On Thursday 28th April, myself and two of my colleagues (Tim Fieldhouse and Karinel Ellazar) fasted for the day to support two of our team members (Asimah Ali and Rabina Khaleeq), who were fasting for the month of Ramadan.
Ramadan this year started on the 2nd or 3rd April for Muslims all around the world, and concluded with their Eid celebrations on Monday 2nd May. During this month, Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours.
Fasting allows Muslims to devote themselves to their faith, and is thought to teach self-discipline and remind them of the suffering of the poor and to experience the lives of the less fortunate for one month. Many Muslims will also give extra time and money to charities during this time, as well as focussing on their prayers.
I, as a non-Muslim, wanted to show my support and boost the morale of the girls by joining them for the day. I now have a new-found respect for Asimah and Rabina. What they do is not something to be scoffed at. I struggled with just one day, so to do it for a month really is an accomplishment.
The approximate times were to have breakfast by 3am latest, and then eat dinner no sooner than 8.30pm. I am not going to lie, when my alarm went off at 3am, the last thing I felt like doing was getting up, so I (foolishly) snoozed my alarm and slept through. BIG MISTAKE. By the time I arrived at work at 8.30am my stomach was growling.
The hunger did wear off a tiny bit throughout the day, but the need for water did not. I had a banging headache from dehydration and really struggled to concentrate on my work. It genuinely was a test. And just writing that now sounds so inferior to all the Muslims who do it for a whole month.
It didn’t help that Oakwood decided to do a ‘doughnut treat day’ for everyone in the office that day!
I will tell you something – my dinner that evening was immense. It was eaten like I was in some sort of food challenge. Get me on Man vs Food!
It is great that Oakwood supports employees’ faiths. It is very important for companies to understand and support their people through times like this and offer that extra bit of care and support wherever need. Every small act makes a difference.
Upon reflection, it made me realise just how privileged I am. Just to be able to get a snack or drink whenever I want is such a luxury. I can’t even imagine what people around the world in less fortunate situations feel like.
There are some great charities that help feed the poor both locally and globally. Here are a few that Asimah and Rabina suggested:
www.giveagift.org.uk
www.islamic-relief.org.uk
www.worldcarefoundation.org
www.wfp.org
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On Thursday 28th April, myself and two of my colleagues (Tim Fieldhouse and Karinel Ellazar) fasted for the day to support two of our team members (Asimah Ali and Rabina Khaleeq), who were fasting for the month of Ramadan. Ramadan this year started on the 2nd or 3rd April for Muslims all around the…
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