Religion in the workplace

[Whatothink]

For the last month we have been sent messages email, background screens and management briefings for a particular religion.

the following messages to

”showing visible support,
encouraging meaningful conversations, and deepening our understanding of the experiences of those of observences”

as well as being told to be considered with meetings etc and thoughtful and supportive!!!

I honestly think that this kind of action on the part of employers 'trying to be kind' is counter-productive, especially in today's climate. As is demonstrated on this thread, it leads to resentment, and it isn't needed in the first place.

Having worked for several decades in a Muslim area and with Muslim colleagues, Ramadan was never mentioned by management, and my colleagues just got on with their fasting as they chose.
Birthdays still happened. My Muslim colleagues would take a slice of cake home for later. Those on dinner duties at school, sat with the children as they always did. It was part of the challenge of fasting, and they welcomed it. The more the challenge the more personally effective the fast, to them.

My Muslim Uber driver the other day was talking about this (he picked me up from a cookery class so we'd been talking about food). He said that the hardest Ramadan he had was when he worked in a fast food restaurant, and it was when Ramadan was at a different time if year with longer daylight hours. But he said that it made his fast all the more valuable. This year he has set out to deliberately make his Ramadan more challenging by only having five dates and a glass of milk each morning before his fast starts.

So no, Muslims do not, in general, want us to make their fast easier for them.

Many years ago I was told about an conference to discuss Islam in the Nordic nations. It had to be abandoned after the first day as it was being held in Ramadan and there was no sunset for a few months which some visitors from the Middle East could not endure.

I was told this by a muslim friend who may - or may not - have had a tongue in cheek.

I understand your logic about counter-productivity but the reverse logic also works ie it's precisely because Islamophobia is rife at the moment that extreme views need tempering. It must be very difficult as a Muslim to know there are people around you who might be voicing these views - cousin marriage, rape gangs, small boat benefit claimants, colonisers, the great replacement theory etc. Some of these things are rooted in fact and we undoubtedly have a problem with political Islam in the west, but anything that leads to people being able to distinguish between the extreme minority and the moderate majority is to be welcomed.

Ramadan in Iceland/Greenland in the summer can last for 22 hours. Going that long without food and water is a challenge for many!

Are you assuming gender?

whats gender?

A social construct, m'lud.

Is anyone here actually a Muslim who can speak from personal experience ? Because I can if anyone wants to know?

Religion should have nothing to do with workplace it should be private

Yes, I think that’s a great idea. It will educate a lot of people, I’m sure.

Thank you for taking the time.

Is there anything that isn't

I have fasted every year for almost 36 years - I have also been working in various places throughout this time - I have never explicitly told anyone unless asked how my fasts go, nor do I expect any special treatment because of my fasts. I have met colleagues throughout my years who are interested/are not aware/couldn't care less etc about my choice to fast and I just deal with as I find them and meet them where they are at in terms of what I share, if anything.
For me, and most Muslims who fast, it is a private matter between myself and God and there is no need to be treated differently because of it. In fact sometimes people I work with would never know I fast because it does not come up unless I'm directly asked.
I can assure you for the most part eating in front of a fasting Muslim is not offensive. I have fasted for 18 hours in the long summer months and for 8 hours in the winter months. It is a personal journey that Muslims go through and being surrounded by food is a part of the process. For me Ramadan is about giving up bad habits alongside food and to spiritually cleanse. I have never expected anyone to give me preferential treatment when I fast but it does make my day when kindness is shown by others and lt makes me chuckle when my colleagues ask if it is ok to eat in front of me, which it absolutely is!

it does make my day when kindness is shown by others

There you go, everyone. Don't overthink this. Just be nice

I would like to add that it makes me equally happy when people are kind in other ways in general life, ie giving me way on the road or asking me how my book was (a random book mentioned weeks ago).

That’s so insightful and very helpful. Our local coffee shop that serves some food, the owner is Muslim and mentioned it was Ramadan. Seemed totally nonplussed about serving food and drink.

I learnt something from her yesterday, one it moves 10 days every year, hence the longer and shorter days. But I suppose so does lent, so whilst I don’t fast, I give up something, which changes in date, but not by days but by the lunar calendar.

If I’ve chosen to give up cake or alcohol, I’m not bothered if others eat, drink around me, like you.

Religions are so interesting, and are about one’s own beliefs are rarely about enforcing them
on others.

I think it sounds like a beautiful thing to do and I’m sure you gain various important spiritual insights. If you don’t mind me asking, do you encounter some of the views expressed here, people projecting on to you that you show no tolerance or that you are lecturing about your religion- when you are clearly not?

@feelingutterlyhopeless for your non-Muslim friends and colleagues how have you applied yourself to their religious beliefs to “educating yourself and gain understanding and showing visible support,
encouraging meaningful conversations, and deepening understanding of the experiences “

In my work we have a multi-faith group made up of all different religions, and they circulate comms about all kinds of festivities, often inviting people to join in. I'll be attending a meditation session with that group soon, and often get to eat the most delicious home cooked food as part of their events! I especially love joining in with all the winter celebrations, so many lovely light festivals, including decorating our office for Xmas which everyone joins in with!

I do enough - I actually have the ability to get on with most people and converse about things other than my religious beliefs. I even partake in secret Santa :) . And help decorate our work place for most festivals and celebration. I have to say though, this is the first time my work place put up Ramadan decor and asked for my input on dates and ideas. I guess I'm lucky enough to work with people who show mutual inclusivity - I don't even decorated my own house that early but did tell them it was a nice gesture. What do you think I could do more? For what it's worth I've visited most religious places of worship out of curiosity. Happy to hear your suggestions on what I could do to be educated more?

I am of Italian heritage and was raised in the Catholic faith so I know it very well and you Don't need to lecture me about it.

codecided as an adult that could not follow a religion that does not accept LGBTQ+ communities and that sees women and girls as second class citizens

However even as a non believer I have no issues with people choosing to follow a religion, and that includes Muslims.

I find it creepy by the way that you felt the need to Stan my other posts...

My point stands that many of the posts on here are getting offending not because religion is mentioned in the workplace but because that religion is Islam and practiced mainly by non-whites.

No I think I've been lucky enough to be surrounded by open minded people - most are curious as have not been exposed to it. I was told by a colleague to drink some water yesterday to help my fast. I wasn't offended I just explained I can't and they replied the didn't realise. End of conversation and we carried on talking about the original topic.

I’m glad to hear that. You gave a gracious reply to @Whatothink , who seems to have a specific view, that I am not sure is going to be altered by actual information from real people.

You are not helping yourself, OP. You are posting with an agenda that is perfectly visible to anyone who looks: you are prejudiced against Islam and are determined to goad people into making hostile comments that support your view. That's not really happening, though, is it? Largely what you are seeing is that the majority of people in our country are tolerant, curious and open-minded. A person of the Muslim faith has gently and with dignity talked about her religious practice, but that's not enough for you. There is irony in you asking her to demonstrate to you her tolerance for faiths other than Islam when you have shown not one iota of willingness either at work or on this thread to understand Islam.

There is irony in you asking her to demonstrate to you her tolerance for faiths other than Islam when you have shown not one iota of willingness either at work or on this thread to understand Islam.

Bravo @IdaGlossop .

Thank-you @saraclara Pussyfooting around drives me berserk. If OP was standing in front of me now, I would be saying 'Please say what you mean' repeatedly. And if we worked together and I managed her, I'd be on her case, just as I was for a male team member who would talk only to me as the team leader and the one other man on the team.