05
March
2024
|
10:21 AM
America/Chicago

All About Ramadan

Ramadan begins on the evening of March 10 and lasts through April 8.

Followers of the Islamic faith will celebrate Ramadan by fasting, giving Muslims a period of spiritual reflection. 

During the coming weeks, you may find some of our patient families, neighbors or coworkers celebrating Ramadan. With that in mind, we wanted to take this opportunity to provide some helpful information about this Islamic holy month. ​

When does Ramadan start? 

Ramadan begins the evening of March 10 and lasts through April 8.

ChapelIf I am a Muslim, where can I go and pray?

We have a chapel on the second floor of the Main Building at Cook Children's Medical Center - Fort Worth. We have prayer rugs available in the chapel. Sacred texts of various religions are also able to be utilized in the chapel. The Meditation Room is located on the first floor of South Tower, just past Goodies to Go. 

In Prosper, sacred texts are out and available in the Prosper chapel. To request a prayer rug, please reach out to chaplains at Prosper. 

Both chapels and the Meditation Room are free of all food and drinks, making them a perfect place for prayers during Ramadan to occur. Please be respectful and not bring food or drinks to these spaces.

By the way, there are kid-friendly Ramadan activity packets in the chapels. In addition, Spiritual Care has special prayer rugs for patient families in isolation; ask a chaplain to access these. 

How do Muslims celebrate Ramadan?

Followers of the Islamic faith may celebrate Ramadan by fasting, not eating or drinking any food or water from dawn to dusk each day. These fasting periods can range from 11-16 hours per day. Before fasting each day, Muslims will begin with a pre-fast meal called “suhoor” and then begin the “Fajr,” the first prayer of the day.  

This ritual of daily fasting gives Muslims a period of spiritual reflection.  

Here are a few tips and best practices to keep in mind during the month of Ramadan:

Be aware of potential side effects of fasting. During this time, some people may experience low blood-sugar levels and/or be more tired.

Allow for flexibility, if possible. If possible, try to accommodate anyone who will engage in the required prayer five times a day. This includes allowing time for breaks and trying to provide a quiet, private space for prayer.

Consider Ramadan when scheduling events or meetings. Try not to center mandatory workplace meetings or gatherings around food and beverages. If this is not possible, be respectful that Muslim employees in attendance will not be eating. 

Appropriate greetings include:

  • Ramadan Mubarak
  • Blessed Ramadan
  • Happy Ramadan
  • Ramadan Kareem
  • Generous Ramadan

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Learn more:  https://www.diversityincbestpractices.com/diversityinc-digest-ramadan/