Azam Saddique, our Technical Analyst took time to give us an insight into Ramadan
Ramadan is a sacred time of year for Muslims across the world – approximately 1.9 billion people.
Muslims are people who follow Islam as their religion. They consider the Holy Quran, the central religious text of Islam, to be the word of Allah (God) as it was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). Islam has the same underlying religious foundation as Christianity and Judaism – there are similarities in some beliefs.
Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is mandatory for all healthy adult Muslims. The Five Pillars in order are:
Shahadah (Acceptance of Faith)
Salat (Ritual Prayer – five times a day)
Zakat (Charity – 2.5% of your wealth in a year)
Sawm (Fasting during the month of Ramadan)
Hajj (Annual Pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia)
So, what is fasting about?
Basically, Muslims observe a strict fast (from dawn to dusk) and participate in pious activities such as charitable giving and peace-making. It is a time of intense spiritual renewal for those who observe it, and at the end, Muslims worldwide observe a joyous day of celebration called Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Fast-Breaking).
There is also increased focus on praying during the nights of Ramadan at local Mosques to gain Taqwa (which means to gain piety or God-consciousness).
Ramadan is based on the moon year which is 355 days and that is why it fluctuates by 10 days each year, so Muslims get to experience the fasting during Winter and Summer – the whole cycle takes up roughly 33 years.
In terms of charity, British Muslims donate millions of pounds to the needy around the world every year. According to some BBC reports, the total yearly figure always exceeds £100 million.
Eid is an incredibly special occasion for Muslims especially children – people normally hold local parties that bring families, friends, and communities together – variety of food is shared with soft drinks (alcohol is strictly prohibited for Muslims). Special focus is placed on children’s presents and traditional clothes.
I am very fortunate to be working here at Correla because I get all the relevant support that I need during Ramadan.
I can work flexible hours which means that I can plan each day according to my needs. Energy levels during Ramadan can be low and I always find my colleagues showing empathy – people always actively listen when I am talking to them about the importance of Ramadan.
Correla aspires to be a diverse organisation – we are committed to make Inclusion and Diversity an inherent part of our company culture and a very important component of our business. We are working towards the ability to recruit and retain a diverse workforce to enable Correla to harness innovation and achieve superior results in the delivery of all our services.
We want to ensure all our employees (regardless of race, gender, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and background) can develop to their full potential and be their true selves at work.