Recognizing Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr

Taking place during the ninth month of the Muslim Calendar, Ramadan is a sacred time for Muslims all over the world. During Ramadan, many Muslims observe the act of fasting between dawn and sunset. The fast is broken at the end of each day with a meal called iftar. This year, Ramadan began during the end of February and will finish towards the end of March, contingent on the sighting of the moon.

With the end of Ramadan approaching, it is important to recognize Eid al-Fitr (Eid). Eid is the "festival of breaking the fast," which takes place when the new moon is seen. Eid can last up to three days and is one of the two main festivals in Islam. During Eid, friends and family join together to enjoy food, exchange gifts, and participate in charity.

Here’s how to support those participating in Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr:

• Remember that each individual experiences the challenges of Ramadan differently and that asking someone if they are fasting can be uncomfortable.
• Remember that all religious occasions should be approached with compassion and respect.
• Be flexible with coworkers requesting time off for Ramadan and Eid as it may fall on a different day than expected because its start will depend on the new moon.
• To wish someone a good Ramadan, you can say "Ramadan Mubarak" or "Ramadan Kareem,” and to wish someone a good Eid, you can say "Eid Mubarak.”

Resources

• Guide to Observances: Ramadan
• What are Eid al-Fitr and Ramadan and how do Muslims mark them?
• When is Ramadan 2025?
• 5 ways to support staff observing Ramadan

Supporting coworkers during Ramadan

During the holy month of Ramadan, many Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, devote themselves to prayer, focus on charitable giving and community service, and spend more time with family and other members of their place of worship. As we approach the beginning of Ramadan on March 11, we wanted to highlight last year’s DEI article “Supporting coworkers during Ramadan,” and encourage you to revisit it. The article includes a lot of helpful information, such as acknowledging the month’s significance, encouraging coworkers to take off Eid-al-Fitr, and to take fasting into account when scheduling business-related luncheons or office parties.

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.