With Ramadan just around the corner, Muslims around the world are preparing for the holy month and setting goals and expectations for how they hope to better themselves. However, young Muslim professionals face the unique challenge of having to balance ‘ibadah, or worship, during Ramadan with working full-time.

Although this challenge is the norm for people who are further along in their careers and are used to observing Ramadan while working while also attending to other obligations, young professionals who are just entering the workforce (2022 college graduates, for example) might be navigating this balancing act for the first time. 

Several organizations focus on empowering Muslim professionals and also offer support and insights on navigating Ramadan in this role. Below are are a few tips for young professionals who are navigating Ramadan as full-time employees for the first time, with insights from Sofia Haq, Mariam Catovic, and Erum Siddiqui. 

Sofia Haq is a Sr. Programs & Community Manager at a venture capital firm in New York City, and also the Founder & CEO of Muslim Women Professionals (MWP). Mariam Catovic is a Sr. Project Manager at a consumer goods company in New Jersey. Erum Siddiqui is an attorney based in California. 

1 – Communicate that you will be observing Ramadan and request workplace accommodations based on what would work best for you

Mariam Catovic encourages people to communicate with their team and share resources through platforms such as Linkedin.

“Be open with your coworkers, team, and management on what Ramadan is and what impact it may have on you,” Catovic writes. She has previously used resources from the Yaqeen Institute and Huda Fahmy to explain Ramadan to her colleagues. 

“We’re living in a time where DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) particularly is becoming more common in different workplaces, but clearly, there’s still so much work that needs to be done,” Sofia Haq says. “There’s still a lack of awareness around the Muslim community.”

Haq encourages Muslim professionals to look into resources provided by organizations such as MWP and take the initiative to bring awareness and advocate for their religious rights at work. 

Some Muslim professionals may choose to shift their work hours, take time off during the last ten days of Ramadan, or make other changes to their schedules. Some might choose to request to leave the office early and continue work at home for a few hours before iftar. 

These adjustments can help Muslim professionals gain the most out of the holy month and maintain their productivity at work while making progress on their Ramadan goals. It is not a one-size-fits-all, and you should request changes based on what makes the most sense for you. Whatever adjustments you think work best, MWP too has an email template you can use to communicate your needs to your manager as well as a list of sample work arrangements you can request during Ramadan.  

“Once you inform your employer of your need for an accommodation, your employer must engage in the ‘good faith interactive process’ to accommodate you during Ramadan,” writes Erum Siddiqui in her guide to requesting accommodations during Ramadan. 

“There are no magic words, but you should mention that Ramadan is a ‘religious’ observance and ‘accommodation(s)’ to be safe,” she adds. “You want your email to trigger the employer’s legal duty to accommodate you.” 

2 – Set realistic goals and surround yourself with others who will support you

This advice applies to almost everyone, and is also important for young professionals. 

“I think as Muslims our reset for the year is Ramadan.,” Catovic says. “That is when we make our Ramadan goals that we hope to continue the rest of the year.”

Building small habits consistently is more effective than aiming too high and then giving up on your goals altogether. Ramadan is a time when you should push yourself, but you should also be aware of your own capacity and how much you can realistically accomplish. 

For example, commit to reading a given number of pages of the Quran every day, and commit to an amount that you can accomplish given your work schedule. Make it a goal to pray taraweeh every night, even if you are only able to stay at the masjid for a portion of it. 

In addition, it also helps to utilize resources within your community and surround yourself with people who will both support you and hold you accountable for your Ramadan goals.

“It is really important to make sure you are setting realistic goals for both the professional and spiritual aspects of your life so that when Ramadan is over you can continue the good habits started throughout the rest of the year,” Catovic says. 

“It’s like New Year’s resolutions – you want to make sure you continue working on the goals you’ve set after that first month.”

3 – Focus on time management and set healthy boundaries

Haq also encourages people to focus on their time management and understand that they need to “savor their energy and prioritize themselves” to maintain their attention span throughout the day. 

“When you’re finally working, you realize just how much of your day is work, and how exhausting it can really be,” Haq says. 

She also adds that maintaining a good balance during Ramadan means setting boundaries. 

“Ramadan is such a beautiful time where people can socialize, but sometimes we forget to set boundaries,” she says. 

Although Ramadan is a great time for community gatherings, working full-time during Ramadan might mean needing to turn down events here and there to preserve your energy, especially during a particularly busy workweek. 

“I particularly have been very selective about how many times I allow myself to go out during the workweek,” Haq adds. “Obviously on the weekends, I’ll kind of be a little bit more flexible with myself.” 

4 – Maintain a healthy diet and get enough sleep

One other important tip for navigating Ramadan as a young professional is ensuring you pay attention to your nutrition and sleep habits. 

“When we were in college, obviously our diets were a little bit different,” Haq says. “But when you’re working, it’s really important to make sure you’re getting enough protein and that you’re staying hydrated after iftar.” 

Haq also mentions the importance of focusing on sleep given the change in your schedule when you go from being a college student to working full-time.  

“A lot of people take this for granted especially when you are in college,” she says, “but once you are a professional and you’re working eight-plus hours a day, you really need your rest.” 

Haq also mentions that one tip which works for some people is using their lunch break at work to take a nap, which helps them feel more energized given the fewer hours of sleep they get during the night in Ramadan.

5 – Utilize resources within your community

Haq adds that in addition to the email template, MWP has many other resources for Ramadan and for supporting Muslim women professionals through their website.

Catovic also mentions that “email templates, presentations, out-of-office templates for Eid are all great resources for young Muslim professionals to have.” 

“Last year one of my job’s social committees reached out to me for a quick summary to explain Ramadan so that they could send it out and I’m sure other Muslims get similar requests.” Catovic says.  

Other organizations with resources for young professionals include IC Professionals at the Islamic Center at NYU (New York-based) and Muslim Urban Professionals (global). 

Although observing Ramadan while working full-time can be challenging, these tips and resources provide valuable support for young professionals to help navigate the challenge and make the most out of this month. 

Related reading:

– Tips For Managing School And Ramadan – MuslimMatters.org

– Podcast: 786 Samosas – Balancing Home and Worship in Ramadan | Shaykh Mikaeel Ahmed Smith – MuslimMatters.org