​Slight adjustments help them balance work with religion

NEW DELHI: Shamsul Wahid will be fasting for almost a month during Ramzan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar. Like other Muslims fasting from sunrise to sunset, he too cannot drink, eat and smoke. This head chef at a European eatery makes slight adjustments in his daily schedule to fulfil his religious and professional duties — he knows there is no excuse for those fit and healthy to avoid fasting.“I don’t touch pork during this month, wear gloves while cooking during the day, and usually taste dishes only after iftar,” explains Shamsul. He is among the many working professionals in Delhi for whom the fabled iftar feasts or the sumptuous seheri are limited to weekly-offs.
Shamsul doesn’t let roza affect his efficiency or become an excuse for lethargy. “Ramzan doesn’t mean feasting at night and sleeping through the day. This month is about discipline. You should be able to fast, perform your prayers and carry on with your regular work,” he observes. Personal finance planner Rashid Ahmed sticks to an energy drink and glucose biscuits for seheri or pre-dawn meal for staying energized through the day; he carries dates to break his fast with a silent prayer when it’s time. “My local mosque messaged me the timings for seheri and iftar for the entire month. That has been a great help,” he says. Rashid, who is meeting clients during the day with little time to consult the local imam, uses social media sites to clarify his doubts on Ramzan. He has subscribed to ‘hadith of the day’ service to get one important religious instruction on the holy month every day.
Shireen Quadri, media manager with a publishing house, also considers Ramzan a matter of personal faith that should in no way interfere with daily work. “I am not doing anyone a favour by fasting. It is about my faith and I don’t let that affect my efficiency,” she affirms. Shireen, who was fasting on her birthday this year as it coincided with Ramzan, says it takes slight adjustments to observe rozas and still be a thorough professional. “Many times you just have to rush to a nearby fast-food joint or a mosque to break the fast,” she says. She feels airconditioned public transport like Delhi Metro and DTC buses have been a great help to the commuters who are fasting. Ad professional Danish Syed feels his efficiency improves during Ramzan as no time is wasted on cigarette breaks. “There are no cigarette breaks or tea and coffee sessions during Ramzan. You also abstain from gossiping. The focus is on completing work well in advance to be able to have iftar peacefully,” he says. The support he gets from his colleagues, who are willing to share some of his responsibility — they applauded when he completed his first fast this year —is always very humbling.
Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, the imam of Fatehpuri mosque, is in favour of striking a balance between work and profession; roza is farz
for every able-bodied and healthy individual, he explains. “Shariat doesn’t say stop working during Ramzan. You have to plan your work in such a way that it doesn’t affect your roza,” he says. He adds that only the seriously ill, elderly people, travellers, and menstruating, pregnant and nursing mothers are exempt from fasting.
Fashion designer Zubair Kirmani, who knows the importance of roza, says he alters the working hours to get the maximum out of his workforce, which consists largely of Muslim craftsmen. “I start my shift early as people are fresh after seheri or pre-dawn meal. Regular breaks are replaced by namaz breaks and work is completed by 5.30pm, so that people can return home in time for iftar,” he says. Some of his tailors are also keen on having a night shift and that actually increases his working hours. “We work like any other day. Our output and lifestyle don’t change during Ramzan,” he affirms.
Ramzan doesn’t mean feasting at night and sleeping through the day. This month is about discipline. You should be able to fast, perform your prayers and carry on with your regular work Shamsul wahid Head chef at a European eatery.