During the month of Ramadan, many Muslims fast for 30 days until the holiday of Eid Ul Fitr. Those observing the fast will not eat or drink during the hours of daylight. Muslims increase their prayer, charity and seek to build a closer relationship with God during Ramadan. With the goal of God-consciousness in mind, many use the month as a time to recharge their spiritual battery and focus on their relationship with God. This may involve extra recitation of the Qur’an, more time spent in prayer, the abandonment of bad habits, or a renewed focus on volunteering to assist those in need.
Naturally this means that Muslims increase their charitable activities during this month. Charitable giving is one of the five pillars of Islam. 'Zakat' requires Muslims to donate 2.5 percent of their yearly income to charity, while 'Sadaqah' is an additional voluntary act of giving. It is estimated that British Muslims give more than £100 million to charitable causes during the month of Ramadan each year.
Given the significance of this month to Muslims, there are considerations for charities and employers to take into account.
A great deal of money is raised during Ramadan and the period will see many mosques, international development charities and other charities receive substantial cash donations. This creates corresponding opportunities for fraud or mismanagement and mosque trustees typically take additional precautions at this time of year to ensure that the internal financials controls of the charity - and practical arrangements on the ground - are robust enough to cope with this surge in donations. The Charity Commission publishes guidance for donors in the run up to Ramadan and well-prepared boards will ensure that steps are taken to enable the secure receipt of cash donations while also encouraging electronic donations where possible.
In recent years, we have noticed an increase in internal disputes involving faith charities and mosque charities are no exception. As a period of reflection which involves a focus on empathy for others, Ramadan presents the perfect opportunity to pause such disputes and reflect on opportunities to seek a resolution in the wider best interests of the charity and the communities it serves. While internal disputes cannot always be avoided, they can be an expensive, time-consuming and unsettling distraction from the charity's core purposes. This month presents a perfect opportunity to extend an olive branch.
Ramadan may see an increase in Muslims seeking to provide for the future and take steps to meet their financial responsibilities. This, together with the focus on charity, will lead some people to seek to revise their wills. It is not uncommon for large amounts of wealth to be left to charities and charities anticipating such donations may wish to consider signposting Islamic will writing services.
Many employers will be aware of the significance of Ramadan to their employees and have put into place measures to accommodate the needs of Muslim employees who wish to fast. Organisations such as Tell Mama as well as a number of unions have published helpful guidance for employers wishing to support Muslim staff wishing to observe Ramadan.
Just some of the ideas on how employers can help their Muslim employees are:
The end of Ramadan is marked by a celebration called Eid al-Fitr. Employers can recognise this important event by allowing employees to take time off, offering Eid gifts or celebrations, and acknowledging the significance of the holiday.
To all those celebrating, everyone at VWV wishes you a blessed Ramadan.
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