Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Supporting coworkers during Ramadan

From the Better Allies newsletter, Yusef Zakir, chief DEI officer at Davis Wright Tremaine, explains in “Understanding Ramadan and Supporting Your Muslim Colleagues” that during the holy month of Ramadan (March 22 through April 21, 2023), many Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, are more devoted to prayer, focus on charitable giving and community service, and spend more time with family and other members of their place of worship.

Zakir’s advice for supporting coworkers during this time:

• Acknowledge the month’s significance by wishing them Ramadan Mubarak (have a happy Ramadan) or Ramadan Kareem (have a blessed Ramadan).
• Understand how busy they may be, working their regular hours while fasting and then participating in prayers and festivities in the evening.
• Encourage them to take off Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the 30 days of Ramadan. Zakir explains, “In terms of comparison, it is as widely observed as Christmas or Hanukkah.” You can also wish them Eid Mubarak (have a happy Eid).

Tanenbaum, a nonprofit combating religious prejudice, provides these additional suggestions in their fact sheet on Ramadan:

• Ask Muslim coworkers how they observe Ramadan and what practices you should respect during the 30 days.
• Take fasting into account when scheduling business-related luncheons or office parties.
• Understand that some coworkers may need more breaks during the day to meet their prayer obligations.

If you have any questions, comments, or feedback for the ASR DEI committee, please contact us at asrdei@umn.edu.