The Islamic month of Ramadan and prayer breaks

Thank you for the question. This is an especially good time to address this topic as the month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, begins on Aug. 1. This month is considered a holy month by those of the Islamic faith, as it is the month when Allah, the Islamic name for God, revealed the first verses of the Qur’an (the Islamic Holy Book) to the Prophet Mohamed in 610 AD. During this month observant Muslims fast throughout the daylight period, going without food or drink from sunrise to sunset, each day of the lunar month. Fasting is required by the Qur’an and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. I will talk a little more about Ramadan later in the article, but let me address the question about prayer first.

My first advice is to not underestimate the understanding and consideration of your employer—especially as the performance of Salah, prayer or, more correctly, connection with Allah, does not necessarily have to conflict with work. I recommend that you speak to your supervisor and to your HR Officer about your prayer needs. Good communication is the most important step in resolving any situation, and you won’t know how far your employer will go to address your prayer needs until you bring the matter up.

Although I spent eight years in Saudi Arabia and one year in Egypt, I don’t consider myself to be an expert on Islam. To make sure that my information was correct, I spoke with the Hafez Maulana (the title of a respected and educated Islamic scholar who has completely memorized the Qur’an) Kamal Hossain, the Imam (worship leader) of the Garapan Mosque, accompanied by Ferdues Alam Bhuyan and Mafijul Islam, who were all very generous with their help and time. Any mistakes in this article, however, are mine, despite my best efforts to be accurate.

Offering Salah five times each day is an obligation of the Islamic faith. It is not voluntary and is an ongoing obligation that must be performed every day of the year, not just during the month of Ramadan. However, with the five acts of Salah occurring (1) Fajr: thirty minutes before sunrise, (2) Dhuhr: shortly after noon (from 12:30 to 3pm), (3) ´Asr: late afternoon (from 4:30 to about 5:45, (4) Maghrib: five minutes after sunset, and (5) Isha: before retiring for the night (about 8pm), only the midday prayer occurs during the workday for most workers. The Dhuhr Salah can usually be performed during the lunch break with the break being arranged to cover the 12:30 to 12:45pm period. Shift workers might require a special break or an adjustment to a meal or rest break to accommodate the time for Salah. Prayer times change depending upon the season and the times for sunrise and sunset. For those employers who might not be aware, Friday is the Islamic “day of gathering” for formal services at the mosque, comparable to Sunday services for the Christian faith.

What does an employee need? A clean, quiet place should be provided for prayer, if at all possible. However, if necessary, Salah can be performed in the workplace or even outside, in good weather. Access to water for cleansing hands, feet and other parts of the body is also necessary prior to prayer, but sand or even clean earth can replace the water in a ritual act of cleansing, if necessary. Fellow employees should respect and not interrupt a person who is praying. Salah is not a lengthy event and usually lasts only 5-10 minutes.

I have been told that many employees hesitate to ask their employers for time-off (if no breaks are given), or for a schedule adjustment, or a place for prayer, for fear of action being taken against them or even losing their jobs. An employee should not have to choose between their religious beliefs and their need for a job. The law provides protections against religious discrimination, harassment or retaliation.

The following is quoted from the EEOC publication Questions and Answers about the Workplace Rights of Muslims, Arabs, South Asians, and Sikhs under the Equal Employment Opportunity Laws:

“When an employer’s workplace policies interfere with its employee’s religious practices, the employee can ask for something called a “reasonable accommodation.” A “reasonable accommodation” is a change in a workplace rule or policy to let you engage in a religious practice. Your employer is required to provide you with such an accommodation unless it would impose an undue hardship on the employer’s business. This means the employer is not required to provide an accommodation that is too costly or difficult to provide. The key is that you should work closely with your employer in finding an appropriate accommodation.” (http:// www.eeoc.gov/facts/backlash-employee.html)

To the employers: I know that most employers will do everything possible to accommodate an employee’s religious obligations. If it is not considered possible to do so, the burden would be on the employer to show that the accommodation is too costly or difficult to provide. If the accommodation requires extra time-off beyond normal breaks, the employee can be required to make-up the extra time.

To the employees: As I said before, communicate your needs to your employer. Work with your supervisor and the company HR officer to develop a workable accommodation. If they do not know about the Islamic faith and its requirements, go that extra step and provide them with some information. We live in a wonderful multi-cultural community. Flexibility and consideration are two of the keys to its success.

A few more words about the month of Ramadan: fasting during the month of Ramadan and performing Salah five times daily are two of the five major tenets or “pillars” of the Islamic faith. They are obligations, not voluntary acts. All adults and children, 12 years of age and older, must fast. Children may be allowed to fast only half day if it becomes difficult for them. Adults who are elderly, hospitalized, mentally or medically unable to fast, pregnant or menstruating women, and nursing mothers may be excused, but must make up the fast at a later date or feed the poor in place of fasting. Ramadan is considered a time for reflecting, believing, and worshiping God. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate and encourages actions of generosity and charity.

Understandably, going without food or drink all day can be difficult. Supervisors should look out for the welfare of their fasting employees, especially if the job is outside or is physically strenuous. Fellow employees should recognize the importance and the hardship of the month of Ramadan to their friends and support them in their fast. Recognize that they may be a little more irritable than usual and might not want to sit down to lunch with them during this period. Really, don’t tempt them with a lot of goodies to see if they will cave in. At sunset each day family or friends will gather and will break their fast after the Maghrib Salah with the Iftar meal.

The lunar month of Ramadan will last 29 days and will end with the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr (the Festival of Breaking the Fast), marking the end of the fasting period and the first day of the new month. On the Eid a special celebration is made. Food is donated to the poor, everyone puts on their best, usually new, clothes, and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends.

The Hafez Maulana said that there are about 400 members of the Islamic faith in the CNMI. I would like to wish each of them Ramadan Mubarak (Blessed Ramadan).