 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 while you’re fasting or you might be gonna have a nasty time. 😅
2. Saman Munir: Saman gives information on figuring out throughout Ramadan. For the previous few years, she’s supplied varied pattern exercises to do throughout Ramadan. Look out for her recommendations on figuring out through the month. On this video she shares wise 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… ‍
3. Azeems: I like his concentrate on bodybuilding throughout Ramadan and one of the best ways to get all of the vitamin you want through the month. That is one thing I’ve had a tough time with in earlier years throughout Ramadan. Not too long ago I’ve been actually specializing in giving my physique the protein it must develop muscle, so I’ll be placing this video to apply. ‍
4. Rehma Khan: I like her video collection 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 is perhaps blasphemy, however there’s a third possibility. Dates, like raisins, are simply inferior fruits. So as an alternative 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 dad and mom at all times responded with that’s an ideal thought, let’s do it subsequent 12 months…😂😂😂.