The holy month of Ramadan has begun. Here’s how to support your Muslim friends and colleagues

Ramadan has begun, which means Muslims around the world are connecting with their faith through fasting.

The first night of the holy month began on Friday, February 28 after sunset and will end around March 30, followed by Eid al-Fitr, the celebratory festival of breaking the fast.

For the month of Ramadan, Muslims wake early for “suhur”, a meal before dawn, then abstain from food and drink until “iftar”, a meal after sunset. In addition to the five daily prayers, Sunnis, the majority of the two major sects of Islam, also recite a special night prayer, called the Tarawih.

It’s a precious and sacred period for many Muslims, but also a physically challenging one.

So, how can those outside of Islam learn more and support their Muslim friends during Ramadan? 

Understand the significance

“It’s a very important and special month for Muslims,” explains writer, editor and journalist Humaira Saeed.

“We’re abstaining from food and drink as a means to increase our spiritual experience and offer the best of ourselves to God.” 

“Ramadan is actually one of the pillars of Islam,” says Zouhir Gabsi, senior lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies at Deakin University.

“It is important to fast [during] Ramadan; it’s equal to a declaration of faith … It is part and parcel of being a Muslim.”

While different communities or sects may observe Ramadan differently, Dr Gabsi says it’s usually a period of reflection, prayer and study. Good deeds and charity are encouraged, while anger, envy and gossip are disallowed.

“It’s [what] we call in Arabic ‘tazkiyah’, which is emptying out, cleaning out — it is the purification of the heart,” he says.

“Through fasting, Muslims connect the external reality, [known as] ‘al-ʽālam al-hissī’, with the inner world or spiritual dimensional, [known as] ‘ālam al-bātinī’.”

Saeed says that appreciating the importance of Ramadan, particularly in places like Australia where Muslims are in the minority, is a helpful and supportive gesture.

“I think a greater awareness about the spiritual nature of Ramadan and what people are going through during that time would be a really positive thing for the community,” she says.

Be curious and brush up on the basics

If you’re not well versed in Islamic tradition, Saeed says asking questions is a great place to start.

“Engage with Muslims who are fasting and ask them how their day is going, how it feels, what they’ve had in the morning at sahur, or what they’re going to eat at iftar … Just have that general curiosity,” she says.

“[Have] an awareness that a Muslim friend of yours might be fasting during that month and might not have as much energy as he or she normally does.”

Dr Gabsi agrees that non-Muslims should make an effort to learn about Ramadan.

“People should really read about what Ramadan is about; don’t take it for granted,” he says.

“It’s really good to ask questions. Muslims, especially in Australia, are really open to other people [asking] questions about it and we have so many open days in mosques [throughout the year].

“Those open-day occasions [are] a really good opportunity to go into the mosque and say, ‘Can I see how people fast or ask questions about Ramadan?'”

Support your colleagues

In a work or study environment, small adjustments to accommodate people practising Ramadan can go a long way.

Examples might be making space or time for Muslims to pray during the work day — especially as there is a greater focus on worshipping on time during Ramadan — or allowing leave to celebrate Eid al-Fitr.

“[Employees might] not be able to work in the same spirit that they do when they’re not fasting, because of their energy levels,” Saeed says.

“[If] there were some adjustment with workplaces offering earlier start times and finish times, like 7am to 2pm, that would be something that would really help Muslims a lot.”

It’s also helpful to be sensitive when it comes to food and drink in the workplace.

While Dr Gabsi says most Muslims “don’t have any hang-ups about it”, it can be a “sign of respect” to avoid eating or drinking in front of people who are fasting.

“I really feel that organisations could do a lot more to assist Muslims [during] Ramadan,” Saeed says.

Celebrate with Muslim communities

Ramadan is also an opportunity to share a cultural experience, no matter your religious background.

“Taking part in sahur is really fun, because you’re just eating as much as you can to fill your stomach in the morning and it’s really dark when you start eating … It’s a really weird point of the day to be eating,” she says.

“If you have Muslim friends, ask them if you can join them and their families for iftar in the evening, or if you can stay over on the weekend and do sahur with them, or do the whole fast for a day.

“That’s a really good way to take part and something that really helps Muslims feel included and accepted in society.”

Dr Gabsi says sharing food with people of other faiths is a key feature of Ramadan.

“It happens everywhere, in mosques, in people’s houses. I always invite my neighbours to come and celebrate our food and celebrate Ramadan,” he says.

“It’s a sharing occasion, sharing the cultural experience and the food as well.”

And don’t forget…

People of any faith can wish their Muslim friends a happy Ramadan.

Try saying ‘Ramadan Mubarak’, which means “blessed Ramadan”, or ‘Ramadan Kareem’ which means “generous Ramadan”.